In the summer of 2007, Metepenagiag Heritage Park Inc. formally opened its doors, launching a world-class centre for tourism, archaeological research and heritage resource management. Located in Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation, on the banks of the Miramichi River, this heritage park presents and interprets information on the archaeological resources of the area, especially those of the Oxbow site and the Augustine Mound. These sites provide a window into life along the Miramichi over the last 3000 years. The Augustine Mound is a sacred site that links the village site of Oxbow to communities throughout eastern North America. The astonishing preservation at this site, coupled with its links to far-flung regions to the south and west, have contributed to its designation as a National Historic Site. Although archaeologists have grappled with the significance of such transcontinental connections to our understanding of precontact lifeways, recent research supported by Metepenagiag Heritage Park and the University of New Brunswick reveals a complexity and dynamism that we had not fully appreciated.
Dr. Susan Blair, Department of Anthropology, UNB Fredericton.
Marshall d’Avray Hall (Rm 143), 10 MacKay Dr (between AUC & Wu Centre)
