Description
The Mi’kmaq Cemetery (Borden # DeAn-08) is located on Stephen’s Road in the Town of Gambo, NL. It is also accessible from Madeline’s Trail, which runs from Middle Brook River Trail across a ridge to Stephen’s Road. It is a grassy, fenced cemetery with an estimated thirteen burial plots dating from the late 19th century to early 20th century. The designation includes all the fenced area of cemetery land.
Statement of Significance
Formal Recognition Type
Municipal Heritage Building, Structure or Land
Heritage Value
The Mi’kmaq Cemetery has been designated a municipal heritage site by the Town of Gambo because of its historic, aesthetic and spiritual values.
The Mi’kmaq Cemetery has historic value for its association with the community’s Mi’kmaq heritage. It is believed that the Mi’kmaq came to the Gambo area before 1780, attracted by the rich natural resources of the area, including fish of many species, birds, land mammals and edible flora. Oral tradition has it that the Joe family were the first Mi’kmaq inhabitants and that they made encampments on Mitchell’s Point and Doloman’s Point. Oral tradition reports that an early European settler James Pritchett built a plantation on Doloman’s Point and that he found aboriginal artifacts such as arrowheads there. Gambo’s Mi’kmaq population was eventually assimilated into the white settler population through marriage and the cemetery is one of the few physical reminders of Mi’kmaq culture left in the community.
The Mi’kmaq Cemetery has aesthetic value due to its environmental setting. It is located on a side road off the main road running through Gambo and is adjacent to a larger Pentecostal cemetery. In terms of adornment, it is a very modest cemetery, with simple rectangular boarders marking the burial plots. There are no headstones, as the names of those buried here are uncertain.
The Mi’kmaq Cemetery has spiritual value due to its association with the Roman Catholic religion in Gambo.
Source: Town of Gambo Regular Council Meeting Motion 11-09-12-170 September 12, 2011.
Character Defining Elements
Those elements which contribute to the site’s historic, aesthetic and spiritual value including:
-style, placement and materials of burial plot markers;
-grassy groundcover;
-existence of fencing to contain the site;
-location of site, and;
-its association with the Mi’kmaq culture and Roman Catholic religion.
Location and History
Community
Gambo
Municipality
Town of Gambo
Civic Address
Stephen's Road
Construction (circa)
1890 - 1910
Location
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