What’s Inside:Heritage Fairs Inspire Youth
Newcomers Dig Up Saskatchewan’s Past
Ecomuseums Bring Together Communities
Fall 2014 V o l u m e 5, I s s u e 1
Check out Engage Online www.saskculture.ca/engage
EngagePublished by saskCulture Inc.,
is designed to
highlightthe work ofcultural leaders,volunteers and the
diversityof activitiessupported by the
Culture section ofsaskatchewan lotteriesTrust Fund for sport,Culture and Recreation.
2 Fall 2014
General manager’s message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Digging in the Dirt with sAs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
In Her own Words: Joyce Vandall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
And We are Witness: Canada’s Internment operations . . . . . . . 7
maple Creek moves Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Culture Days Animateurs explore saskatchewan stories . . . . . 13
museums Without Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Jo Custead enjoys making a Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Traditional Parenting Workshop Revives Culture at Island lake
First Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
New Digital magazine Provides link to Northern Talent . . . . . 18
Bridging the Gap at Youth & elders Camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Raising the Bar with Prairie sky school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Heritage moments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Print copies of this publication are circulated for free to saskCulture members, partners and through communityoutreach activities as determined by saskCulture Inc. Engage is also available in PDF version on the saskCulture web siteat www.saskculture.ca. Engage is published thanks to financial support from saskatchewan lotteries Trust Fund forsport, Culture and Recreation. The publication does not currently accept paid advertising. Article ideas for futurepublications can be submitted to [email protected] or by calling (306) 780-9284.
Published November 2014. Articles may be reprinted with permission.
On the cOver: Participants successfully finishedraising tipis at First nations University of canadaduring the culture Days weekend in regina. Photocourtesy of Shawn Fulton.
Direct Inquires to:
Diane ell, [email protected]
shaunna Grandish, Publishing [email protected]
404, 2125 11th Avenue, Regina sK s4P 3X3Tel: (306) 780.9284www.saskculture.ca
Graphic Design:
J. lauder Publishing & [email protected]
Contributing Writers:
Felechia Brodie, michelle Brownridge, sarahFerguson, shaunna Grandish, Danica lorer, sandramassey, Jan morier, Paul spasoff
Contents
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Fall 2014V o l u m e 5, I s s u e 1
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General manager’s message
Diversity of cultures part of our shared heritage
Heritage is more than what wepreserve from the past, it is theideas and perceptions of what
has been preserved, and how we use thisunderstanding to make sense of it in ourworld today and into the future.
saskatchewan’s past has always beenalive with diversity, but it hasn’t beenuntil more recently in our history, thatwe have begun to explore and paytribute to the impact of cultural diversityand multiculturalism throughout ourgrowth as a province.
This year, the province celebrates the40th Anniversary of the multiculturalismAct of saskatchewan. As the firstprovince to enact such legislation inCanada, saskatchewan made acommitment to recognizing the right ofevery community to retain its identity,language and traditional arts andsciences. And in doing so, alsocommitted to the growth of its richlydiverse heritage.
With the province’s changingdemographics – influenced by a growingFirst Nations population, and increasedimmigrants settling in saskatchewan –we must ensure we are including theirstories as part of our shared heritage.stories of new cultures becoming part ofour multicultural society, stories ofnewcomer integration, stories of pasttraditions shared and relearned today byour First Nations and métis communities– all become part of saskatchewan’svibrant cultural diversity.
We explore our heritage in many ways:by visiting museums, art galleries and
heritage sites, listening to stories,sharing traditions and getting a sense ofsaskatchewan stories. In this issue ofengage, you can read about how manyactivities, thanks to support fromsaskatchewan lotteries Trust Fund forsport, Culture and Recreation, helpparticipants and audiences betterunderstand the diversity of our sharedheritage. From current programming foryouth by elders in Buffalo Narrows, topreserving métis culture in maple Creek,to youth learning about the past throughthe Youth Heritage Fair experience, tothe reminders of war-time internmentcamps, and the volunteers who help
Phot
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.
ensure our commitment to amulticultural future, there are manystories to share.
our heritage is shaped by all of thecultures who are part of thesaskatchewan experience. We may havestruggled to tell all the stories along theway, but we can work together to build aculturally vibrant – and inclusive – storyinto the future.
sincerely,
Rose Gilks
Heritage represents our past, who we are todayand helps pave the way towards our future.
