Alan Syliboy recipient of Order of Nova Scotia

Alan Syliboy is a renowned Mi'kmaw visual artist, author, musician, and Elder who has made an extraordinary, sustained contribution to the cultural landscape of Nova Scotia for over five decades.

Overcoming profound challenges, Mr. Syliboy developed a dynamic contemporary visual language deeply rooted in Mi'kmaw petroglyph traditions and ancestral knowledge. His artistic practice spans multi-media installations, paintings, international animations, and children's literature, which plays a critical role in revitalizing the Mi'kmaw language. His large-scale public installations – including prominent murals at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport and the Tufts Cove piece along the Halifax waterfront—have permanently transformed everyday spaces to honor Mi'kmaw history and presence in public memory.

Deeply relational, Syliboy centers his practice on collaboration with Elders and extensive mentorship of younger artists. He established a vital creative studio within Millbrook First Nation to ensure the community-based transmission of traditional knowledge. He has also enhanced provincial arts governance by serving on influential cultural bodies, including the East Coast Music Association and the NSCAD University Board of Governors. Through his continuous leadership, Syliboy has driven a profound institutional shift in how Indigenous art and heritage are valued across Canada.

Syliboy’s artistic vision, dedication to cultural preservation, and lifetime of profound leadership within Mi'kma'ki have seen him contribute to such lasting contributions as the International Arrivals section of the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Canadian coinage struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, and the historic Treaty of Peace and Friendship Commemoration Medal.

Official Renaming and Monument Unveiling to Honour the No. 2 Construction Battalion

The Town of Truro, through the Town’s African Nova Scotia Community Strategy Committee, is honoured to host a significant community event recognizing the historic contributions of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s first and only all-Black battalion to serve during the First World War.

Aaliyah Collins will compete in the Eastern Gymnastics Championships in Oshawa, Ont. from May 8-12

It’s been an exciting spring for Truro gymnast Aaliyah Collins.

She started off April with a welcome surprise: scoring first place in her age category at the Nova Scotia Gymnastics Championships.

“I thought I was just going to hit my goal of third place or second place, but then when I didn’t get called up for that, I was like ‘It can’t be me’,” she said.

“Then they called my name. I was really happy, but I did not expect it.”