The Most Pause-Worthy Marty Moment On Curse Of Oak Island

In Season 9, Episode 3, members of the archaeology team digging in the southeast corner of the island's swamp find fragments of Mi'kmaq First Nations pottery. The team reports the findings to the Nova Scotia provincial government as required, and the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage responds by ordering the Lagina brothers to stop work in the areas where they uncovered the artifacts.

Marty Lagina initially responds gracefully, saying the team will follow governmental requirements to the letter. But after the Acadia First Nations orders them to pause excavating a handful of areas on the island until cultural representatives can visit, Marty erupts, saying he'd become "increasingly frustrated" and that their ability to "function on our own island is getting eroded in leaps and bounds." He complains that if the oversight continues, they will "finish the year... and go home."

Although the Laginas do hold deeds for much of Oak Island, the narrow-mindedness of a non-Native person using such language of ownership with First Nations definitely rings lots of alarm bells. Fortunately, Marty's older brother Rick keeps a calmer head, saying "there is a way to move forward and I think we should." Considering that the Laginas should be doing as much as they can to generate good relationships with those who came to Oak Island before them, the territorial attitude towards an island with a history long preceding theirs seems like a very bad idea.