Why did the Micmacs come in contact with the Europeans?

Answer 1

The Mi'kmaqs initial contact with the Europeans did not surprise them. Oral legends told of one of their spiritual beings traveling across the great sea to "discover" a land and a prophesy that blue-eyed people would arrive from the east to disrupt their lives. Micmac people also knew the story of a woman who had a vision of an island floating toward their lands; the island (boat) was decked out with tall trees (masts) on which were living beings (sailors). Thus the Mi'kmaqs were not startled by the appearance of early explorers in sailing ships. Instead, they greeted the newcomers, set up trade with them, and quickly incorporated the strangers' new technologies and cultures into their own culture.