Abajignmuen has been defined in English to mean:

“Sharing” and “giving back” to one’s community, thereby strengthening relations. Mi’gmaq customary practices, ceremonies, and feasts, as well as information sessions and meetings, are ways of giving back. Apajignmuen also implies having gratitude, being aware, and being grateful for what has been given to you (Source: Listuguj Lobster Law at s 6(b)).

This definition reflects the intention behind this website: to allow those privileged to be working and learning about Aboriginal and Indigenous law to give back to the broader community by sharing what they are learning in an accessible way. The values and principles captured by Abajignmuen are similar to what we call the “Weldon Tradition” at the law school. This stands for the idea that law students and lawyers have an obligation to use their knowledge of the law to serve the community for the greater good.

This website contains a large and growing repository of access to justice (A2J) projects and papers – A2J Projects & Papers - created by Schulich Law students for courses they have taken at the law school. These are intended as helpful resources to assist the public achieve a better understanding of issues related to Aboriginal and Indigenous law. The student authors are not yet lawyers, however, and their projects do not constitute legal advice. Any reliance placed on these projects is at the user’s own risk.

The website also highlights the contributions by faculty and staff in the fields of Aboriginal and Indigenous law and the work of the law school in these area under Our People. Our growing offerings of classes in Aboriginal and Indigenous law, including information about our Certificate in Aboriginal and Indigenous law, can be found under Courses.

Finally, this website also houses information about our Lnuwey Dêbludaqan Wiguom (Indigenous law lodge) – a unit dedicated to support local Mìgmaq and other Indigenous groups in the region revitalization and implement their legal orders. We are in the early phases of this long-term initiative and continue to seek input, advice, and partners for our Wiguom.

Note: This website uses the Metallic Orthography writing system of the Mìgmaq language, developed by the late Emmanuel Nàgùgwes Metallic of Listuguj, Gespègewàgi. There are four writing system for the language in current usage: the Smith Francis, the Pacific, the Modified Alphonse Metallic, and the Metallic Orthography. The Metallic Orthography was chosen because it uses a phonetic writing system that facilitates pronunciation by non-fluent speakers. For more information, see “Five linguistic Methods for Revitalization of Indigenous Laws,” at pp 12-13.

And a big thank you for the research assistants who made the creation of this website possible, Claire Wayne, Julia Witmer, Tom Nichini, and Kelti McGloin.