The Mi'kmaq are among the first inhabitants of Atlantic Canada and occupy the coastal regions of Gaspé and the Maritime Provinces east of the Saint John River. This traditional territory is called Mi'gma'gi (Mi'kma'ki). Traditionally, the Mi'gmaq lived by hunting and fishing for most of the year, as well as gathering shellfish and wild fruit. They continue to occupy their territory. Today, Gesgapegiag, Gespeg and Listuguj are communities in the seventh district of Mi’gma’gi known as Gespe’gewa’gi, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’gmaq in Quebec. These communities are in the Gaspésie region.

The ancestral language of the Mi'gmaq people is Mi'kmawi'simk. Mi'kmawi'simk is part of the Wabanaki family of Eastern Algonquian languages, which includes the various Abenaki dialects and the Penobscot and Maliseet-Passamaquoddy languages. The language is primarily transmitted orally, though a writing system exists to preserve and teach it in schools. The word Miꞌkmaq is a plural word meaning “my friends” (singular miꞌkm). Unlike French or English, Mi'kmawi'simk distinguishes between animate and inanimate objects. Due to historical disruptions, efforts are underway to revitalize the language, which holds significant cultural and spiritual importance for the Mi'kmaq Nation.