Jo Anne Broders

Jo Anne Broders and her Grade 8 class embarked on a year-long journey to uncover and honour the history of a little-known Mi’kmaq cemetery in Gambo, Newfoundland and Labrador. Without any headstones or markers, the students set out to determine the names of the thirteen individuals believed to be buried there. They consulted archives and worked with the Heritage Council of Gambo and Mi’sel Joe, then-Chief of Newfoundland’s Miawpukek First Nation, to learn more about both the history of the Mi’kmaq in Newfoundland and Labrador and the individuals who were laid to rest in the cemetery.

With the support of the collaborators, students honoured those buried at the site of the cemetery by creating individual projects such as family trees, artwork, and poetry. They also helped design a plaque with a Mi’kmaw prayer chosen by Chief Joe and persuaded the town to erect signage at the cemetery. The project culminated in a community event, documented by CBC Television’s Land and Sea, fostering a broad awareness of the history of Mi’kmaq in Newfoundland and Labrador. The students learned to understand their role as emerging historians, committing to biannual visits to honour those buried and ensuring that their stories are never forgotten. Through this project, students were moved to listen, learn, and then take action to uncover, share, preserve, and ultimately build upon the knowledge of Indigenous history in their town and province.