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Digging in the DirtThe Saskatchewan archaeological Society engages
newcomer youth in uncovering the past.
B Y S a r a H F E r G U S O N
According to Tomasin Playford, executivedirector, sAs, this year was the first timethey invited new Canadians out to thesite. Playford adds, "[Provincial]demographics are changing, and peoplefrom other parts of the world are comingto saskatchewan.” The excavations,which ran from July 2 -18, 2014, gave 25Canadian newcomer youth fromsaskatoon’s open Door society anopportunity to learn about the history ofsaskatchewan. sAs first invited the publicto take part in the area’s excavations in2007.
By giving them a hands-on approach to
learning history, the excavations gavethe new Canadians something that theywouldn’t normally experience: a valuableopportunity to engage with thesaskatchewan landscape. “If english is asecond language for you, there’sterminology that is hard to understand,whereas when you’re digging in the dirt,it’s tactile,” Playford explains.
Playford claims there was an addeddimension to the experience. “When thefirst new Canadians came to Canada, theFirst Nations people showed them howto adapt to the environment,” she says.“New Canadians today are learning how
an old archaeological mottoreads, “It’s not what you find,it’s what you find out.”
This past July, the saskatchewanArchaeological society (sAs)proved that motto to be true
when it gave a group of new Canadianyouth the opportunity to find out moreabout saskatchewan’s past, throughtheir participation in the site excavationsof the famous fur trade post – southBranch House.
Fall 2014 5
to live in Canada from people like us, so there’s a parallel.” excavations, for south BranchHouse, have ended for the summer; however, there is a possibility of public excavationstaking place in the future at a 7,000-year-old location known as the Farr site, located nearogema.
Candice Koblun, project supervisor, south Branch House project in 2014, was inspired by thegroup’s response to the dig. “They found charcoal, burnt wood and chinking (a clay-strawmixture placed in between logs to keep out the elements). some found flakes of stonefrom stone tool-making, and a few found animal bone fragments,” Koblun says. “every findbrought big smiles and excitement!”
Koblum goes on to add, “Being able to teach youth about the fur trade and archaeology ina hands-on way helps to keep Canadian heritage alive.”
this project was made possible by a Saskculture Multicultural Initiatives Fund grant.
Photos courtesy of the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society.
More aboutSouth Branch Houselocated one hour north of saskatoonon the south saskatchewan River, andfirst identified as a Hudson BayCompany fur trade post in 1929 byCanadian historian Arthur silvermorton, south Branch House has anintriguing past, and because of this itcan easily capture one’s imagination.
south Branch House is believed tohave been occupied from 1786-1794,when it was attacked by 100-150 GrosVentres Indians. six people werekilled. According to Tomasin Playford,"There was one survivor. The wallsburned down, and he crawled into acanoe and was saved. The post wasnever reoccupied."
Newcomer youth discoversaskatchewan’s past by taking part inan excavation at south Branch House.
6 Fall 2014
In Her own Words: Joyce Vandalllessons learned
Joyce Vandall has been a passionatecommunity volunteer for over 30years. she has been a tireless
advocate for immigrant and refugeeyouth, literacy, multicultural awareness,and english as a second language (esl)programs. she has received numerousawards for her dedication, hard workand devotion to her causes. Joyce hasreceived recognition from the Reginaopen Door society for her communityservice to refugees and immigrants;from saskatchewan Council foreducators of Non-english speaker
(sCeNes) for her volunteer work withesl; from the multicultural Council ofsaskatchewan (mCos) for her dedicationto multiculturalism; from the ArbosAwards for esl teaching in the province;and she has even received thesaskatchewan Centennial medal for hercontribution to esl teaching.
This past september, Joyce chatted withshaunna Grandish at saskCulture, overthe phone from Victoria B.C., andoffered up some lessons onvolunteering.Joyce Vandall Photos courtesy from the Multicultural
council of Saskatchewan
I N T E r V I E W B Y S H a U N N a G r a N D I S H
lessoN 1: Volunteering can open a whole new world.
