Dr. Peter Joseph Christmas

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Dr. Peter Christmas. Born in 1937 to the late Chief Benjamin and Jane Denny-Christmas, our father passed away very peacefully, surrounded by his children. To say that our dad dedicated his life to education is truly an understatement. He was always asked to provide his perspective on Mi’kmaw culture and language by Chiefs, federal and provincial governments, museums and educational institutions. Even when he was very late in life, he still served his community by sitting on Membertou’s elder’s committee. He also made significant contributions to regional and national organizations in terms of a broad range of Indigenous issues for almost 40 years.

Although a residential school survivor in Shubenacadie, our father never let that experience influence his decision to seek higher education. He started on his educational journey at the Indian Day School in Membertou, Indian Residential School, Shubenacadie, St. Francis Xavier University obtaining his Bachelor of Arts in 1960 with a 4.0 grade point average (making our father, Membertou’s first university graduate) and then graduated Saint Mary’s University with a Bachelor of Education in 1962, he also completed two summers of French linguistics at Dalhousie University. On May 6, 1990, he was honored with Doctor of Laws from St. Francis Xavier University for being a lifelong protagonist for the rights and dignity of his people, he has worked mightily to improve the lot of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq. He was a member of Joint Education and Human Right Committee of the Nova Scotia Department of Education since 1976. Shortly after graduation our dad took a teaching position at Milton Jr. High school where he eventually rose to the position of Vice Principal. The school had an enrolment of about 600 students at that time. As a Science and French teacher, he influenced so many young minds where even to this day we still meet many of his past students that still tell us just how influential he was in terms of their own educational journeys. Dad was proud to have served two terms (4 years) as an Executive member of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union.

In 1970 our dad left the teaching profession and founded (with the UNSI Chiefs) the Micmac Association for Cultural Studies (MACS) to which he assumed the position of Executive Director where he remained until 2006. It was during his tenure at MACS where dad truly made many significant contributions toward the preservation and growth of the Mi’kmaw culture and language in Nova Scotia and beyond.

In the mid-seventies he was called upon by the NS Chiefs to rewrite how our Mi’kmaw history was being represented in the public school system. Our father provided an educational supplement (Wejkwapniaq – Coming of the Dawn) that corrected the official educational record of how Mi’kmaw culture and society truly existed in Nova Scotia.

Our father was also committed to preserving our language through the collection of Mi’kmaw hymns that he was able to record and preserve for posterity through MACS. They now exist online for everyone to hear.

Our father was also called upon by several provincial institutions to serve on their respective boards where he continued to serve our people in terms of culture and language preservation and promotion. Included in this list is the NS Art Gallery Board of Governors. In 1996, our father was presented with a Parks Canada Award on behalf of the Government of Canada in recognition of his exceptional and significant contributions to Canada’s heritage. In 2008, he was presented with the Grand Chief Donald Marshall Sr. Elder Award in recognition and appreciation for outstanding contribution to the Mi’kmaq Community and Nova Scotia.

As kids we all got to see our dad’s silly side. His late-night campfire renditions of Kaw-Liga at the Ponhook campgrounds still makes us smile, 50 years later. Or how he complained to our mom during a hot July night that he wanted snow. When he went to sleep my mom scraped snow from the fridge and threw it on him. They had so much fun together.

Dad was a true sports fan with an unbreakable allegiance to the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Blue Jays. He was also an avid golfer and bowler and as an accomplished hockey and fastball player, with several championship teams in Liverpool and Una’maki.

Dad was truly a person anybody could count on. He never judged you when you came to him for help. He just helped. Our dad truly loved his family and friends, especially his friends at Membertou 55-Plus Society and their yearly retreat at Liscombe Lodge.

Dad was predeceased by the love of his life, Myrtle Ambrosina Christmas (nee Marshall) in 1991. Mom was truly the anchor in his life and a true force of nature. He always talked about her and her influence on every aspect of his life up until the very end.

Left to grieve and remember are his six surviving children Keith Christmas (Joan), Peter Christmas Jr, Eric Christmas (Debbie), Angela Christmas (Quentin), Janine Christmas-Paul (Troy) and Ryan J. Isadore. Our father was predeceased by his brothers Victor, Patrick, Augustine, Raymond, George, Noel, Alexander Sappier (Pictou Landing) and sisters Madelyn, Mary, Helen and Pauline. He adored all of his grandchildren. He is survived by his sister in law, Viola Christmas. He is also survived by three god-children, Judy Hodder and Daniel Paul and Cameron Paul (Daniel).

Dr. Christmas will be waked at home, located at 35 Maillard Street, Membertou starting on Tuesday, February 7th at 7:00pm with a Funeral Mass to follow at St. Marguerite Bourgoeys Parish at 40 Cabot Street, Sydney on Thursday., February 9 at 11:00am. A virtual option for viewing the service can be found at T.W. Curry’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TWCurryParkview. Burial to take place in Membertou Memorial Gardens. A salitè will be held at the Membertou Trade & Convention Centre following the day's events.

Online expressions of sympathy can be expressed at www.twcurry.com.