New Brunswick: 

In New Brunswick, supporting Indigenous communities means engaging directly with Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik Nations and communities such as Elsipogtog, Kingsclear, Tobique, and Metepenagiag 

Organizations:

Metepenagiag Heritage Park (Red Bank First Nation) - A nationally recognized interpretive centre focused on archaeological storytelling and the living history of Mi’kmaq culture in the region.

Donate or Visit: www.metpark.ca 

Indigenous Tourism New Brunswick (ITNB) - Wolastoqiyik & Mi’kmaq Cultural Tourism 

Donate or Visit:  https://indigenoustourism.ca 

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Prince Edward Island:  

In PEI, supporting Indigenous communities means engaging directly with Mi’kmaq Nations such as Lennox Island and Abegweit First Nation.

Organizations: 

Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island (MCPEI) 

Donate or Visit:  https://mcpei.ca 

Native Council of Prince Edward Island (NCPEI) that fund cultural, health, and community programs. 

Donate or Visit:  https://ncpei.com 

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Nova Scotia: 

In Nova Scotia, supporting Indigenous communities means engaging directly with Mi’kmaq Nations such as Membertou, Millbrook, and Eskason First Nations. 

Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre (Halifax) - cultural programming, housing support, youth services, and urban Indigenous community supports. 

Donate or Visit: https://www.mymnfc.com 

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Newfoundland and Labrador: 

In Ktaqmkuk, colonially Newfoundland and Labrador, supporting Indigenous communities means engaging directly with Mi’kmaq, Inuit, and Innu Nations.

Organizations: 

First Light Friendship Centre (St. John’s) - serving Indigenous people from all Nations living in Newfoundland and Labrador. First Light has organized an annual Spirit Song Festival since 2013 celebrating indigenous arts and culture in St. John’s.

Donate or Visit: https://firstlightnl.ca 

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ALL: 

Powwows are one of the most accessible ways to experience Indigenous culture across the Maritimes. Throughout the summer, First Nations and Indigenous communities in the four Maritime Provinces host gatherings that are open to visitors and community members alike.

These include larger regional powwows such as Elsipogtog, Kingsclear, Tobique, Membertou, Millbrook, Eskasoni, Lennox Island, and Conne River, as well as many smaller community gatherings hosted by local First Nations and Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, Innu, and Inuit communities.

Visitors can experience traditional drumming, dancing in regalia, storytelling, and community celebration in a respectful, welcoming environment.

Across all four Atlantic provinces, people are encouraged to look for powwows and community events in First Nations near them, as each gathering is unique to that Nation, community, and territory.

Land Acknowledgement:

We acknowledge that we are gathered in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People, who have cared for this land for thousands of years. We recognize that Halifax and all of Nova Scotia are part of this living, ongoing relationship with the Mi’kmaq Nation.

We also acknowledge that our festival reaches across the broader Atlantic region - Wolastoqiyik territory in New Brunswick, Mi’kmaq and Abegweit territory in Prince Edward Island, and Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit territories in Newfoundland and Labrador. We recognize that each of these Nations is distinct, sovereign, and continues to live, create, and thrive on their homelands.

We extend this recognition to Turtle Island, the name many Indigenous peoples use for what is now called North America, understanding that Indigenous presence is not historical, but living, diverse, and ongoing across all lands. 

As artists, presenters, and guests on these lands, we acknowledge that storytelling, performance, and creative expression are deeply rooted in Indigenous cultures, and we commit to supporting Indigenous artists, makers, and communities not only in word, but through our actions.

We encourage everyone here to learn more about the Nations whose lands you are on, to attend local powwows and cultural gatherings, and to support Indigenous-led organizations, artists, and businesses across the Maritimes and beyond. (list above or share on website)