Glooscap Heritage Centre

Situated just behind a 40-foot statue of Glooscap holding a torch aloft on Highway 102, the Glooscap Heritage Centre is not to be missed. An attraction for tourists and residents alike, the Centre has a growing reputation as a place to learn about the Mi'kmaq people of Nova Scotia.
 
A museum with heritage galleries that display artifacts, a multi-media theatre, and a gift shop with the work of Mi'kmaq artisans are all part of what visitors can enjoy when they come to the Glooscap Heritage Centre. In a unique partnership with the Central Nova Tourism Association (CNTA), the building also houses the offices of CNTA and a regional Visitor Information Centre.
 
Investment by corporate and private donors made the Glooscap Heritage Centre a reality, but the idea had been in the works since the establishment of the Truro Power Centre in 2000. The product of a historic deal between the Millbrook First Nation and all three levels of government, the Truro Power Centre is an expansive business complex which hosts a number of successful businesses including a motel, restaurants, and a movie theatre. It has given the surrounding Mi'kmaq community an economic base from which to grow and now the Heritage Centre projects a cultural identity to those who pass by on their way in or out of the province.
 
And no longer are people simply passing the Millbrook First Nation by. Thanks to the statue of Glooscap, the amenities of the Truro Power Centre, and the tourism draw of the Heritage Centre, people are being pulled in off the highway in droves. Tour buses are stopping weekly, visitor counts are up, and all of this is making Crystal Dorey, an Aboriginal Interpretive Program Coordinator at the Centre enormously gratified.
 
The Glooscap Heritage Centre, which is located on Millbrook First Nation's land, just a few kilometers outside of Truro, grew out of the development of the Truro Power Centre.
 
"People used to drive by and not by able to see the local Mi'kmaq community," says Dorey who's been with the Centre since its opening in January 2006. "But now we have a great opportunity to share more about our culture and heritage with non-Aboriginals, including international visitors who can get a taste of the history of the first people of Nova Scotia."
 
According to Dorey, the timing of the Centre is just right. "In Canada now, there seems to be more respect and appreciation for our country's rich, vibrant Aboriginal culture." It's a time of celebration, she says. For years, there were many barriers to Aboriginal people identifying with their culture, letting alone celebrating it. "But the widespread attitude is more of an embracing of Canada's first people now."
 
And it's not only non-Aboriginals who are being educated about the Mi'kmaq. It's also the residents of Millbrook First Nation who are being given the opportunity to learn more about their own culture and share that with their own children. This lines up with the Centre's main objective. "We exist to give back to the Mi'kmaq community and to accurately represent the Mi'kmaq history, culture, and heritage," says Dorey.
 
Open year round with extended hours from May to October, the Glooscap Heritage Centre is able to offer guided interpretive tours of their artifacts with a number of certified Heritage Interpreters. This allows people to not only learn more about the Mi'kmaq culture but also enables them to see Nova Scotia through new eyes. "I strongly believe that most people who come to Nova Scotia don't realize the province has such a rich and deep history, spanning back over 10,000 years," says Dorey. "We have our stories and our legends that reflect why the landscape is the way it is and how that has impacted generations of our ancestors."
 
Visitors will often be so intrigued by these legends that their next stop is the Five Islands of the Minas Basin or the tides of the Bay of Fundy, both of which Glooscap is said to have created. While in the area, tourists can also learn about the ancient crafts of the Mi'kmaq and purchase the work of local artisans in the Centre's gift shop.
 
In fact, throughout the year these same artisans run workshops for the Centre, teaching participants how to create some of the traditional art and crafts of the Mi'kmaq. They even go one step further, says Dorey, and teach the participants how to harvest the materials needed to make the craft. In a memorable workshop this last year, an artist taught his students how to harvest porcupine quills. Off a living porcupine! Summer camps for children are also offered where kids do art and learn about the history of the Mi'kmaq people.
 
A recent area of growth has been in the Centre's off-season activities. Dorey and her colleagues operate a catering business right on the premises where large and small groups use the available meeting space. "It keeps us busy and hopping throughout the winter," says Dorey. "And we receive a lot of comments about how great the meeting space is." The location couldn't be more accessible and meeting participants often get to soak up a little Mi'kmaq culture while they are there. "This has been really incredible opportunity for us and for the native and non-native groups who use the space."
 
According to Dorey, the future of the Glooscap Heritage Centre is rich in potential. One possibility is the development of a travelling exhibit project with a sister nation in New Brunswick to showcase both cultures. "The impact of our engagement with the surrounding community is growing each year," she says. And Dorey will be there to grow with the Centre. "I love my work. It's humbling to be able to be in the presence of so much history and to be able to share the lives of my ancestors with others."