Nance Whynot

My Name is Nancy Whynot and I have lived in Upper La Have, Nova Scotia for the past 35 years. I am a wife, mother and grandmother and an Elder in the Mi¹kmaq community.I am a member of the Native Council of Nova Scotia and have occupied the role of Board od Director, secretary and president.

My culture is important to me and I demonstrate this by sharing the teachings I have been taught by my Elders in story telling, drumming and singing my native songs.The jewelry I craft comes from the hard wood trees. As my culture teaches me that all things should be respected I always leave a gift of tobacco for the little people when I gather the knots of wood.

Each knot of wood is like a pearl,only one of its kind and has its own unique design.The knots of wood are cleaned, sanded and polished to bring out the characteristics of each piece. I chose this way of expressing my culture because I feel that there is part of the spirit of the forest in the knots of wood and by crafting them into a necklace people can hold them in their hands and feel the heartbeat of the forest.

And because our people are so connected to the earth, what happens to it happens to the Mi¹kmaq people and when one understands this,just like the forest, it becomes soemthing that you want to protect.

"When one understands something it becomes something that you want to protect, like the Mi'kmaq people"