| Summary: | For generations of Mi’kmaq from Pictou Landing First Nation, A’se’k (often referred to
as Boat Harbour) provided cultural, recreation, and livelihood functions. For almost 50
years, this once-healthy tidal estuary has been receiving effluent from a nearby bleached
kraft pulp mill. This study was carried out in partnership with the Pictou Landing Native
Women’s Association, and sought to collect stories of A’se’k from Knowledge Holders
who remember it as a healthy, thriving, culturally significant community place. Using a
narrative approach of restorying, the historical importance of and changes to A’se’k are
illuminated through the voices of Mi’kmaq who have lived the experiences. Their stories
further highlight the ongoing environmental, health, and social injustices faced by
Indigenous peoples, shaped by the many complex dimensions of colonialism and racism
in Canada. Through a reflexive examination of my experiences as a non-Indigenous
graduate student navigating the research landscape, this study also highlights a process of learning to be an ally alongside Indigenous partners. Together, these findings suggest the need to restory Canada’s (ongoing) colonial legacy, through community-based processes, in order to move towards ending colonial structures.
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