Relationships – Beginning in a Good Way (Video)
As we begin our journey towards becoming restoration actors in Passamaquoddy Bay (or wherever you call home), we should make sure that we have a shared understanding of the most fundamental principles of the Peskotomuhkati, the power of relationships and of stories.
You are invited to start with Part 1 below. Feel free to stretch, snack, or run in the woods in between videos (or put on your headphones and take us for a walk!)
Part 1 (7 min)
Lynn Mitchell is a Peskotomuhkati Tribal member, performance artist, and educator who works dynamically and powerfully across many areas of life in the Territory and beyond. She is the Passamaquoddy Culture and Language Teacher for Calais High School and Facilities Manager for Maine Indian Education. She is an active member of Cipelahq Ehpicik (Thunder Women) drum group (who you will experience in a moment).
In 2024, Lynn received the prestigious National Indian Education Association (NIEA) Community Service of the Year Award, one of the highest honours in Native education. The NIEA award recognizes outstanding role models who “embody cultural pride, educational leadership, and a commitment to service” in their communities.
Enjoy this beginning!
Stop and think for a minute. What moved you in the last video? Write it down (stuff it in your pocket to reflect on later, don’t tell anyone :)).
Part 2 (10 min)
In the video below, hear from Peskotomuhkati community members about the abundance of life that, until recently, was normal in Passamaquoddy Bay. What is the name of the “keystone species” that the Peskotomuhkati are restoring to the ecosystem?
Take a break if you want. Have an apple. Did you know the Bay was in trouble? Did you know so many people were working to help the Bay?
Part 3 (17 min)
Now you can dive into Part 3. Here, Chief Hugh Akagi celebrates those around him, and reflects with his friends about the power of relationships to create new possibilities in the world.
Think about the important relationships in your life. It could be a person, an animal, a body of water, or an author. What does their presence in your life do for you? Something to think about…
Part 4 (15 min)
In Part 4, we learn about what motivates these ‘restoration friends’ to work toward a healthy Passamaquoddy Bay. Curiosity also surfaces as a theme, like a whale looking for food. Pay attention to how Chief Akagi describes Indigenous Knowledge and Western science. Do they work well together?
Did Chief, Harvey, and Fred all come from similar backgrounds and places? Notice what motivations connect with you emotionally, without words, or mentally, through curiosity to know more.
Part 5 (11 min)
Lisa Hrabluk asks the three friends some more questions that opens up the work of restoration in Passamaquoddy Bay. What do we do well? What do we wish had to do better?
Whose answers did you connect most with? Think about why. Take a break, then click the ‘Next’ button below to continue your journey.
Chief Hugh Akagi Bio
Chief Hugh Akagi has been the voice of the Peskotomuhkati people at Skutik for more than two decades. He has used his leadership to bring awareness to the issues of his people including in negotiations with federal and provincial governments. He has been seeking recognition of the Peskotomuhkati people who reside in what is now New Brunswick.
Chief Hugh Akagi was born in the home he still lives in, at Qonaskamkuk (Indian Point in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick), the traditional homeland of his people.
He graduated from Saint Andrews’ Vincent Massey High School in 1964, then attended Dalhousie University and graduated with a double major in math and physics and began his career as a teacher at Blacks Harbour High School and Rothesay Collegiate.
In the early 70’s he began working for the Canadian government at the Biological Station in Saint Andrews. He spent the next three decades working in a variety of disciplines including oceanography, estuarine research, contaminants, environmental monitoring, and protocol for the aquaculture industry.
Working closely with researchers from around the world, Chief Akagi continues to share his vast knowledge of his traditional homeland, the creatures found within, and an understanding of how to protect and restore the environment for future generations around the planet – Mother Earth.
To ensure the Peskotomuhkati voice is heard in the decision-making processes with current governments, Chief Akagi has travelled widely throughout North America and Europe, including attending the United Nation Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues every year for a decade.
Fred Page Bio
Fred Page is a research scientist, Head of the Coastal Oceanography Section (COS) at the DFO St. Andrews Biological Station (SABS) and a member of the SABS Management Team. He has a particular geographic interest in the oceanography of the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine.
Page’s general area of expertise is Coastal Oceanography, particularly from the perspective of physical-biological interactions and their applications to Fisheries, Aquaculture and Coastal Zone Management issues. His work has provided influential advice on issues such as aquaculture farm siting, coastal zone carrying capacity, aquaculture fish health management, coastal zone management, the development of offshore aquaculture, environmental impacts of aquaculture, aquaculture-fisheries interactions, aquaculture bay management, and environmental influences on fish stock structure and stock assessments.
Harvey Millar Bio
Harvey Millar grew up in northern Saskatchewan, but has also lived on the east and west coasts of Canada and currently resides with his wife Joyce in St. Andrews. Harvey recently retired from DFO where he had worked in the Pacific and Maritimes Regions. His career with DFO started as a fishery officer in BC and Nova Scotia, then Chief of Conservation and Protection for SWNB, Maritimes Region. From 2009 until retiring in 2023, he was the Area Director for SWNB. Harvey has worked closely with the Nation at Skutik since 2013 and shares their vision and values. He has a love for the outdoors and the natural beauty of God’s creation. As an artist, this is evident as he paints wildlife in a realistic style in their natural environments. He strongly believes in the wise management of resources and respect for what we have been given.
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