Spring/Summer 2017 │Sioux Lookout Community Museum │807-737-1994 ext. 9902 Museum & Culture Contents Featured Story 2 Newsletter Featured Artifact(s) 3 Museum News 4 Past Events 5 -6 The Sioux Lookout Community Museum and Culture department have Upcoming Museum & been busy during the spring and summer months. From planning and Cultural Events 7 implementing events and programs, to continuing to work away at our collection database inventory project, and organizing the storage space; we are never short of things to do. Museum Hours The Department has seen an increase in visitors and participation in activities and events. More projects and partnerships have been Saturdays created over the past few years and continued enthusiasm from staff, Noon-4:00 p.m. volunteers and the community helps us move forward with our plans. *subject to change without notice *Group Tours can be arranged outside these hours. Our Department also has overseen and assists with the Arts, Culture & Heritage committee as well as more recently the Mayors Committee on Truth and Reconciliation. This addition to our department helps create more partnership opportunities as well as expand our programming and events for the community. “What a well presented collection of fascinating things, especially loved the 1900 Washing machine that saves women’s lives” James from Perth, “Interesting” Jim Australia from Scotland, UK “First time back since 1948” Carol and Bill from Kamloops, BC “Great job on the displays and preserving history, Loved it! John and Kamla Krill from London, ON “Really well presented- excellent historical highlights” Heather and Gr. 7&8 students from Sioux Lookout 2 Featured Story: SIOUX-HUDSON LITERACY COUNCIL: “Everything starts with a Dream” By Monika Orzechowska-Program Director The Sioux-Hudson Literacy Council is a non-profit, more staff. During the next few years, with great support community based, client centered Literacy Basic Skills from program. We provide free help to all area adults who want to upgrade their English, Math, basic computer Individuals at the Ministry of Education (Doug Anderson and and related skills. We try to meet individual needs, Priscilla George) the Ontario interest and goals through flexible program content Native Literacy Coalition and Literacy Northwest ( Susan and instructional methods. Empowerment of clients Vincent), I was able to increase our funding and move the is the cornerstone of our program planning and literacy program from its one room, one part-time staff, few development. resources and one Apple computer status to a four room In 1987 the “Sioux-Hudson Community Literacy Learning Centre with four staff, many resources, six IBM Council” was formed under the umbrella of the computers and retail bookstore attached. “Anokeewin Keno made Gamik Training Centre of Affordable space for our program was found above McFee’s Sioux Lookout” (AKG for short). The training centre’s Tavern in the fall of 1986 but our dream of establishing a mandate was to assist aboriginal ancestry adults to community Learning Centre did not fully take off until 1998. upgrade their employment skills. In working towards this goal, AKG provided a range of excellent upgrading That was when Sherry Mamakwa, a highly qualified and and support services. Literacy instruction was one of experienced teacher joined our staff. With Sherry at the these. Learning Centre we were at last able to provide full-time literacy, numeracy and basic skills instruction as well as Funding for a part-time literacy instructor/ program welcome drop-ins with specific needs seeking short-term administration came from the Ministry of Education, assistance. When I started in 1991 we had less than twenty Literacy branch. Between 1987 and 1991 this position students per year; now in the first six months of this year we was held by several people, each working hard to had 74 individuals use our program. develop the program. In February 1991 I was hired for the position and in the nine years since I started I have My dream for the future is to have the Literacy Council help seen the program through many changes. create a training centre, somewhat like the one that birthed us. A place where several agencies will come together to In June 1991, the literacy program was incorporated as the provide clients with “one stop” access to a variety of Sioux- Hudson Literacy Council (SHLC). This move, followed services, e.g., upgrading, work prep., work placement, by a physical relocation of the program from a back room computer training, life skills, counseling, family supports office in the Day Block to 62 Front Street, enabled the etc. I believe that working more closely together will Council to expand its involvement in the community. At that increase the effectiveness of the services that presently we point I was still heavily dependent upon volunteers to provide in isolation from each other. Everything starts with provide tutoring and people could only access our services a dream! by appointment. We needed more space, more funding and 3 example used beads for personal adornment and to Featured Artifact decorate items such as clubs and pouches. The pouch Aboriginal Beading would have a matching beaded belt. Pouches would also often have beaded strings made from dyed horse hair attached to them. ``Art came to have a new purpose. It was a The chevron bead was also called the star, patermoster source of income to people (our fathers), or sun bead. It was a colorful bead and was Whose traditional means of livelihood had been more of an oval shaped bead. The tiny seed beads were destroyed.