Mi'kmaw Teaching and Learning Resources

Tracing of a petroglyph of three trees, stars, and other markings of unknown meaning

Petroglyph tracings N: Nondescript and unclassified #38. 1 negative. Marion Robertson's Rock Drawings of the Micmac Indians interpret this petroglyph as "three trees… The three trees of [this petroglyph] with devices near their roots which are probably symbolic resemble a Passamaquoddy design of three figures signifying the three superior officers of the tribe. The use of evergreen trees to represent the chief men of the Micmacs would be in keeping with their respect for the healing properties of the evergreens and their belief that they themselves sprang out of the earth as did the trees and the flowers and the grass. The five-pointed star, warsook, symbol of the place of happiness, has been used by the Micmacs at least since 1675 when Father Chrétien LeClercq, observing the use made by the Micmacs of ideograms to record the lessons he taught them with meditations and hymns."

Date: 1888

Retrieval no.: George Creed Nova Scotia Archives MG 15 volume 15 N38

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