At the foothills of Skye Mountain lies beautiful Waycobah First Nation. Seen from above, the landscape shows valley grooves connecting to the Bras d’Or Lakes, an inland sea. Eagles soar high above the trees, getting ready to make a catch in the nearby waters.

Waters near Waycobah are known for their abundance of fish and so every year we host the Great Cape Breton Fishing Derby, the largest fishing derby in Nova Scotia. This event is known for its excellent prizes and attracts over 500 fishers from all over Atlantic Canada. Fishers enjoy the calm morning waters of the Bras d’Or Lakes with an early morning boat ride. Safety remains a key priority for all who participate. It is well supervised by many community volunteers and patrolled by our local fishing guardians.

Waycobah is a rapidly growing community with a population increase of 8.7% last year. Current population stands at 851 people. Economic and social development remains a priority for the community as Chief and Council work to enhance Waycobah’s natural attributes.

Just past Skye River is Rod’s One Stop, a convenience store and gas bar located along Highway 125. The business is 100% owned by the Waycobah Band. Rod’s offers a variety of products and services including grocery items, sporting equipment, etc.

Residents of Waycobah show great pride in their Mi’kmaq culture and tradition. The largest basket shop in Atlantic Canada, Negemow Basket Shop, offers many beautiful and unique crafts such as baskets, beadwork and leather made by local Mi’kmaq crafts people.

Each year Waycobah hosts a Mi’kmaq traditional Powwow, the most important aspect of all Mi’kmaq gatherings. The three-day Powwow allows Mi’kmaq people to proudly demonstrate their culture and traditional background. People from far and wide come to enjoy the festival. Craftspeople from other communities attend the Powwow and sell a variety of crafts to visitors.

Education is an important part of life in Waycobah. Our elementary and secondary schools are unique as they provide students the opportunity to learn curriculum based in the Mi’kmaq language and culture. In partnership with national universities and colleges, Waycobah provides university programming as well as trades and technical programs.

Waycobah’s daycare facility, connected to the Band Administration complex, is one of the most widely recognized Mi’kmaq daycare centres in Nova Scotia. It provides an essential service for working parents with children being cared for by members of the community.

Our administration building is one of most beautiful Band administration buildings in all of Atlantic Canada. Our facility provides a wide variety of services such as a Health Centre/Clinic, community cable channel, social administration office, finance department, communications, Native employment office, housing authority and economic development department.