The Mi’kmaq Grand Council, the traditional government of the Mi’kmaq Nation (M’kma’ki) wishes to welcome all the Acadian visitors and local Acadians who are, and will be, participating in the World Acadian Congress here on lovely Epekwitk (P.E.I.).

The Mi’kmaq Grand Council was the governing body of the Mi’kmaq when the first immigrants from France arrived on our shores with Jacques Cartier in the early 1500s, and the French Acadians over 100 years later.

At that time, the Mi’kmaq Grand Council was the traditional government of the Mi’kmaq Nation and represented our Mi’kmaq ancestors who cured, cared for, clothed, fed and protected the French Acadian ancestors when they first arrived on our shores.

In 1999, I represented the Mi’kmaq Grand Council in opening the World Acadian Congress in Louisiana and I also participated in the 2002 World Acadian Congress in France. During these celebrations, there were friendship dances, gift exchanges, arts and crafts, feasts, spiritual ceremonies, etc.

In keeping with the spirit of peace and friendship of our protocol signed by the late Grand Council Chief Ben Sylliboy with Society Nationale de Acadie President Roger Ouellette in 1993, the Grand Council was hoping that this protocol would be renewed, but this has not been agreed to by the organizers of the 2019 World Acadian Congress.

In addition, I was very disappointed with the fact that the organizers of the 2019 World Acadian Congress did not invite the Mi’kmaq Grand Council to officially participate in any of the Congress activities – organizers don’t seem to appreciate our shared history of peace and friendship.

Now it is getting too late to organize some of the things we had discussed with the organizers who seem to understand that the Mi’kmaq Grand Council and the Keptins of each respective Mi’kmaq district represent the Mi’kmaq Nation as a whole.

Despite this slight and indifference that we have received from the World Acadian Congress, we can assure all Acadians that we have great love for the Acadian people who live here and elsewhere.

We can also still feel the pain of what our relatives the Acadians must have felt at the time of the tragic events that happened as a result of the Acadian deportation by the English.

There are many kinds of tears that we experience. In our genetic memory, we can still feel the tears of pain and loneliness that our ancestors must have felt when the Acadians were so brutally removed from our Mi’kmaq Nation.

Keptin Dr. John Joe Sark, LLD is with the Mi’kmaq Grand Council, District of Epekwitk (P.E.I.)