Chief Henri Membertou- Rope Necklace

Chief Henri Membertou was the Grand Chief of the Mi'kmaq First Nations tribe near Port Royal, the site of the first French settlement in Acadia, present-day Nova Scotia, Canada. He was originally the District Chief of Kespukwitk, but was later appointed Grand Chief by the leaders of the other six districts.

Membertou was known for his strong leadership, spiritual influence, and diplomatic relations with the French settlers. He claimed to have met Jacques Cartier in 1534, which suggests he was born in the early 1500s. He was also described as larger than most Mi'kmaq men, with a beard, which was uncommon among his people. Unlike many chiefs who practiced polygamy, Membertou had only one wife, who was baptized as Marie.

In 1610, Membertou and his family were baptized, making them the first Indigenous people in North America to convert to Catholicism. He passed away on September 18, 1611, at an advanced age, reportedly over 100 years old