Population: February 3, 2005 - 983

Members between 0 and 13 – (Children) – 140

Members between 14 and 29 – (Youth) – 277

Members between 30 and 64 – (Adult) – 508

Members 65 and up – (Elders)- 58

Boundaries:

Indian Head First Nations represents members in the following communities:

Introduction:

The Stephenville/Stephenville Crossing Band Council was formed in 1981, after the Regional Band Council was disbanded. Prior to this most of the bands members were part of the Bay St. George Regional Band which consisted of Flat Bay, and Port Au Port Bands and any Mi'kmaq people that lived outside their boundaries in the Bay St. George region. In 1989, the band became affiliated with the Federation of Newfoundland Indians.

On April 7th, 2002, in keeping with the name of the original settlement, members decided to change the band's name to Indian Head First Nations. Indian Head has been in existence for hundreds of years and was mentioned in the writings of W.E. Cormack on his historic journey across Newfoundland, in the early 1800's. In 1822, Cormack listed 150 Mi'kmaq living at Indian Head, with the family names of Benoit, Alexander, Lucoos, Young, Marche, LeBlanc, Gallant, Gabriel, and Cormier.

In the early twentieth century, the development of an iron ore mine in the area and the coming of the American Air Force Base at Harmon Field dispersed the people of this settlement to different areas throughout Bay St. George, such as Stephenville, Stephenville Crossing, Mattis Point, Black Duck, Cold Brook, Noel's Pond, and Gallants. Today the descendants of these early Mi'kmaq people and their family names are quite prevalent throughout the region.

In 1981, Indian Head Band had a membership of 500 people over the age of 19 and today, after meeting the criteria set forth by the Federation, membership is over 900. The executive consists of a Chief, Vice–chief, Secretary, Treasurer and three (3) Directors. Indian Head Band has its own by-laws that are consistent with the Federations and holds regular meetings throughout the year. An election of officers is held every four (4) years and the last election saw a record turnout of 206 members.

Band Activities:

Indian Head First Nations Youth Committee

Indian Head First Nations Youth Group was formed, in October of 2003, in an effort to give local aboriginal youth a place to learn about their Heritage and Culture as well as give them an opportunity to meet with other aboriginal youth to discuss problems and develop leadership and coping skills that will help them to become ambassadors for the Mi'kmaq youth of Newfoundland.

The Indian Head First Nations Youth Group Ideals and Goals are 

Ø      To respect our Elders and to protect and preserve Mother Earth for the generations to come;

Ø      To promote in a positive way the teachings of the Elders of the Newfoundland Mi'kmaq;

Ø      To learn all we can about our Aboriginal Heritage and Culture and to promote it in a positive and educational manner;

Ø     To use the opportunities provided by the Federation of Newfoundland Indians to prepare us to become the leaders of the future.

Structure of Indian Head First Nations Youth Group:

Indian Head First Nations Youth Group have developed their own website which can be accessed at: 
 

http://www.indianheadfirstnations.com/welcome.htm

Band Events:

The youth of the FNI have been actively involved with reviving their Mi’kmaq culture through drumming and singing. 

Traditional Mi’kmaq Cultural Revival Workshop
 

FNI Youth DayWorkshop Summary

The youth of the FNI felt as though they have been missing out on their Mi’kmaq culture as they have been increasingly expressing a need for it’s revival. It has also become very evident that the Mi’kmaq culture, and bringing our culture and traditions back to our youth has steered them on a path to self-identity and self-fulfillment. The intent of the drum workshop was to have the youth learn the traditions of Mi’kmaq song and dance, learn to respect and honor the drum as the heartbeat of our Nation, and to carry on their new found knowledge to other youth and Elders in our communities. As the workshop was intended, the youth were given those teachings, but also were given the most sacred gift of all, their Spirit.

The outcome of the workshop was not only amazingly successful and powerful, but it has given the youth newfound courage and hope for the revival of our lost Mi’kmaq culture.

