Take two: Protecting the Mi'kmaq language, land and way of life
An dàrna turas: A' dìon cànan, fearann agus dòigh-beatha nam Mi'kmaq
Let's have a look at this conversation again.
'S e eachdraidh bhrònach a th' ann, gun robh aig na daoine an dùthaich seo fhàgail.
It is a sad/sorrowful history, that the people had to leave this country.
'S e gu dearbh. Tha eachdraidh bhrònach aig mòran. Bha sinn a' bruidhinn air an dùthaich ùir, ach bha daoine eile a' fuireach innte fada mus tàinig na Gàidheil à Alba, no muinntir Bhreatainn, no na Frangaich.
It is indeed. Many peoples have a sad/sorrowful history. We were talking about the new country, but there is a sad story for other people who were living in it long before the Gaels came from Scotland, long before British people or the French.
Cha do dh'innis thu dhomh mu na daoine sin!
You didn't tell me about those people!
Coma leat. 'S ann mu dheidhinn nan tùsanach a tha mi a' bruidhinn an-dràsta.
Never mind. It's the indigenous people I am talking about just now.
Cò iad, ma-thà?
Who are they, then?
'S iad na daoine a bha a' fuireach ann an Aimeireaga a Tuath mìltean de bhliadhnaichean mus do ràinig daoine às an Roinn Eòrpa. An-diugh 's e Ciad-nàiseanaich Chanada a th' aca orra.
They are the people who were living in North America thousands of years before people arrived from Europe. Today they call them the First Nations people of Canada.
Tha mi leat a-nis. A bheil iad coltach ri na Tùsanaich Aimeireaganach?
I am with you now. Are they similar to (the) Native Americans?
Tha. Ach 's iad na Mi'kmaq a bhios a' fuireach ann an Alba Nuadh agus an ear-thuath nan Stàitean Aonaichte cuideachd.
They are. But it's the Mi'kmaq who live in Nova Scotia and in the north-east of the United States as well.
Seadh. Agus an do dh'fhuiling na Mi'kmaq san aon dòigh ’s a dh'fhuiling na Gàidheil?
Uh-huh. And did the Mi'kmaq suffer in the same way that the Gaels did?
Dh'fhuiling ach mar a tha fhios agad, tha gach suidheachadh eadar-dhealaichte. Ged a bha iad ann bho thùs, cha tug na h-ùghdarrasan urram dhaibh, agus dh'fheuch iad ri cur às do chultar, cànan is dualchas nam Mi'kmaq.
They did suffer, but as you know, every situation is different. Even though they had been there originally, the authorities didn't respect them, and they tried to abolish the culture, language and heritage of the Mi'kmaq.
Tha sin caran co-ionnan ri suidheachadh nan Gàidheal, nach eil?
That's kind of similar to the situation of the Gaels, isn't it?
Tha gu dearbh. Ach thàinig piseach air cùisean. Tha laghan ùra ann a-nis a tha a' gleidheadh nan còraichean aca, a' dìon cànan, fearann agus dòigh-beatha nam Mi'kmaq.
It is indeed. But the situation has improved. There are new laws [agreements] now which enshrine their rights, protecting the Mi'kmaq language, land and way of life.