A Traditional Mi’kmaq Salmon Bake

The Condo family hosted a traditional Mi’kmaq salmon bake on BCS campus, bringing our community together for a special snack following the Round Square Walk.

The event was organized by Atlas as part of his CAS project, alongside his brother, Chaimber Condo BCS’24, and their mother, Mélissa.

Using sustainably and ethically harvested Atlantic salmon from New Brunswick, the family prepared it using traditional cooking methods that have been passed down through generations.

The Process

Earlier in the day, Atlas and Chaimber began preparing the site in the parking lot. This salmon bake tradition involves cooking salmon inside of hollowed out logs. A fire was carefully built to heat volcanic rocks, which remained in the flames for more than six hours until they reached the proper temperature for cooking.

Once the rocks were hot enough, they were carefully inserted into the logs. The salmon was placed on cedar planks set directly onto the heated rocks inside hollowed-out logs. The logs had been soaking in water throughout the day to prevent them from catching fire during the cooking process.

Once the salmon was placed inside, water was added to create steam, while maple syrup was poured over the fish for flavour. The logs were then sealed shut and wrapped in a waterproof tarp to allow the salmon to cook slowly.
 

A Friday Afternoon Treat

The BCS community was eager to try the salmon bake, with students, staff, and faculty lining up for seconds — and even thirds!

Once ready, the salmon was served with an extra drizzle of maple syrup and a side of fresh blueberries. Complimentary soda, provided by the Round Square Committee, was also served alongside the meal.

Overall, the salmon bake was a wonderful way to end the week and celebrate the close of the school year. The event gave students, staff, and faculty a chance to gather together, catch up with one another, and experience an important Mi’kmaq tradition as a community.

For many of the Form VIIs, it was also one of the final school events they shared together before graduation, making the evening all the more meaningful.

BCS extends a heartfelt thank you to the Condo family, who have been an integral part of the BCS community for the past 15 years, for sharing this meaningful tradition and an important part of their culture with us.