Port-Royal Journal 11

Mi’kmaq Grandmother of Port-Royal

The registers of Saint-Jean-Baptiste parish in Port-Royal tell us that Marie Charet, a Mi’kmaq of this river, died on March 7, 1727 at the age of 75.

In our modern era, we are often surprised to see people living to advanced old age such primitive times. Perhaps, it is even more surprising to see a Mi’kmaq achieving such a status. We might admire the past but we think of it as brutal and short-lived. Yet, here we have a woman, living a traditional indigenous lifestyle, living a long and full life. Marie’s life and existence helps us dispel historical and cultural stereotypes.

In this 1604 Champlain sketch of the new settlement’s surroundings, he notes a fish weir constructed by the Mi’kmaq, who called this place “Land of Bountiful Fish.” A vibrant culture flourished here millenia before Europeans arrived.

There are many aspects of the lives of our ancestors that are shrouded in mist but that can be revealed by spending some time reflecting on the historical information that survives. History is more than just dates, battles,historical information that survives. History is more than just dates, battles, and names. When we filter the source information through a lens of humanity, we bring life to data.