Tignish

Tignish lies near the northwestern tip of Epekwitk, the island home of the Mi'kmaq in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Its name is traditionally associated with a Mi'kmaq word for a paddle. In 1799 eight Acadian families left Malpeque by boat and settled near the lagoon here. They sought more land and relief from rents they struggled to pay. Their journey followed the coast to a new home, where they cleared ground and established a community.