Eskasoni First Nation facts for kids
| People | Miꞌkmaq |
|---|---|
| Province | Nova Scotia |
| Land | |
| Main reserve | Eskasoni 3 |
| Other reserve(s) | |
| Land area | 42.809 km2 |
| Population (2021) | |
| On reserve | 3973 |
| Off reserve | 700 |
| Total population | 4673 |
| Government | |
| Chief | Leroy Denny |
| Council size | 12 |
| Tribal Council | |
| Union of Nova Scotia Miꞌkmaq | |
| Website | |
| eskasoni.ca | |
The Eskasoni Mi'kmaw Nation is a large Mi'kmaq community in Nova Scotia, Canada. It's located on Cape Breton Island, also known as Unama'ki. This community is a self-governing group, meaning they make their own decisions. In 2021, over 4,600 people were part of the Eskasoni Nation. Most of them, about 3,973 people, live on their reserve land. Others live in different areas.
Eskasoni's Past: A Growing Community
| On-reserve populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1871 | 125 | — |
| 1891 | 80 | −36.0% |
| 1900 | 140 | +75.0% |
| 1941 | 200 | +42.9% |
| 1991 | 2,206 | +1003.0% |
| 2001 | 2,741 | +24.3% |
| 2021 | 3,973 | +44.9% |
| Source: Statistics Canada, | ||
The name Eskasoni comes from the Mi'kmaq word "We'kwistoqnik." This means "where the fir trees are plentiful." It's a beautiful way to describe their land.
In 1942, the Canadian government made a new rule. This rule encouraged Mi'kmaq people to move to larger reserves. Because of this, many Mi'kmaq families moved to Eskasoni and another reserve called Sipekne’katik. Before this, Eskasoni had fewer than 200 people. This change caused the community to grow very quickly.
A kind doctor named Dr. Mohan Singh Virick helped Eskasoni for 50 years. In 2016, he gave the community a large piece of land. He also donated buildings in Sydney to help house the growing number of people in Eskasoni.
Eskasoni Today: A Vibrant Mi'kmaq Community
Eskasoni is now the largest Mi'kmaq community. It has its own community radio station, CICU-FM, which broadcasts at 94.1 MHz. This station helps share local news and culture.
The community is also home to the Unama'ki Institute of Natural Resources. This is a Mi'kmaq group that works to protect nature and the environment. They focus on natural resources important to their people.
Eskasoni also runs its own school system. They provide education for children from kindergarten all the way to grade 12. This means students can learn and grow within their own community.
The Eskasoni First Nation is made up of three main areas:
| Community | Area | Location | Population | Date established |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eskasoni 3 | 3,504.6 hectares (8,660 acres) | 40 km. southwest of Sydney | 3,973 | July 1, 1832 |
| Eskasoni 3A | 28.5 hectares (70 acres) | 40 km. southwest of Sydney | 0 | July 20, 1948 |
| Malagawatch 4 (1/5 share) | 661.3 hectares (1,634 acres) | 62 km. southwest of Sydney | 0 | August 2, 1833 |
