Fort Latour Murals

Painted by Geoff Slater, Emili Naish, Susan Sacobie and Gina Brooks.

 

The mural depicts Glooscap, as the fog. He is extending a pipe to share. Over his left shoulder are Wampum in the sky. Below Glooscap sits his stone canoe. Maliseet life just prior to European contact is shown in the foreground. The un-walled trade village of Ouigodik (Wikotik) is bustling with the family life that was so important to Maliseet people. Further in front, we see the sophisticated material culture, which was so connected to the land and storytelling. On the birch basket tops, to the left and right, are maps showing the extent of the territory as well as the location of the five tribes; the Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, Passamoquoddy, Abenaki, and Penobscot, who together are the ‘People of the First Light’.

***

The original people of the St. John River are known as Maliseets, but they call themselves “the People of the St. John River.” They are known to have lived on this river for nearly 12,000 years. When Europeans came here in 1604 Maliseet people were living in a village on an island in this harbour. They spoke of their village as “wikotik.” This means simply “at the place where one lives. Champlain thought this was the name of the river, and others thought it was the name of the village here! But Maliseets named this place “Menahkwesk.”

 

Amskwahseyak pəmawsowinowək eyoltihtititpən Wəlastəkok liwiyak Mehləssiht, kenokw-əlo liwiyosoltowək “Wəlastəkokewiyik.” Wəlikcicihtaso eli nekbmaw wikoltihtitpən yot sipək elowe-te nisanko-kehsamkwahk tocikətək. Peciyahtihtit Kamənohkewiyik neket 1604 Wəlastəkokewiyik wikoltopənik otenek eyik mənihkok yot əkwimotik. Nekbmaw ’toskohotəməniyahpən ’totenowa tahalo “wikotik.” Nit itəmowiw tehpo “tama wen wikit Champlain litahasohpən nit eliwihtasik sip, naka kətəkik litahasoltopənik nit eliwihtasik yot oten!Kenokw-əlo Wəlastəkokewiyik ’təliwihtəməniyahpən yot ələkwiw “Menahkwesk.”

 

En temps que le peuple du fleuve de Saint John fleuve Wolastoq. Les Malécites sont connus du fait qu’ils vivent sur le bord de ce fleuve depuis presque 12,000 années. Les européens sont arrivés en 1604, nous demeurions dans un village, sur cet île, dans ce port. Les Malécites réfèrent à leur village tout simplement comme Wikotik qui veut dire ‘l’endroit oû nous demeurons.’ Les européens ont cru que c’était le nom de notre village! Mais notre nom pour cette place est Menahkwesk. Cet endroit était un lieu de commerce et nous avons toujours été indépendants vivant avec la nature.

 

The murals were made possible by Barry Ogden, Irving Oil, Fort LaTour and New Brunswick Museum – Musée du Nouveau-Brunswick. Special thanks to Andrea Bear Nicholas, Kevin Scott, Beth Hatt, Lisa Nainer, Brian Allen Adams, The Province of NB, Design Art Signs, The Irving Family, Kingsbrae Garden and Huntsman Marine Science Centre / Fundy Discovery Aquarium.