Population: February 3, 2005 -317

Members between 0 and 18 – (Children) – 63

Members between 19 and over – (Adult) – 254

Boundaries

Introduction

The Port au Port Indian Band was established in 1979 under the leadership of Neil Lucas. It was one of the original Bands in the Bay St. George area and a member of the Bay St. George Indian Council. This Council represented the three Bands that existed in Bay St. George at the time. These three Bands later joined forces with the other Bands in Newfoundland and became represented by the Federation of Newfoundland Indians.
 

Today the Port au Port Band remains a part of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians and are striving to gain recognition for its members. The Band also works towards the cultural, social, economic and educational interests of its members.

Members of the Band have a variety of surnames with the most prominent being Benoit, Gaudon, and White. Other surnames include Alexander, Brake, Hynes and Marche but the majority of members trace their ancestry to the Benoit's and the Gabriel's.

The Chief and six councilors manage the affairs of the Band. General membership meetings are held on an average of four a year with executive meetings when necessary. The Band is governed by the Constitution of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians as well as its own by-laws. The Port au Port Band currently has 254 adult members and 63 children under the age of nineteen. The Band has members from Kippens, Port au Port East, Point au Mal, Fox Island River, Port au Port West - Aguathuna - Felix Cove, Boswarlos and Campbell's Creek.

In the past few years there has been a renewed interest on the part of those who are of Mi'kmaq ancestry. The Port au Port Band along with the other Bands in Newfoundland offer members an opportunity to learn about their ancestors and share their information with others. They discover they have reason to be proud.

Band Activities

The youth in Port au Port have been involved in such initiatives as the Crime and Victimization Conference held in October 2003 by the Federation of Newfoundland Indians Youth Program.

The weekend of September 5, 6, & 7^th turned out to be a major success for the Youth of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians. As the Youth Program of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians embarked upon a very significant conference entitled Crime & Victimization held at the Mount Peyton Hotel in Grand Falls - Windsor, the youth participants were given a powerful weekend of events designed to identify the many risk factors associated with crime, and the effects that choosing a path of crime and violence could have on a young person’s life. An initiative that was funded in part through the Government of Canada’s National Crime Prevention Strategy, and Human Resources Development Canada, the conference proved to be a very significant and a long overdue seminar. A very important lesson that was learned from the conference is that the definition of "youth at risk" is not necessarily what it implies. Underneath all of the positive or negative exteriors of an individual, we are all at risk to some degree.

Throughout the conference, various guest speakers gave presentations to the youth. Lorraine Hearn and Angela Lambert of The Women’s Center in Grand Falls – Windsor gave a very informative presentation of Woman Abuse and how all women are at risk for violence, not forgetting to mention that men can also be at risk, but it is not something that is reported as often. The women wanted the youth to remember that "Victims are never at fault, everyone deserves to be safe".

Donna Ducey of the RCMP in Grand Falls – Windsor, and Joanne Wiseman also gave the youth a powerful presentation that showed them real life examples of how youth can get into serious trouble and in life threatening situations if they drink underage. They then showed them a video called "Good Times Gone Wrong" which put youth exactly like themselves in dangerous situations with less than ideal, but realistic outcomes. Liz LaSaga, Career and Life Strategist in Stephenville gave another very influential presentation to the youth. She defined to the youth the Seven Laws of Personal Success and showed them how easy is it to be victimized and how sometimes the victimizer is unaware that they are the predator. Within the laws, Liz also showed the youth that negativity only escalates, that you should take a negative situation and turn it into a positive one. Liz also pointed out to the youth that everything we do as individuals has a domino effect on everyone around you. Everyone on this earth is placed here for a specific reason, and that each individual is unique. We are put on this earth to find our purpose, and we should embrace it.

Throughout the weekend the youth were also taught by three very influential, honorable spiritual leaders from Indian Brook, Nova Scotia, about the importance of choosing the right path in life. These three Mi’kmaq spiritual leaders; Gary Knockwood, Earl Sack, and Alexander MacDonald taught the youth of the Mi’Kmaq power of healing, and that our culture is a very sacred gift that we all have inside of ourselves. They also taught the youth to be proud of who they are, and to never give up in the fight for the top. No matter what happens, "we are all somebody". They each touched the youth in their own way, and shared stories with them that showed the youth that everyone has had hard times in their lives, but the power of the Mi’kmaq culture can show them the way.

Throughout the weekend, the youth took part in various cultural activities, and sacred ceremonies that taught them the significance of their culture, and the true meaning of being Mi’kmaq.

The ultimate goal that was hoped to be achieved over the weekend was to provide the youth participants with a powerful weekend full of events that would not only provide them with an overall sense of knowledge on the subject of crime and victimization and it’s consequences, but with an overwhelming sense of self-enlightenment, and a strong determination to build a road to success in their lives. The conference was designed to provide its participants with a meaningful new beginning, and a fresh start to exciting, new adventures in their lives. Reaching out to just one person in our venture has meant that we have made a difference.

Council