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Networking on the Road to Reconciliation

A collaborative network between & Cultural Centre, Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre & Rainy River , and local community groups within the Rainy River in .

Fort Frances Museum & Cultural Centre Introductions

Sherry George: Curator for the Fort Frances Museum & Cultural Centre for the past eight years.

Laura Gosse: Former intern at Fort Frances Museum where she focused on community engagement. She is currently attending working on her Masters in Environmental Studies. Kayleigh Speirs: Administration Manager for Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre, which is owned by Rainy River First Nations. Kayleigh has two degrees in archaeology with a background in .

Summer Leonard: Head Cultural Interpreter at Kay- Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung and Rainy River First Nations band member. Background of Northwestern Ontario Background & Location of Fort Frances

• Fort Frances – Less than 8000 people. Located approximately halfway between and – about 4 hours from each. • First Europeans primarily interested in finding a route to the western sea. Quest for furs quickly dominated any other purpose; as many as 8 forts were built along the Rainy River; Fort Frances last to survive. • Once collapsed, agriculture, tourism and logging – latter to supply the lumber and paper mills – contributed to economic growth. • FF paper mill closed in 2014. Soon afterward, nearby gold mine opened; as a result, other than a few tough years, the town is doing very well. The Fort Frances Museum & Cultural Centre

• Last year celebrated 40 years. • The building, constructed as a school in 1898, is located in the centre of the business district. • The Museum is also responsible for the Town’s heritage sites: a logging tugboat and lookout tower on the waterfront. Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre the place of the long rapids

• Owned and operated by RRFN

• Largest concentration of known burial mounds in

• Historic Site of

• Facilities offer:

– Interpretive Tours and Galleries

– Over 3km of shoreline and 10km of trails to explore

– Collections space with over 15,000 artifacts

– Restaurant that offers menu featuring traditional Ojibway ingredients Background of KNCWN

Networking on the Road to Reconciliation

• Report from the Truth & Reconciliation Commission came out in 2008. • Almost 10 years later, I realized our museum had yet to make any significant changes as recommended by T&RC; involved very little in the greater indigenous community. • Our museum has a few sections in our permanent exhibit dedicated to the early history of our . • However, other than school children, we rarely saw First Nations visitors. Networking on the Road to Reconciliation

By chance, a First Nations gentleman asked if I was interested in hosting an indigenous fashion show.

The result of that event was a packed – the biggest crowd we ever had at the museum!

It proved that our museum was failing to meet the needs of a large percentage of our district, specifically our indigenous peoples. Networking on the Road to Reconciliation

Fort Frances is in the midst of 3 area. • As you can see from this map, within a one-hour radius of Fort Frances, there are nine First Nations communities. Many of their residents work or attend school in Fort Frances. It is where they shop and access services. • Why then have we been so slow to consider their needs when designing exhibits or running programs? Networking on the Road to Reconciliation What happened next… • While applying for a grant for an intern; realized focus needed to be community engagement… primarily with indigenous peoples. • Booked an exhibit on the residential school system from ’s of the Woods Museum. • New intern, Laura Gosse and I attended a conference on Indigenous Awareness the very first week of her .

• But most importantly…. • Imperative that we reach out to our First Nations communities. Needed their involvement. • Also, it was crucial to connect with people who were willing to help. Fortunately, that wasn’t a problem. Networking on the Road to Reconciliation

Through partnerships with our indigenous communities, we hoped to accomplish the following:

• Bring a more focused look at the school at Fort Frances – Ste Marguerite’s – not only to recognize what happened but to ensure broader community understood the lasting impact. • Plan events that would feature indigenous interests; create opportunities where both communities could come together. • Plan other exhibits. …over to Laura Residential School Exhibit

