Heritage Yukon Spring/Summer 2019 Newsletter JJ, Dustyn, and Joshua Van Bibber present at the 2018 Annual Yukon Heritage Awards ceremony. Credit: Tony Gonda PAGE 2 SPRING/SUMMER 2019 YHMA NEWS & EVENTS From the Desk of the Executive Director | Lianne Maitland As we embark on a new held a special event on northern mapping in anticipation fiscal year, it is rewarding to of upcoming 150th anniversary of the Kohklux Map—both look back at what we have of which will feed into programming for 2019-20. See accomplished over the last page 3 for more details. year (or more specifically in the case of this newsletter, In October, we once again held the Yukon Heritage the last six months), and Symposium, while in February we held the Yukon also an inspiration for the Heritage Awards ceremony. Both events highlighted new year. It can be difficult some of the amazing and inspiring work that Yukoners sometimes to step back are doing in heritage. You can learn more about them on from dealing with the pages 2 and 4 respectively. details to see the full scope Credit: Emma Cumming of all that we do, both as an In the final pages of this newsletter, you can find organization and as a contributions from community members that demonstrate community. This newsletter is great opportunity to do so. that one can engage with Yukon heritage, both cultural and natural, in a variety of ways. Inspiration again! In September, YHMA once again sat on the Culture Days steering committee, and planned and organized special I hope that by reading this newsletter you will also find Culture Days activities. In this case, the inspiration some inspiration. provided for 2019-20 is by design: we debuted a new activity, our Heritage Highlights Scavenger Hunt, and Yukon Heritage Symposium With topics ranging from theories of lifelong learning to from Yukon history into the museum’s existing dioramas, creative uses of museum dioramas, as well as a maximising their potential as vehicles for engagement, workshop in which participants learned how to draw storytelling, and learning. fireweed, the 2018 Yukon Heritage Symposium, “Heritage and lifelong learning,” made for a thought- Two representatives from Association franco-yukonnaise provoking day. Approximately 25 Yukon heritage (AFY) discussed recent initiatives from the organization. professionals came together at the Yukon Transportation Audrey Percheron presented on the Stitches in Time Museum on October 24 to learn, connect, and share. project, which you can learn more about on page 5. Édith Belanger, meanwhile, shared AFY’s experience creating Alex Somerville of the Dawson City Museum opened the six free, self-guided tours of several Yukon communities day with a brief look at Soviet philosopher Lev Vygotsky’s using the BaladoDécouverte/BaladoDiscovery app. theories of lifelong learning and how they can be The two final presenters, Heather Steinhagen and Murray applied in heritage. It Lundberg, provided perspectives on the independent provided an interesting creation of resources on heritage. Heather discussed the lens through which to Indigenize Wikipedia project, an ongoing initiative to consider the rest of the expand Yukon First Nations content on this peer-sourced, day’s presentations. online encyclopedia. Murray gave an overview of his two decades of experimenting with different ways to engage Kaitlin Normandin, then of people in Yukon history, many of which you can find the Old Log Church described on page 4. Museum (OLCM), shared the OLCM’s experience of The day finished with a workshop by Rhoda Merkel that creating lesson plans for focused on how to create fun, educational programs with the new Yukon curriculum, a focus on First Nation ways of doing and knowing. A while Janna Swales of the highlight was Rhoda’s discussion of the poster she Yukon Transportation created as Yukon Education’s communication tool to Museum (YTM) discussed engage with Yukon’s new curriculum—a useful tool for YTM’s new initiative to heritage professionals as well. Titanic survivor Paul Meyers enters incorporate “miniature King’s Café to apply for a job in one Thank you to everyone who came out to the Symposium of YTM’s miniature exhibits. Credit: exhibits” that tell stories Yukon Transportation Museum and made it a richer experience for all! PAGE 3 SPRING/SUMMER 2019 YHMA NEWS & EVENTS Culture Days 2018 If you were in downtown Whitehorse over the Culture included geographical features, relationships between Days weekend (September 28-30), you may have seen Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, toponomy, some folks pouring over interpretive signs, scrutinizing linguistics, and others. Speakers included Ta’an sculptures, and seeking out key locations as part of our Kwäch’än elder Frances Woolsey, Teslin Tlinglit elder Heritage Highlights Scavenger Hunt. This free activity Bessie Cooley, historian Linda Johnson, linguist Doug encouraged participants to explore downtown Whitehorse Hitch, archaeologist Anastasia Wiley of Klukwan, Tlingit as they sought out the answers to various trivia questions linguist Marsha Hotch of Klukwan, and Sheila Greer, about Yukon heritage. Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Heritage Manager. In addition, René Rivard gave an impromptu The idea for the presentation about his efforts to map the Dead Horse scavenger hunt Gulch area of the White Pass Trail. came from the desire to create Two displays, an activity that one in the would be reading room available and one in the throughout the meeting room, weekend and rounded out would be the event. The accessible to Yukon both individuals Archives laid A scavenger hunt participant searches for an and groups. The out a variety of answer. Credit: Anonymous creation of the maps as well scavenger hunt as a detailed fell to our 2018 summer student, Emma Cumming, with genealogical the assistance of board member Corin Noble. Emma and chart created It was a tight squeeze during the presentations! Corin did a fantastic job of coming up with questions that by Bessie Credit: Linda Johnson would prompt people to think about the things they see all Cooley and her husband. The genealogical chart shows the time a different way. We were thrilled when many many connections between the First Nation communities participants reported that they had teamed up with family that used the trading route recorded on the Kohklux Map. or friends to complete the scavenger hunt, and many also Linda Johnson provided reproductions of additional maps commented that they were pleased to have learned for a display, including two versions of the Kohklux Map, something new. We look forward to reprising our the Kandik Map, George Davidson maps (based on the scavenger hunt for 2019, and hopefully beyond! Kohklux Map), and Russian maps of Alaska/Yukon. Special thanks go to the Historic Sites Unit, Government All in all, this of Yukon; Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre; Office of the event exceeded Commissioner of Yukon; Old Log Church Museum; Parks our Canada; Riverside Grocery; and Yukon Arts Centre for expectations. supporting the scavenger hunt. We are carrying the energy it In addition to the scavenger hunt, we also hosted a generated special event, funded by Culture Quest, in anticipation of forward into the 150th anniversary of the Kohklux Map in August 2019. 2019 as we Exploring Early Mapping in the North took place on work with a September 29 at the Yukon Archives. This event brought number of together Indigenous speakers, heritage professionals, partners in linguists, and about 40 members of the public for a Yukon and discussion on early Indigenous and non-Indigenous Alaska to plan a Pouring over the genealogical chart. Credit: Linda mapping in the north: how and why maps were created, Johnson conference what they represent, how they were used, and why and around the how they are important today, to both Indigenous and Kohklux Map, its legacy, and related topics for October non-Indigenous communities. 25-27 at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre. The conference will be part of a larger celebration around the The Kohklux, Kandik, and derivative maps were the 150th anniversary of the map. We are currently accepting starting point for the conversation. Because of the wide- presentation proposals until April 30. For details, visit reaching significance of these maps, topics covered http://tinyurl.com/y3t2dnkn. PAGE 4 SPRING/SUMMER 2019 YHMA NEWS & EVENTS 2018 Yukon Heritage Awards Over 30 guests joined us on February 18, 2019 at the made his photographs available through several Yukon Archives to celebrate the recipients of the 2018 donations to the Yukon Archives. His work continues to Yukon Heritage Awards and the beginning of national preserve and promote Yukon heritage for the enjoyment Heritage Week. In honour of the Heritage Week theme, of all. Heritage: The Tie That Binds, JJ, Dustyn, and Joshua Van Bibber gave a special presentation on their great Gordon Mervin Toole (Posthumous History Maker grandfather, JJ Van Bibber. They used stories and Award): Gordon Mervin Toole was a long-time Yukoner photos to show how JJ’s legacy has created a sense of who helped make the Yukon what it is today through his belonging and understanding for his family, and how he outstanding contributions to meteorology, aviation, exemplified the Heritage Week theme. wilderness tourism, big game outfitting, trapping, and farming. Gordon became a weather observation JJ Van Bibber specialist with the Canadian Department of Transport and (1920-2012) was a was posted to Snag, Yukon in 1943. There, he was prominent First responsible