Ruth Holmes Whitehead’s new book Niniskamijinaqik, Ancestral Images: The Mi’kmaq in art and photography is beautiful. If you are interested in Mi’kmaq history, it is also essential.
It puts faces to names. That is what makes it so valuable to Mi’kmaq genealogy researchers. Even more, Ms. Whitehead’s descriptions set those people and places in a historical and cultural context.
It is a picture book: Mi’kmaq rock carvings and paintings, sketches and photographs from European contact to the 1980s. The photograph on the cover is of Molly Muise of Annapolis Royal NS. A tintype from the mid-19th century, the full image is shown and described in the preface.
Molly Muise photo
“Molly’s photograph may be the earliest surviving photographic portrait of any of the Mi’kmaq. (Her name was originally French ‘Mius,’ and is now spelled Meuse.) She is wearing a peaked cap with double-curve beadwork, a dark shirt, and a short jacket with darker cuffs, over which she apparently has draped a second short jacket with its sleeves pulled inside, as a short capelet. Her traditional dress with the large fold at the top is held up by suspenders with ornamental tabs. In her hands she may be clutching a white handkerchief.”
Mi’kmaq Images and Information
Descriptions of clothing styles, as in this picture, or surrounding landscape or structures or implements – anything that might contribute to knowledge of who and where people were, and how they lived. Documents that give further insights are quoted in whole or relevant part in the description or endnotes.
Dates of birth and death, family members, name variations, and historical references are given. She also gives conjectures about who someone may be, making the basis for her conjecture clear. If conflicting information is in records or recent research, that is mentioned.
Descriptions of two photographs of Frank Joe and wife and their home in Bay St. George show this preciseness and detail of information. Ms. Whitehead remarks on a sled and the type of cabin construction shown in the photo of their home. On the other photo (above), she discusses in detail the family history of Frank Joe and his wife Caroline.
When your eyes are tired from looking at family groups on your computer screen or deciphering old documents, you can take a break with this book. You may also find a new piece of your puzzle or a new avenue to search. Even if you don’t, you’ll see a beautiful record of the past.
lynda mary mills
2 Jan 2021thank you Dorothy,
Monika
17 Oct 2020I’m looking for anything with elizabeth chegau shegone 🙂 thanks!
lynda mills
10 Dec 2019Hi Dorothy, trying to find the birth certificate or anything on Marie Rosalie Tourneau born 1803 said Saugenay Quebec or
Mary Shinnick born 1823 Labradore northern shore Quebec or Nfld can you help me ? I’ve been following you and you seem to have a lot of great stuff and details of historial events, facts, and places.
Dorothy
11 Dec 2019Hi Lynda, and thanks. But sorry, I have nothing that helps you. You’ve probably seen this Ancestry thread on James Sinnick and I don’t know if he’s part of Mary’s family but there’s Labrador and Northern Peninsula connections.
Sara
17 Oct 2022A Mary shinnicks born February 14 1823 married Stephen etheridge
Kim
27 Nov 2017Does anyone know what Molly last name was?
Dorothy
27 Nov 2017Hi Kim, she’s Molly Muise, Annapolis Royal, mid-1800s.