Across Eastern Nova Scotia and Western Cape Breton Island, communities are gathering on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour survivors, remember those lost to residential schools, and commit to a more respectful and truthful future.
At the centre of many of these ceremonies is a sound that transcends words – the steady beat of the drum, rising in song.
It is The Honour Song: a powerful expression of resilience and respect that has become a unifying voice for Mi’kmaq and non-Indigenous communities alike.
For many, it is more than music; it is ceremony, history, and recognition woven into sound.
Its history is deeply rooted in Indigenous traditions across Turtle Island (North America). While versions of the Honour Song exist in different Nations, the Mi’kmaq Honour Song has special importance in this region.
It is often performed to open and close gatherings, particularly when communities come together to acknowledge resilience, healing, and unity.
In Pictou Landing, Paqtnkek, Eskasoni, Membertou, Wagmatcook, and communities across Cape Breton and the Eastern Mainland, reconciliation takes shape through ceremony, education, and community gatherings.
Schools now mark the day with teachings about Indigenous culture; towns lower flags and host commemorations; Elders share stories of survival. At these events, the sound of The Honour Song often rises to open the circle.
The Honour Song is a traditional Indigenous drum song that emerged in the 1980s during a wave of cultural revitalization, as Elders and Knowledge Keepers worked to preserve cultural practices that had been suppressed under colonial policies.
Sung with vocables – sounds that carry spiritual meaning beyond literal language – it can be shared universally, crossing languages and Nations. Its heartbeat rhythm, carried by the drum, connects those listening to Mother Earth, regardless of background or tongue.
In Mi’kma’ki, the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq, The Honour Song has become a fixture at powwows, school gatherings, and public ceremonies, resonating as both a cultural expression and a public act of recognition.
In Paqtnkek, it is sung at community events that bring Elders and youth together. In Eskasoni and Membertou, it is a central part of cultural celebrations and remembrance. At St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, it is performed during convocations and reconciliation ceremonies to honour Indigenous graduates and community leaders.
Wherever it is sung, the song is used to lift people up – to honour survivors, to recognize contributions, or to mark significant milestones. For many non-Indigenous listeners, hearing The Honour Song for the first time is a moment of profound reflection. For Mi’kmaq communities, it is an affirmation of identity, resilience, and pride.
“The Honour Song is about respect,” a local Elder explains. “It honours the people who are with us, those who came before us, and those who will come after us.”
Reconciliation is not complete without respect – and respect is at the heart of The Honour Song. Its use across Eastern Nova Scotia and Western Cape Breton has made it a cultural bridge, offering a way for all communities to come together in ceremony.
On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the voices of Elders, youth, and communities will rise once more in the Honour Song. Its rhythm reminds us of the heartbeat of the land, of the survivors whose strength carries us forward, and of the hope for healing that reconciliation demands.
It is both a song and a promise: to listen, to honour, and to walk together toward a future built on truth.