Indigenous culture

Nme’juaqnek means "the place of bountiful fish." The Mi'kmaq have known for thousands of years that the gaspereau run here in spring and eels are abundant in fall.

Seasonal mobility has been at the heart of Mi'kmaw ways of life and livelihood since time immemorial, reflecting a sophisticated understanding of an interconnected world. For many generations, and at the time of European contact, this part of the Mi’kmaw homeland has been a primary gathering place for Mi’kmaw Chiefs and leaders.

The escarpment above the junction of the Annapolis and Allain rivers is a high point on the Annapolis River. Because of its elevated location and rather flat terrain, the site was used as a campsite by the Mi'kmaq and other Indigenous peoples travelling by canoe through interior rivers from the Bay of Fundy to the south shore of Nova Scotia via what is now Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site.

Many generations ago, skilled stone workers left behind chips as they “knapped” tools and weapons here at the mouth of Allain River. A stone point was recovered from the Fort Anne site and is two-to-three thousand years old. Visit the Officers’ Quarters to see some of the artifacts discovered at this site.