The Wee Ones Three Little Girls Promote the Importance of Diversity in Their Community.   A wonderful small business was started by three young entrepreneurs.; Sisters, Ryley - age 10, Sydney - age 8, and Hailey - age 6 love the Miramichi and New Brunswick, the people who live there, and the different cultures and history within the region. Left: The Wee Ones: Ryley - age 10, Hailey - age 6 and Sydney - age 8, proudly promote their business. Above: The sisters perform at a local cultural event. They have always been very active in local festival events and are very proud of their roots from these cultural events. As Miramichiers they are aware of the roots that run through their veins, which are Irish, Scottish, French and Native. On their own, they have come up with an idea which they believe will allow others in the region to identify and be proud of their own roots and culture. They truly believe that the different cultures are what makes the Miramichi and New Brunswick such great places to live, work, and attend school in. They have even come up with a logo, with the help of their mother, which they feel truly represents the diversity and unity of the region and which they want to brand and market throughout various regions, starting from the Miramichi and then to the rest of the province of New Brunswick. ______________________ The history, culture and natural beauty of the place are unique throughout the world. ______________________ Meet Francis The Fish The three girls designed Francis themselves and feel that he is what is needed to help people in the region come together and feel good about each other and what makes them unique and strong as a community. The Wee Ones think that Francis is a very good mascot for the area and want to be able to use him to promote the region locally, provincially, and around the world to better tell their story and why they believe that it is a good place to come and visit. The story Francis wants to tell is one of unity and that the people of Miramichi are proud of their region and the people who make up the area and that the history, culture and natural beauty of the place are unique throughout the world. Francis consists of: a jaunty Scottish tam atop his head, a set of Celtic bagpipes in his fins saluting the British and other Celtic heritage, eagle feathers hanging from them as a nod to the First Nations communities, bubbles emblazoned with the Acadian emblem floating about the scene, with a big shamrock as a backdrop, a big thumbs up, and an even bigger smile. The Salmon: Represents a strong Native symbol and also the Miramichi River, which is known the world over as the salmon fishing capital of the globe. Such people as past Presidents and Prime Ministers, celebrities, royalty and sports heroes have visited the river. The salmon is a happy and proud symbol of the region and stands with the thumbs-up sign and shows a positive aspect for the Miramichi. A Scottish Tam: Represents the strong Scottish culture within the region with the Scottish games and festival. The Acadian Flag: This symbol is a deeply rooted representation of the history and culture of the Acadian people within the region. Acadians represent some 30% of New Brunswickís population, and the Wee Ones attend the local French school, Ecole Carrefour Beausoleil. The Eagle Feathers: The eagle feathers represent a very strong symbol to the local Native culture, both from medicinal and ceremonial aspects. The Native peoples taught others how to survive the harsh winters that sometimes occur in New Brunswick, and it is because of them being good neighbors that the region has thrived to this day. The Bag Pipes: Represents the†British and other Celtic cultures. The Shamrock: The shamrock represents the strong Irish culture in the region and the history and culture attached. Beaubears and Middle Islands have a deep history for the region, and the fact that many people survived notwithstanding the hardships shows the strength and character of the region's people. The Wee Ones think that Francis is a very good focus and starting point for promoting the strength of the Miramichi region and the province of New Brunswick. ______________________ "As Canadians, we are all one BIG culture." ______________________ A Message from The Wee Ones “Canada was created on multiculturalism and it is because of this that Canada is one of the best places in the world to live in and raise a family. We hope that Francis the Fish teaches people that as Canadians, we are all one BIG culture and that we need to love all people, regardless of their race, religion or the language they speak. Love them all the same as if they were family... because if you dig back far enough, they just may be..” You can visit the Wee Ones at www.theweeones.com to learn more about the company and the many projects that it is involved in. This website: Copyright © 2003 Dream World Media, LLC./ Urban Mozaik Magazine. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed in Urban Mozaik Magazine are not necessarily those of Urban Mozaik Magazine and the publisher cannot be held responsible for them. This website/publication, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.