Religion
The Mi'kmaq believed that everything was alive and had to be treated with respect. They only took the resources they needed and thanked the Creator for this. In order to take the resource that the people needed, they had to perform a prayer and guidance. The Creator was the one that created everything in the world. He was good and kind. The Land of Souls was where the dead Mi'kmaqs went to afterlife. Diseases and hunger were caused by evil spirits but the shamans could cure and ward of the evil spirits. When a person has showed unselfishness and helped the community, he or she would receive the feather of an eagle. The feather of the eagle was one of the most important rewards. However, in the 1600s, the Mi'kmaqs believed in two religions or only one. The French Jesuits had introduced the world of Christianity.
Spiritual
The Kesmit was a person with extraordinary power. These people felt powers in caves, high bluffs, lightning, earthquake, rainbow and eclipse. But also the Puoin or the Kinap, could use their powers to communicate with the visible and the invisble world. The Puoins and Kinaps used their personal animal spirit-helpers to connect with the visble and the invisble world. Since the people hunted animals, they respected them by keeping their bones and soon, the animal spirits would return to land in a different body. Sometimes, the animal spirits were offended. If the different Mi'kmaq communities were engaged in war, the Spiritual people were the ones to find a way to have peace.
Ceremonies and Celebrations
One of the known ceremonies took place in a sweat lodge. A sweat lodge was a dome shaped wikuom or wigwam. The people would sweat in there to get rid of the impurities.There were 4-12 people by the fire, praying. Preheated rocks in the sweat lodge created steam; it was part of the ceremony. Wi'kapaltimk Aqtapuk or the Mid Winter feast was held after the first new moon. They thanked the creator for the good health and food they received. Stories, speeches and dances were occurances in the feast.