Assembly of N.S. Mi'kmaw Chiefs buys land put up for sale near sacred petroglyphs
CBC
The Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs recently purchased lands adjacent to a petroglyph site in the Halifax area to protect it from development and keep it accessible.
The Bedford Barrens petroglyphs feature a Mi’kmaw eight-pointed star and an abstract figure. They are a National Historic Site, with research suggesting they were carved with stone tools, dating their creation to pre-contact.
The four privately owned plots of land zoned for residential development, totalling about 3 hectares, went on the market in late 2024. One of the plots of land is less than 20 metres from the site.
“The Bedford Barrens petroglyphs hold deep spiritual, cultural and historical significance for the Mi’kmaq,” said Eskasoni First Nation Chief Leroy Denny in a release from the assembly.
In the release, Glooscap First Nation Chief Sidney Peters thanked the sellers for giving the assembly time to secure the properties.
“Development of these lands without Mi’kmaw control or input could have significantly compromised the integrity of the petroglyph sites and the ability for future generations of Mi’maq to access such a significant area,” said Peters.
The purchase was made possible through funding provided by Wskijnu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency (WMA), an economic development partnership between the province’s 13 Mi’kmaw communities.
Tim Bernard, from Millbrook First Nation, is executive director of Mi’kmawey Debert, an initiative aimed at protecting and exploring Mi’kmaw history under a mandate from the assembly.
Bernard has been following efforts to protect the petroglyphs since their rediscovery in the 1980s.
“For us, it's been about the protection of the site,” said Bernard.
“We have been caring for this land for over 13,000 years and will continue to do that.”
The petroglyphs, located within a residential neighbourhood, were quietly rediscovered in 1983 by a resident in Bedford, N.S., now part of the Halifax Regional Municipality. The finding was kept under wraps until the late '80s, when the municipality was planning to further develop the area.
Word quickly spread around the existence of the petroglyphs and as their authenticity was verified, there was debate over how best to protect the sacred site, and the neighbourhood, from development
Cathy Martin, a Mi’kmaw filmmaker from Millbrook, was part of a subcommittee formed to advise the municipality on best uses for the land containing the petroglyphs.
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