Mi’kmaw Knowledge & Indigenous Resources

Guiding Relationships in Coastal Adaptation

TransCoastal Adaptations (TCA) works on lands and waters that have been cared for by Mi’kmaq people for millennia. As we advance nature‑based solutions for coastal resilience, we recognize that meaningful climate adaptation must be grounded in relationships with communities, with place, and with the knowledge systems that have shaped Mi’kma’ki since time immemorial.

This page shares the principles, values, and resources that guide our work alongside Mi’kmaw partners, and supports our commitment to learning, respect, and collaboration.

Ways of Knowing in Coastal Adaptation

Coastal resilience is strengthened when multiple knowledge systems are brought together with respect and intention. Each knowledge system carries its own strengths, shaped by lived experience, cultural teachings, and long relationships with place.

TCA’s work is informed by the principle of Etuaptmumk (Two‑Eyed Seeing), shared by Mi’kmaw Elder Dr. Albert Marshall. Two‑Eyed Seeing encourages us to:

  • See with the strengths of Mi’kmaw knowledge and ways of knowing

  • See with the strengths of western scientific knowledge

  • Use both eyes together for the benefit of all

This approach guides how we design projects, build partnerships, and understand coastal change.

Mi’kmaw Knowledge

Mi’kmaw knowledge is rooted in deep, intergenerational relationships with the land, water, and all living beings. It is carried through stories, teachings, ceremony, and lived experience, and reflects a worldview grounded in respect, reciprocity, and responsibility.

Two core Mi’kmaw values that inform coastal stewardship include:

M’sit No’kmaq — “All My Relations”

A recognition of the interconnectedness of all beings—humans, animals, plants, water, and land. This principle reminds us that coastal adaptation is not only technical work, but relational work.

Netukulimk

A guiding way of life that ensures community needs are met while protecting the health and abundance of the natural world for future generations. Netukulimk emphasizes balance, sustainability, and care.

TCA is grateful to learn from Mi’kmaw partners who share knowledge, guidance, and perspectives that help shape our projects in ways that honour these values.

Local Knowledge

Local knowledge is built through lived experience—generations of observing tides, storms, erosion, and seasonal change. In coastal communities across Nova Scotia, this knowledge is essential for:

  • Understanding site‑specific risks

  • Timing fieldwork safely

  • Interpreting long‑term changes in shorelines and marshes

  • Identifying community priorities and concerns

Local knowledge holders, including landowners, fishers, farmers, and community stewards, help ensure that nature‑based solutions are grounded in the realities of place.

Western Scientific Knowledge

Western scientific knowledge provides tools and methods—such as geomorphology, hydrodynamic modelling, ecological monitoring, and engineering design—that help us understand coastal processes and evaluate adaptation strategies.

At TCA, western science is one part of a broader knowledge framework. When combined with Mi’kmaw and local knowledge, it contributes to a more complete understanding of coastal ecosystems and supports more resilient, community‑driven solutions.

Working Together in Mi’kma’ki

TCA’s projects increasingly involve collaboration with Mi’kmaw communities, organizations, and knowledge holders. These partnerships help ensure that:

  • Mi’kmaw values and priorities are reflected in project design

  • Cultural and ecological knowledge informs restoration decisions

  • Community voices guide how land and water are cared for

  • Adaptation strategies support long‑term stewardship

Recent examples include the naming of Wepe’k Mtasoq (White Cliff) Marsh, where Mi’kmaw language and place‑based knowledge helped shape the restoration process and deepen the connection between community and site.

Our Commitments

TCA commits to:

  • Listening first and building relationships based on trust and respect

  • Honouring Mi’kmaw leadership in land and water stewardship

  • Supporting co‑learning between knowledge systems

  • Upholding treaty responsibilities

  • Ensuring project benefits extend to communities

  • Continuing education for our team on Mi’kmaw history, culture, and rights

Learn More & Explore

These resources offer pathways for deeper learning about Mi’kmaw history, culture, and stewardship:

Land Acknowledgement

TransCoastal Adaptations, as part of Saint Mary’s University, acknowledges that we work in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This land is governed by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship, which affirm Mi’kmaw rights and responsibilities and outline the basis for ongoing nation‑to‑nation relationships.