Search:
 |
Map to Ottawa House |
Area Tide Information
First Human Occupation
Like most places in North America, Parrsboro's first inhabitants were undoubtedly American Indians. The origin of these people is still being debated by anthropologists today but the most accepted theory is that they came as Asian migrations across the Bering Strait some 45,000 years ago. It is believed that over the centuries they gradually moved south and east, often living near the receding glacial front, following and hunting the herds of large mammals such as the mammoth, caribou, horse and bison.
It was a later type of hunter, making a long fluted spear head of a type known as "Clovis" who eventually followed the caribou eastward and became the first inhabitants of Atlantic Canada. This was approximately in the ninth millenium B.C. These early people were nomadic and each spring would follow the great herds of caribou across the Tantramar Marsh, down through the Parrsboro Gap, and Moose River pass and along the shore to their summer ranges in the Debert and Truro regions.
Along the beaches of the Parrsborough Shore these 'clovis' people would gather chalcedony (a type of flint) for their hunting spears and scrapers. In winter they would follow the herds back to the more protected interior of New Brunswick.
At about the same time as the 'Clovis' tribes first entered Nova Scotia another and very different tribe, the "Blue Whin" people also began entering the area. These people were in many ways perhaps even more primitive in tool and weapon making that the 'Clovis' peoples but were superiror in one important sense. They were fishermen as well as hunters and became the first permanent residents of Nova Scotia and the ancestors of our present Mi'Kmaq people.
It was a later type of hunter, making a long fluted spear head of a type known as "Clovis" who eventually followed the caribou eastward and became the first inhabitants of Atlantic Canada. This was approximately in the ninth millenium B.C. These early people were nomadic and each spring would follow the great herds of caribou across the Tantramar Marsh, down through the Parrsboro Gap, and Moose River pass and along the shore to their summer ranges in the Debert and Truro regions.
Along the beaches of the Parrsborough Shore these 'clovis' people would gather chalcedony (a type of flint) for their hunting spears and scrapers. In winter they would follow the herds back to the more protected interior of New Brunswick.
At about the same time as the 'Clovis' tribes first entered Nova Scotia another and very different tribe, the "Blue Whin" people also began entering the area. These people were in many ways perhaps even more primitive in tool and weapon making that the 'Clovis' peoples but were superiror in one important sense. They were fishermen as well as hunters and became the first permanent residents of Nova Scotia and the ancestors of our present Mi'Kmaq people.
These people came to and used the area for much the same reasons as the later Europeans; for the unique goegraphical positions and its' variety of minerals.
The geographical importance of this location lies in the fact that it is situated on the elbow of the Cumberland Pass and on the coast at one of the narrowest points of the Minas Basin.. This meant that all entering the province with destinations in the present Truro and northern areas, or in the direction of the Annapolis Valley would find the Parrsboro route the most convenient. Also this route offered a most suitable chain of lakes and rivers, making travel by canoe very attractive. That the Mi'Kmaq did indeed travel this way is substantiated: they gave the area it's first name "Awokum" meaning a crossing over point.
The importance of the minerals to the native people has been demonstrated by many archaeological finds of chalcedony and copper. In fact it was the Armouchiquois from the present Maine area who regularly mined for copper and jasper at nearby Cape d'Or. Much later it was reports of these finds plus the vague mention of gold that were partly responsible for Champlain's explorations of the area in 1607. It was Champlain that subsequently named the the Cape, and the Bay: the Bay of Mines.
There is however, an increasing belief in the theories of historian Frederick Pohl, who claims that Prince Henry Sinclair, Earl of the Orkneys, wintered in our area in the 14th century. In his book "Prince Henry Sinclair" Mr Pohl puts forward some very strong arguments for this belief. He also suggests that some of the Glooscap legends may in fact be influenced by early native contact with this man. Native legend describes Glooscap as being tall, fair complexioned, blue eyed and sailing in a stone (large) canoe. Strange too is the fact that Sinclair's name in the Orkney dialect is said to sound similar to the Mi'Kmaq word, Glooscap.
GLOOSCAP
Perhaps the most significant lasting effect of the Mi'Kmaq presence in the area are the colourful and absorbing legends of Glooscap.
Glooscap was the eptiome of all that the natives held to be good and noble. He was large and powerful, a great hunter warrior and magician was often given to great fits of anger over acts of treachery. Yet, he also showed great wisdom and compassion for those less powerful than himself. In many ways he resembled the Greek god Zeus. Like Zeus who resided and ruled over all from high on Mount Olympus, Glooscap lived and presided over his flock from high on the rocky crags of Cape Blomidon.
Glooscap did however have many enemies, foremost of which was the beaver and his own evil brother, Wolf. The Glooscap legends concern themselves with accounts of conflicts between him and the forces of evil. Taken in their entirety they attempt to explain the various geographical and natural phenomena that made up their world. For example, Two Islands was created when Glooscap, in a fit of rage, threw them at the beaver who were flooding the area, while Spenser's Island is said to be his overturned teapot and seaweed his tea leaves.
The geographical importance of this location lies in the fact that it is situated on the elbow of the Cumberland Pass and on the coast at one of the narrowest points of the Minas Basin.. This meant that all entering the province with destinations in the present Truro and northern areas, or in the direction of the Annapolis Valley would find the Parrsboro route the most convenient. Also this route offered a most suitable chain of lakes and rivers, making travel by canoe very attractive. That the Mi'Kmaq did indeed travel this way is substantiated: they gave the area it's first name "Awokum" meaning a crossing over point.
The importance of the minerals to the native people has been demonstrated by many archaeological finds of chalcedony and copper. In fact it was the Armouchiquois from the present Maine area who regularly mined for copper and jasper at nearby Cape d'Or. Much later it was reports of these finds plus the vague mention of gold that were partly responsible for Champlain's explorations of the area in 1607. It was Champlain that subsequently named the the Cape, and the Bay: the Bay of Mines.
There is however, an increasing belief in the theories of historian Frederick Pohl, who claims that Prince Henry Sinclair, Earl of the Orkneys, wintered in our area in the 14th century. In his book "Prince Henry Sinclair" Mr Pohl puts forward some very strong arguments for this belief. He also suggests that some of the Glooscap legends may in fact be influenced by early native contact with this man. Native legend describes Glooscap as being tall, fair complexioned, blue eyed and sailing in a stone (large) canoe. Strange too is the fact that Sinclair's name in the Orkney dialect is said to sound similar to the Mi'Kmaq word, Glooscap.
GLOOSCAP
Perhaps the most significant lasting effect of the Mi'Kmaq presence in the area are the colourful and absorbing legends of Glooscap.
Glooscap was the eptiome of all that the natives held to be good and noble. He was large and powerful, a great hunter warrior and magician was often given to great fits of anger over acts of treachery. Yet, he also showed great wisdom and compassion for those less powerful than himself. In many ways he resembled the Greek god Zeus. Like Zeus who resided and ruled over all from high on Mount Olympus, Glooscap lived and presided over his flock from high on the rocky crags of Cape Blomidon.
Glooscap did however have many enemies, foremost of which was the beaver and his own evil brother, Wolf. The Glooscap legends concern themselves with accounts of conflicts between him and the forces of evil. Taken in their entirety they attempt to explain the various geographical and natural phenomena that made up their world. For example, Two Islands was created when Glooscap, in a fit of rage, threw them at the beaver who were flooding the area, while Spenser's Island is said to be his overturned teapot and seaweed his tea leaves.