This month, the Mi’kmaw History Month (MHM) Committee proudly revealed the 2025 poster, marking the official launch of this year’s theme: A’tukwemk aq A’tukowinu’k – Storytelling and Storytellers.
This theme celebrates the power of stories in Mi’kma’kik—stories shaped by the land and waters, carried through generations, and alive with laughter, teaching, and truth. Storytelling remains a living record of Mi’kmaw science, history, and values, connecting people to each other and to the ancestors who came before.
“Mi’kmaw stories carry laughter, teaching, and truth. When they’re told, something bigger than the story comes to life,” said Tim Bernard, Executive Director of Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre and Chair of the MHM Committee. “They are how we know what we know, and they connect us to where we come from.”
Created by the team at Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre, the 2025 poster features Mi’kmaw, English, and French text, affirming storytelling as central to how Mi’kmaw people teach, learn, and live well in Mi’kma’kik. Since its beginnings in 1998, the poster has been generously supported by Indigenous Services Canada and several departments of the Province of Nova Scotia.
In 1993, Premier John Savage and Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy declared October as Mi’kmaw History Month. Each October, Mi’kmaw History Month is a time to educate, share, and celebrate. The poster is distributed to schools and communities across Nova Scotia and is also available for download at mikmaqhistorymonth.com.
This year also marks the tenth anniversary of Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre overseeing the Mi’kmaw History Month Community Activities Support Initiative. With generous support from Support4Culture, the initiative has contributed more than $200,000 toward community-led projects that strengthen Mi’kmaw culture, language, and wellness.
Each year, Mi’kmaw groups, organizations, and communities in Nova Scotia are invited to apply for funding of up to $2,000 to host activities or events in October that celebrate Mi’kmaw History Month. The program aims to assist Mi’kmaw communities and organizations in reaching their goals for Mi’kmaw History Month while encouraging more events across Nova Scotia, promoting greater awareness and education of Mi’kmaw history and culture, and supporting communities in welcoming more people to participate in these events.
The 2025 design invites everyone to listen closely and reflect on how stories continue to carry Mi’kmaw knowledge and truth into the future.
“Stories have always been at the heart of who we are as Mi’kmaw people,” continues Bernard, reflecting on this year’s theme. “Our stories remind us where we come from, they make us laugh, they teach us how to live, and they carry the truth of our ancestors forward. When we share them, we’re renewing our ties with one another, strengthening our communities, and shaping a future that stays true to our ways of knowing. This year’s theme is really about taking the time to listen and letting our storytellers lead the way.”