Mi’kmaw elder and author Daniel Paul has passed away at the age of 84

Mi’kmaw elder, activist, historian and author Daniel Paul has passed away after a battle with cancer. He turned 84.

Paul, who was from Sipekne’katik, told friends and family in an email last fall that cancer in his lungs had spread to his liver.

“During my time on Mother Earth, I sincerely hope that I have made a difference to the indigenous peoples of Turtle Island by revealing and proving the horrors our ancestors have endured since Columbus lost his way and landed in America in 1492,” said the e -mail. , partially.

“I do hope that younger generations will take up the torch and carry on, teaching and preaching the truth for many generations to come!”

Paul’s book, We were not the savagesis considered a seminal work in Mi’kmaw literature and Nova Scotia literature that spanned 300 years of Mi’kmaw history.

He was a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Nova Scotia.

Renaming of Cornwallis Monuments

Paul also received a Nova Scotia Human Rights Award in 2022. According to the committee, the Wel-lukwen Award recognizes “contributions to building cultural awareness and understanding of L’nu’k history, traditions and community.”

For three decades, Paul advocated renaming landmarks named after Edward Cornwallis. The British Governor of Nova Scotia issued a so-called Scalping Proclamation against Mi’kmaw men, women and children in 1749, the same year he founded Halifax.

In an interview with CBC in June 2021, after a Halifax park named after Cornwallis was renamed Peace and Friendship Park, Paul reflected on the meaning of reconciliation.

He said the past should be examined in a way that “does not discount the oppression of a race of people such as ours, which has been the practice in Canada for far too long”.

“What is better for us to live in harmony and accept each other in peace and friendship?” he said. “Good things happen when people get to know each other.”