Father-daughter duo Todd and Melissa Labrador are passionate about preserving their Mi'kmaw traditions
The father-daughter duo of Todd and Melissa Labrador is passionate about preserving their Mi'kmaw traditions.
"I always think, you know, education is the key to breaking down so many barriers," says Melissa Labrador. "So the more we do this in public, the more the public is able to come in and be a part of this."
These days, you'll find the pair of Mi'kmaw artisans at the Lunenburg School of the Arts. They're building a birch bark canoe, while welcoming curious visitors who wander into the workshop.
"Sometimes we don't get a lot of work done because we just talk all day," chuckles Todd. "I enjoy the chats with people, they'll give me experiences that they've had on their journey."
The pair has had a busy summer.
In August, Todd and Melissa took one of their birch bark canoes in Lunenburg harbor and sailed with Bluenose II.
It was an emotional moment for the father, daughter and their entire family.
"My great grandfather Joe Jermey actually made hoops for the mast, for the sails – the mast hoops for the Bluenose."
They're also in the process of building a traditional wigwam at Ross Farm – a museum that highlights Nova Scotia's rural heritage.
"This just adds to that whole story of Ross Farm," adds Melissa. "The history there, so by creating this project and bringing a wigwam to the farm, then you can build on all that history and that story that needs to be told of that relationship."
With the first ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation happening on Sept. 30, Todd offers some words for everyone to reflect on:
"If you look at some of the canoes I make, we have a canoe with birch bark, but every piece of bark that we put in has a different shade, a different colour," he explains. "Every person has a different shade of skin. The different colours of skin, but in the canoe, we put all those different colours together and we sew them together and they all work together, and it creates something beautiful. And I'm thinking we can do that in the future, if we come together and work together and help each other, we can create a beautiful future and that's what I hope."
You can catch Todd and Melissa Labrador working on their current birch bark canoe at the Lunenburg School of the Arts for the majority of the fall season.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for "all parties" to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
Taylor Swift drops 15 new songs on double album, 'The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology'
On Friday, the pop star released her 11th album and at 2 a.m. Eastern, she released "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology," featuring 15 additional songs.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.