Lillian Marshall

Lillian Marshall is a highly respected and much loved Elder of the Mi'kmaw Nation; she lives in Potlotek (Chapel Island) in Unama’ki (Cape Breton), Nova Scotia. She is devoted to Aboriginal education and works within a small, dynamic team in her home community to develop innovative learning and educational materials. Lillian has written several books, developed language CDs, and created children's stories and games. In June 2010, she was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for preservation of Mi'kmaw Language and Culture at the Potlotek Community Awards Banquet. Lillian also works with educators and Elders in many other communities to preserve and promote Mi'kmaw history, customs, values, language, and culture, and she is a member of the Elders' Advisory Council for the Mi'kmawey Debert Cultural Centre. In conjunction with her own work in education that has continued over many years in the community, Lillian has also been a student. In 1991, she obtained a Diploma in Counseling from Acadia University. Later, she graduated from the Frobel Institute in Truro in Early Childhood Education and she took most of the Native Teacher Education Program offered by McGill University. In 2003, she completed the Native Language Immersion Teaching program at St. Thomas University. In 2007, Lillian graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Community Studies (BACS) degree from Cape Breton University. Through her work and her life examples, Lillian constantly encourages children to understand the importance of education; moreover, she also encourages people of all ages to realize that it is never too late to go back to school. In 2007, Lillian was honoured with the Grand Chief Donald Marshall Senior Elder Award from the Province of Nova Scotia.