Animal Personhood in Mi’kmaq Perspective

Margaret Robinson
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Margaret Robinson: Ontario HIV Treatment Network, 1300 Yonge Street, Suite 600, Toronto, ON M4T 1X3, Canada

Societies, 2014, vol. 4, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: The Mi’kmaq are the First Nation people that traditionally inhabited the eastern coast of North America. This article explores the Mi’kmaq cultural view of non-human animals as siblings and persons, including elements shaping the Mi’kmaq relation with animals such as the belief that animals sacrifice themselves for food, that human and animal spirits are eternal, and a belief in reincarnation. The role of reciprocity in the animal–human relationship is examined through the concepts of respect and honor, and the Mi’kmaq value of avoiding scarcity ( netukulimk ) is expanded to include non-human animals.

Keywords: Mi’kmaq; animals; personhood; hunting; respect; reciprocity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:4:y:2014:i:4:p:672-688:d:43083

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