Indigenous Storytelling Walk

Indigenous influence in the Saint John area is largely overlooked. Before Canada’s oldest incorporated city was established, a flourishing culture already existed, the Wolastoqiyik.

Discover the local history of the Wolastoq and Mi’kmaq Peoples from a unique Indigenous point of view while meandering along the harbour and the Beautiful River – Wolastoq. Walk along a historical portage route and over archeological sites and become acquainted with the timeless wisdom of our ancestors. Learn how stewardship of the earth should look in a modern world while respecting and celebrating past traditions through the eyes of traditional and modern artisans and artists and the stories that bind our cultures together.

Prior to the landing of European settlers in what is now called New Brunswick, thriving cultures existed for thousands of years which lived in harmony with the land and the life that resided on it. Survival on this land depended on ingenuity and knowledge wrought from a sometimes harsh and unforgiving environment.

Passed down through the generations were the spoken teachings that served as lessons to the younger generations to ensure their survival into the future. Despite today’s modern conveniences and industrialization, respect and protection of the land is a way of life in every Aboriginal community across Canada.