MargaretPoulette –
“Ma’git”
Margaret Poulette, fondly known as Ma’git
(Ma’kit), a matriarch of We’koqma’q
First Nation, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, Sept.
10th, at the age of 79, surrounded by her
loving family. Ma’git was born on March
31st, 1943, to Nancy Denny, formerly from
Eskasoni, and William B. Sylliboy. She
is predeceased by her husband, Charles Poulette (Ja’li), her
daughter Mary Madeleine, her two sisters Mary Ellen
(Mali-Ellen)Phillips and Theresa Cremo, and her brother, Grand Chief
Ben Sylliboy, and by brothers-in-law Walter, Levi, David, Benjamin and
Francis Poulette, sisters-in-law Elizabeth Paul and Rosie Marshall and
5 of her godchildren, Lester Michael, Harvey Bernard, Terry Googoo,
Kevin D. Poulette and Nancy Cremo. Ma’git is survived by her
beloved children: daughters Rosie Sylliboy, Charlotte Poulette,
Jennifer Poulette (“Boo”), Charlene Paul and sons Charles
Poulette, (“Quessy”) and Christian (Monk) Phillips and
grandsons Josh and Judd Poulette, great-grandsons Colton and Riley,
brothers-in-law Maynard Poulette(Georgina), Howard Poulette and
sisters-in-law Marie Sylliboy, Nancy Sylliboy(Jr), Mildred Poulette,
Joanne Poulette, Martha Brookes, Mary Bridget Poulette and Madeline
Poulette(Sugar) and her godchildren Robert Bernard, Muriel Googoo,
Evan Jardine and Anna Campbell and many nieces and
nephews.
Ma’git was a
residential school survivor, taken away to the Shubenacadie Indian
Residential School in 1947 when she was only three years old and not
returning home to We’koqma’q until 1951.
Ma’git was part of the We’koqma’q
Residential School Survivors group, one of the only active survivors
groups in Mi’kmaki, which has been meeting regularly for the
past nineteen years to help each other and the community heal from the
impact of the residential school. Ma’git was one of the
first survivors to speak publicly about her residential school
experience to schools, community groups, politicians and through the
media, raising awareness about this devastating aspect of colonization
in this country. Ma’git collaborated with filmmaker Ann
Verrall to create the film “Ma’kit’s
Doll” which was released in 2016 and premiered at the Viewfinders
Atlantic Film Festival for Youth that year.
Ma’kit’s Doll has been screened at the Emerging
Lens Cultural Film Festival, the Cross-Cultural Conversations touring
screenings, the Every Child Matters – Reconciliation Through
Education Program of the
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, on APTN, and at numerous
screenings throughout Nova Scotia. Children across Canada now learn
about residential school by making dolls like the ones the children at
the schools made when they were not allowed to have toys.
Although Ma’git forgot her Mi’kmaq
language during the years she was at the Shubenacadie School, she
relearned it and became a “language warrior”, making sure
her four children became fluent speakers, and asserting the importance
of the Mi’kmaq language to the survival of the spirits of
Mi’kmaq people and the culture itself.
Ma’git’s father fought to have a school
built on the reserve. Ma’git attended the one-room school
until Grade 8. The teacher lived at the school so there were no storm
days. When there was too much snow to walk,
Ma’git’s Dad would take the children to school
with a horse and sled. Ma’git continued her education in
Mabou, graduating with her Grade 11 after completing the Family Life
course.
Later in her life, Ma’git went back to school to
get her GED and worked at the We’koqma’q First
Nation band office as a receptionist, membership clerk and welfare
clerk. When she was in her forties, she decided to go to university,
graduating with her Bachelor of Social Work in 1989 after which she
worked at Mi’kmaq Family and Childrens Services until she
retired in 2003. Ma’git also served one term as a band
councillor.
Among her many accomplishments, Ma’git was
undoubtedly proudest of raising her children to also contribute to the
community. Rosie is the General Manager of the Mawitamk Society,
Charlotte is a teacher who is now teaching in an Adult
Mi’kmaq Immersion Program in Bear River First Nation, Boo is
a Manager at Rod’s One Stop, and Quessy has followed in his
father’s footsteps and is a carpenter working for
We’koqma’q Contracting.
Ma’git has always volunteered in the community:
with the Friends of St. Anne, raising money for the annual pilgrimage
to St. Anne de Beauprés, and as an elder providing guidance
to many groups. An achievement that was most rewarding for
her was founding the Mawitamk Society, along with her brother Ben and
friend Tom Gunn, an organization that provides residential support and
services to Mi’kmaq people with disabilities. In 2004,
Ma’git and her friend Andrea Currie started the
We’koqma’qewiskwa (the Women of
We’koqma’q) drum group which has provided an
opportunity for many women in the community to share the beauty and
power of Mi’kmaq culture through song at performances far
and wide, including at a Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers
Gathering in Toronto and the Deep Roots Music Festival in Wolfville,
Nova Scotia, both in 2006, the annual Broad Cove concert in 2017, and
at countless community events and schools. She was hoping to be with
the drum group at its upcoming Celtic Colours International Festival
performance next month. Ma’git received the
Volunteer of the Year award in 2005 for Inverness County and traveled
to Halifax to represent the county at the province-wide ceremony.
Ma’git was also a strong supporter of the Cursillo
community. One of Ma’git’s recent initiatives was
the placing of the sign at the Canso Causeway that reads “Pjilasi
Unama’ki”, welcoming travelers as they arrive on the
island.
Ma’git was known for her genuine interest in people
from different cultures, her love of bingo, basket-making, and playing
Waltes (a traditional Mi’kmaw game that she helped revive),
and her collection of over 200 teapots!
The family wishes to thank the home care team at the Theresa
Cremo Memorial Health Centre, the Inverness Dialysis Unit team, the
Mawitamk staff, Dr. Genge, and Dr. Ritter and the palliative care team
for the wonderful care they provided to
Ma’git.
Ma’git passed away on the day that Grandmother Moon
was coming full, and at the moment of her death, the sun was rising on
the People of the Dawn.
Ma’git will be waked at the
We’koqma’q Community Hall from Thursday, September
15th at 4pm to just before thefuneral mass
which will be held at Blessed Kateri Holy Trinity Roman Catholic
Church in We’koqma’q First Nation on Saturday,
September 17th at 11am with Farther Bernie
MacDonald officiating. Burial to follow in the parish
cemetery.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Dennis
Haverstock Funeral Chapel, Whycocomagh. Words of comfort may
be forwarded to the family at www.haverstocks.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Margaret ‘Ma’git’ Catherine Poulette 1943 2022..
Dennis Haverstocks funeral homes
Death notice for the town of: Whycocomagh, Province: Nova Scotia