 The workshop was held in part at the College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville where the youth spent two days learning to respect their drums, and also learning Mi’kmaq songs. Nine hand drums were made which were given to a youth representative from each band area to take care of. The youth were also given a big powwow drum. They were told of the ways to respect and honor their drums, and were also told that the drums belong to all of the youth, as they will be used to bring them all together.

The workshop was led by a group of amazing Mi’kmaq men from the Indian Brook First Nation in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia. They are the Eastern Eagle Mi’kmaq Singers, and have been singing together since 1993. 

Over the course of the workshop, the youth had two special guest speakers, Danny White and Scott Butt. Scott Butt is a Mi’kmaq carver who has an amazing story of how he first began carving. He related that carving wasn’t something that he thought he would ever do until one day he picked up a piece of wood and started to carve. From there, his spirit has driven him to be the amazing carver that he is today. He now does this as his living, but still uses his native instincts as the basis for his work.

Danny White is a Mi’kmaq man who has carried on his grandfather’s talent of making spruce root baskets. It is a Mi’kmaq tradition that goes back to our ancestors who used the baskets to gather berries or food. Danny has managed to keep his grandfather, and his father’s memory alive in the passing on of this Mi’kmaq craft. Since the passing on of his father, Danny is one of the only known people in Newfoundland to make baskets of this type. Danny has been teaching his nephew to carry on the basket making, and provided the youth with a demonstration of his work.

The second day of the workshop was also held at the college and involved the youth continuing to practice the songs that they learned, and also learning some of the Mi’kmaq language. One of the songs that the youth learned over the two days of the workshop that they are most proud of is the Mi’kmaq Honour Song. The honour song is sung at all Mi’kmaq gatherings, and is the song of our Nation. It is a song to honour and respect our Mi’kmaq ancestors and all they represent. We also had a very special guest, Gertie Mai Muise drop in with us to share some of her Women’s songs, as she is a song carrier.

During the evening of the second day of the workshop, the youth camped out at Indian Head Park in Stephenville. Indian Head Park would be the location of our Celebration the following day. Eastern Eagle sang and drummed around the campfire with the youth until late in the night. After the drummers retired for the evening, the youth continued to play and sing their new songs while teaching each other what they had learned. The spirits of the youth shone through that evening, as they were so proud to be where they were, and singing the songs of their ancestors.

The final day of the workshop, the Celebration Day was a beautiful day that started out bright and early at 5:00am with a Sunrise ceremony led by two of our drummers who are also pipe carriers. As the men prayed in the four directions, they reminded the Elders of how proud we should be of our youth, as they had made a tremendous step toward reviving our lost culture.  It was the perfect start to our day. After the ceremony, a few of our very supportive volunteers helped with cooking breakfast on the campfire, and getting the youth fueled for the days activities.  From about 10:00am until 3:00pm, the Eastern Eagle singers sang with the youth and drummed various Mi’kmaq songs, as two of the drummers dressed in traditional regalia and danced. We also had the Exploits Native Dancers travel from Grand Falls to dance and be a part of our day. We were also very honored to have Paul Pike come and share our day with us. Paul is a Mi’kmaq man from Corner Brook, NL, who now lives in Alaska, and is carrying on the Mi’kmaq culture as a pipe carrier. Our celebration turned out to be somewhat of a mini powwow!

The day was a huge success as we attracted approximately 150 people who were very interested in seeing the Mi’kmaq culture being revived in this way. Throughout the day, we also had a scavenger hunt for the children, and a traditional feast. During the feast, Gertie Mai Muise and Scott Butt helped the youth in performing a ceremony for the drums as we feasted and prayed for them. The support that we received from our Volunteers was amazing. There is so much that can be accomplished with the will and strength of a couple of dedicated people.

The entire workshop is one that will live on forever, but the thought that will always remain is the sound of the drum and chanting that still lingered over the campsite long after the youth had gone to bed. It was if the sounds had been coming from long ago, and far away, as if the ancestors were there with us.

The drum workshop has no end, but in fact, a very promising beginning.

Council