COMMUNITY STORIES
Mawkim’s Community Stories is a space to highlight what’s happening across Mi’kma’ki — from local successes and cultural celebrations to reflections, opportunities, and updates from our people. This is a living record of the experiences, knowledge, and stories that shape who we are.
By sharing here first, we keep our stories in our own hands, where they remain searchable, accessible, and connected to the wider work of Mawkim and Mi’kmaw Ethics Watch.
The Mawkim Team is pleased to announce a youth art contest that celebrates creativity, culture, and community. This contest is part of ongoing preparations for the Regional Social Survey (RSS), a new initiative focused on the well-being of First Nations children and families living on reserve.
The Data Governance team has received funding to develop a data literacy training program for our Mi’kmaq communities. This program will develop data literacy training to support understanding data through the development of culturally relevant data training, tools, programs, and related resources.
Event: October 22, 2025
Delta Dartmouth, Halifax
The Union of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq and Data Governance/Mawkim team is hosting the Mawkim Data Sovereignty Forum on October 22 – 23, 2025 at Delta Dartmouth, Halifax. The forum goal is to provide data sovereignty information for First Nations communities to reclaim control over their data and knowledge.
In Mi’kmaw, mawkim means “to count and record.” For generations, our people have carried the responsibility of protecting stories, knowledge, and truths that shape who we are. This new site is another step forward in carrying that responsibility into the digital age—built to serve our communities with respect, transparency, and care.
In June 2023, our staff member Muin Ji’j Bernard and eight other youth Indigenous leaders won Canada’s Youth Indigenous Leaders Award. Muin Ji’j had the opportunity to testify in front of the Standing Committee of Indigenous Peoples at the Senate of Canada, meet with the Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon, and collaborate and speak on important issues with Senators.
We are proud to announce we had a winner in every participating community in Nova Scotia, PEI and NFLD. We had three top prizes of a $500 Visa, an iPad and a Smart TV. Two of the big prizes – $500 Visa and the Smart TV – went to two participants in Miawpukek, NFLD. The iPad went to a lucky participant in Paqtn’kek First Nation.
The First Nations Labour and Employment Development (FNLED) survey is a new survey from the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) that is coming to First Nations communities in 2019.
The coronavirus pandemic continues to impact communities, as a First Nation’s community it is vital that we follow the necessary safety protocols. We at the Union are working together to make sure everything is done properly in and out of office, enforcing safety measures, practicing cleanliness/ disinfecting and safe social distancing.
Our Information Governance & Data Projects Director Mindy Denny, along with eight other global leaders met with President Obama to discuss accountability, leadership and change, each individual from different parts of the world to share the impacts they have implemented in their roles.
Allystarr Gould and Wasuwek Googoo met with John Dewolf from Form Media to discuss the layout, text and content of the RHS Report.