Indigenous owned and operated, Pride of the Nation Maple Syrup is a unique product that has been used by Canada’s Indigenous Peoples for food, medicine, and trade for many generations.

The origins of Maple Syrup are steeped in the traditions of Canada’s First People.  According to the oral tradition of Indigenous Elders, Maple Syrup has been prevalent in the land now called Canada for hundreds of years and was first discovered by accident.  A story that has been passed on from generation to generation is that it all began when a young Indigenous man wedged his tomahawk into the bark of a Maple Tree. 

Legend has it, that this young man took refuge amongst maple trees after a long day of hunting and gathering.  Unfortunately, he did not have anything to show for his labours.  As the young man sat there pondering what he did wrong and what skills he needed to work on, he accidentally drifted off to sleep.  When he awoke, the bucket that he had placed underneath the tomahawk he had conveniently wedged in the tree, was full of sap.

The young man gathered himself and made his way back to his community.  He entered the community quite sheepishly as all he had to show for his day of labour was a bucket with some sap in it.  The community was hustling and bustling about and paid little attention to the young man who returned from hunting and gathering with no bounty.  Unsure of what to do, he left his bucket of sap amongst other buckets that were full of water for cooking later that evening.   

To the young man’s surprise, his bucket of sap was mistaken for water and added to a pot of boiling meat.  This resulted in a delicious surprise and so began the centuries long tradition of Indigenous Peoples using maple sap, sugar, and syrup to flavor and preserve food.

The significance of the Maple Harvest to Indigenous Peoples cannot be understated.   The maple sugaring season coincides with the end of a long winter and a glimpse of spring. Ceremony and celebration come with it, including traditional gifts of thank for the trees, the water, and its sweet gift - Maple Syrup.

Your purchase of Pride of The Nation Maple Syrup helps preserve Indigenous culture and heritage as well as supports the local economies of Indigenous Peoples.

Maple is at the core of our operation. We are dedicated to producing maple syrup that evokes and honours the essence of this historic region.

The buckets traditionally used to collect sap were replaced by tubing systems and shallow evaporators were introduced to reduce processing time. However, we acquired a wood-fired evaporator to process the evaporation of the maple water slowly over a wood fire. This process is what brings out the unique flavors and historical connections of Pride of the Nation Maple Syrup.