Connecting the Storied Landscape of the Shubenacadie

Abstract

For more than 100 years, the Shubenacadie has been forgotten by the collective consciousness of many Nova Scotians. This thesis examines the cultural practices of the Mi’kmaq, the Acadians, and the British as they engaged with the continuous thread of water - a series of lakes and rivers that create the Shubenacadie. Traces left in the landscape, both physical and intangible, are used as design tools to recreate connections back to the landscape. This thesis proposes a continuous land path that links the Halifax Harbor to the Minas Basin. Three sites are chosen to setup particular relationships along one’s journey. Each site facilitates the movement along the thread, revealing the sense of time and occupation linked to the histories and stories of the Shubenacadie. This thesis proposes to reconnect a fragmented system by strengthening relationships between past and present cultures and reinscribing the narrative of the Shubenacadie landscape to reestablish its storied landscape.