Monday, Feb. 3rd
In 1605, Mathieu da Costa was the first-known Black person to arrive in Canada. He arrived with French explorers and played the role of a multilingual interpreter who spoke five different languages. These include English, Dutch, Pidgin Basque, Portuguese, and French. Mathieu da Costa also served as interpreter between French and the Mi'kmaq. Since then, many Black communities have either been brought to Canada or immigrated from all around the world, especially the United States. For over 400 years, it is our privilege to be able to look back on their rich heritage and honour their legacy during African Heritage Month.