• Ste. Marguerite's Indian Residential School Established June 1904 • The school was built on Indian Reserve No. 1 on the north side of (Lac La Pluie) and the Rainy River Ste. Marguerite's Indian Residential School, • The school opened its doors in 1906 1908 • First admissions, recorded in the school enrolment book, totaled 22 male and 26 female children • Approximately 900 Indian children from 30 different Indian communities resided at the school from 1906 until it closed its doors and was torn down in 1962 • A total of 42 children’s deaths are recorded in the school enrolment book First Communion, Top Row: Antoinette Whitefish, from 1906 to 1953. Tuberculosis was a Bernadette Whitefish Bottom Row, 4th From the Left: Laura Morrisseau cause of many of the deaths. Bottom Row, 2nd from the Right: Charles Bruyere Residential School Exhibit – Glenn Jourdain, survivor

Quote from Glenn Jourdain about his residential school experience and about the project ( Community Member/Elder)

Indian School Girls Softball Champions, 1940s Bantams (1951-1952)

Group Photograph, 1951 Ste. Marguerite IRS Midgets, 1954-1955 Residential School Exhibit

• Fort Frances Ontario Indian Residential School - “The Second Fort Frances Indian Residential School, “The 2nd School”, 1962- School” 1974 – This residential school opened up after Ste. Marguerite's was torn down in 1962. The new school was built a few yards away from the old one. This school stayed until it closed permanently in 1974. This building still stands today and is the present NANICOST Building on the Agency No. 1 Indian Reserve. Sister Lucille Lampron with Boys Hockey Team, 1964 Indigenous Veterans Exhibit

• In all of Treaty #3 area - over 300 Indigenous veterans – including status, non-status, and Metis Ojibway Grace Oh Great Spirit, Creator of all things, From darkness to your morning Glory Sun We again thank you for yester and future day. My people gratify and cherish all things that you have given through nature's hands. We are happy with our land, our sons, our daughters, and to watch the sun and moonlight dance on peaceful waters; to listen to your ever warning voice whispering through tall green pines so no evil come to your natures children. Oh Great Manitou, give us wisdom to obey your most glorious heartfelt command. So we may remain your beautiful Ojibway.

(Tay bah si gah bow) - Tom Medicine

Indigenous Veterans Exhibit - RRFN Indigenous Veterans Exhibit

This page will have quotes from people who helped to make this exhibit, community members, and people who visited the exhibit while it was up. Indigenous Veterans Exhibit - Opening Night Photos Indigenous Arts Workshop Series – Collaborative Community Programming

“New Gold’s involvement with the Indigenous Art Workshop Series has created new connections and community partnerships, and together we have created opportunities to understand and appreciate our differences through art.” -Anne Marie Rousseau, New Gold Wrap-Up

• Because of limited resources and staffing at the Fort Frances Museum, it was necessary to maximize our potential by reaching out to others. • Through networking… – We have repaired bridges and strengthened our relationship with our First Nations communities. – Created a greater understanding of the things we can achieve as an extended community by working toward a shared goal. Wrap-Up

• Today the Indigenous Workshop Series continues. This winter’s line-up will include beading, - hair brooches and doll-size tikanogans (cradle boards). • In addition, the Right Relations Circle meets monthly at the museum. Made up of both indigenous and non-indigenous members, goals are simple… for example: Ensuring businesses have signs that say hello and thank you in 3 languages. Seems a small thing, but important. • We are also in planning stages for an exhibit that will tell the history of Rainy River from two perspectives – the immigrant and the native. Wrap-Up

• The most important suggestion I can share is ‘don’t be afraid to admit your ignorance or ask for help’. • People are happy to share whatever is required. • Our networking group has become our ground zero, and it’s a huge resource for ‘what to do’ especially when including traditional ways like sharing , smudging, drumming and feasting. • What has been gratifying, and unbelievably humbling, is hearing ‘thank you’ for something we should have been doing all along. Community Collaborators Questions?

Fort Frances Museum & Cultural Centre Miigwech! Thank You!

Fort Frances Museum & Cultural Centre