Mary Louise Bernard

Biography

Mary Louise Bernard (Googoo) was born into a small Mi'kmaq family, the youngest of three girls, her father Francis koondaoo (rock) was a great hunter-gatherer and well known wilderness guide. Mary Louise’s mother, Virginia, was a visionary and story teller who often recounted tales that her grandfather had shared with her. Later on Mary Louise became a mother, wife and Chief of her community. She and her husband Noel raised three beautiful children: Jonathan, Ashley and Michelle.
After the passing of her parents, the end of her political life and becoming a single parent, Mary Louise started to write her mother's stories. One story in particular the 'legend of maple syrup' captured her imagination and she brought it back to life by creating her own brand of "Indian Maiden Maple Syrup" which features her youngest daughter Michelle as the Indian Maiden depicted on the label. Today as you read the Indian Maiden Story -Sismoqnapui'skwe’j -Sweet Water Maiden - Legend of Maple Syrup, the illustrations were created by Mary Louise’s oldest daughter, Ashley.

Books

Indian Maiden Story – Sismoqnapui’skwe’j –
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 1,360. Language: English. Published: September 16, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Cultural & ethnic themes » Cultural interest, general
The Legend of Maple Syrup by Mary Louise Bernard A bilingual book in Mi’kmaw and English based on the stories told to Mary Louise Bernard by her mother. This delightful book tells the tale of a young Indian maiden in search of her grandfather. The maiden becomes part of her grandfather’s vision quest that leads them to discover maple syrup, a gift from our Creator.