`` called Manido-min-esah, which means little spirit seeds, gift of the Manido. The first thing that First Nations began Beading has been an important part of First Nations making when receiving these beads were necklaces. culture for approximately 8000 years prior to When smaller beads came around the beads were European contact. Beads were made of shell, pearl, incorporated into loom weaving, Beads were then used in bone, teeth, stone, and fossil stems. When Europeans ceremonies, decorate clothing, baskets, dolls, which were first came to Canada they made an effort to develop then used to trade at the trading post. good relations with the First Nations and beads http://aboriginalperspectives.uregina.ca/workshops/works played a significant role in these relationships. The hop2011/background.shtml beads that the Europeans gave and/or traded were large ceramic pony beads, glass beads, chevron bead and tiny seed beads. The pony bead was around 1/8th A pair of aboriginal beaded chaps. They are made of a light tan- coloured leather and have a beaded design of green and pink triangles running down the sides of either leg. On the back of both legs is a leather fringe. Art came to have a new purpose. It was a source of income to people whose traditional means of livelihood had been inch diameter and was used for bone chokers and destroyed. Baskets, beaded necklaces, model birchbark breastplates. canoes and even feathered headbands were made to be sold to outsiders...tourists and collectors of "native arts The beadwork is on a black material with a green border along and crafts". the edges. http://iroquoisbeadwork.blogspot.ca/2014/10/iroquois- Smaller glass beads were also used to make elaborate regalia-during-18th-and-19th.html necklaces and other forms of jewellery. The Iroquois for 4 Museum News For the Spring and Summer our goal has been to continue to encourage community members to stop into the Museum. We did this through a variety of programming and events as well as through making some minor changes to the Museum. The museum has also been a big part of promoting and partnering with the Mayor’s Committee on Truth and Reconciliation and the Arts, Culture & Heritage committee initiatives. The Oral History Interviews that were conducted in 2014 have been digitized, edited and converted to an IPad for visitors to sit back and listen to. More interviews have been conducted by Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee member Jennifer Hancharuk and have been edited and added to the collection. Some of these interviews were also edited further so they can be used in the Bush Plane Exhibit this past summer. The museum staff are working away at planning a major overhaul with inventory and database organization, the purpose of this project is to ensure everything is accounted for and included in the museum’s collections database program. This will allow for better use and management of the collection. This year to tie in with the Mayor’s proclamation that 2017 is a Year of Truth and Reconciliation for Sioux Lookout. The museum hasMuseum promoted educational events News surrounding the topic of the Residential Schools system. We’ve hosted a variety of educational film viewings, and exhibits that are related to the topic of Truth and Reconciliation. We are never short of things to do and look forward to continuing to protect, preserve and promote our local history and culture with the community and our visitors. 5 Past Museum & Cultural Events March-May- Conversational Italian Classes. The Museum partnered with Manuela Michelizzi to provide conversational Italian Classes. The program consisted of 10 one hour sessions. April 1st – Ukrainian Egg Decorating Workshop. Offering an afternoon of Ukrainian Egg decorating facilitated by our Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee member Jennifer Hancharuk. Located at the Heritage Railway Station. April 1st - Dibajimejig – Telling our Stories. Hosted by the Museum and Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee. The evening began with a premier of The Grandfather Drum, with an introduction from the story consultant and translator, Fred Suggashie. April 8th, 22nd, May 13th – Craft Days. Offering an afternoon of crafting for kids for ages 4-12+.