Through her work with esl programs, Joyce Vandall experiencedteaching and working with youth from all over the globe, and itwas through her ‘kids’ she was able to learn about how culturalrich and diverse the world truly is.
“We are more alike than we are different, and we should alsocelebrate the differences because they are so rich,” she explains.“It is the world experience. The world is getting smaller. If youdon’t celebrate culture, you lose the richness of the world. It’sabout getting to know how other people think and theirworldview because that’s where the richness lies; it’s lost unlesswe embrace multiculturalism and culture. It’s one of the finerthings in life, but it can so easily get lost in all of the other stuff.We can help our students become more aware that it’s culturethat builds the community – not necessarily the dollars.”
lessoN 2: Volunteering can provide personal growth.
Joyce has been involvedwith various non-profitorganizations, and eachhas left an impact. somepersonal highlights for herincluded learninggovernance and workingwith people from a variety
of backgrounds around the province. According to her, whenone is interested in becoming a volunteer, one can beginsmall.
“It’s in the giving that you do receive, and that’s part of theblessing I’ve received from teaching,” she says. “What Iwould tell someone who is interested in volunteering is this:Get outside of yourself, have a life and get to knowsomething different.”
lessoN 3: Get youth involved.
Joyce has seen the positive impact volunteering has had on the youth she has worked with over the years. she believes organizationsshould try harder to get youth involved and have their voices heard at the table. “let’s focus on our youth, and take them as they come– as the wild and wonderful people they are. They have a lot to offer, lots of energy and good ideas, and they are looking for a place tobelong – let it be volunteerism. The world is changing and what they bring is very interesting. We should embrace them because theyare our future. If you love them, they will love you back. If you put your nose up at them, they’ll put up theirs as well. enjoy the moment.enjoy the kids. enjoy the experience.”
“let's focus on our youth, and take them asthe wild and wonderful people they are.”
Fall 2014 7
and We are Witness: Canada’s Internment operationsHow Ukrainian and Japanese Canadians became prisoners of war intheir own country during the World Wars.
B Y F E l E C H I a B r O D I E
over 8,000 “enemy aliens” werearrested and held as prisoners of war in24 internment camps across Canada.
The internees were put to work ongovernment projects in harsh andsometimes dangerous circumstances.over 100 people died; some were shot asthey tried to escape. They worked forlittle money. As an example, theprisoners who built roads, cleared treesand improved Banff National Park werepaid 12.5 cents per day. Free workerswere paid $2 per day. some of the campsoperated until 1920, two years after thewar had ended.
In 1917, the War Time elections Actdenied 120,000 ukrainians, unnaturalizedand naturalized, the right to vote in thefederal election held that year.
In the mid-1950s the federal governmentdestroyed all official documents relatingto the operations - one of the reasonswhy so few Canadians know this chapterof our country’s history.
How did Ukrainians fit intothe landscape of WWI?
During the nineteenth century, thearea of Europe inhabited byUkrainians was divided betweenthe austro-Hungarian and russianempires. austria-Hungary becamethe enemy of Britain in WWI. russiawas an ally.
Many Ukrainians came to Canadafrom an area of austria that wasdesperately poor and famine-stricken.
In smaller numbers, Ukrainianscame from Eastern Ukraine, ruledby the russian monarchy at thetime.
It’s a story that few people know. Ifyou’ve heard it, it might have the airof rumour. eight thousand people
falsely imprisoned and treated asprisoners of war in Canada: 5,000ukrainians, but also serbians, Croatians,Armenians, Hungarians and Germans.
Here’s how it came to pass. At theoutbreak of the First World War inAugust 1914, the Government of Canadaenacted the War measures Act. The Actmade it possible to pass legislationallowing authorities to arrest andimprison any person without chargingthat person with a crime or providingaccess to the courts.
one of the government’s first actionsunder the Act required immigrants fromenemy countries - Germany, Austria-Hungary, the ottoman empire andBulgaria - to register with the NorthWest mounted Police or the militia.About 80,000 people registered andthen regularly presented theirregistration cards, each time paying $2(about a day’s wages at the time) tocover the cost of the process.
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recognition of Internment Campin Province
In its past, saskatchewan had one,short-lived, internment camp: theeaton Camp, located at the junction of
Highway 60 and the Canadian NationalRailway, four kilometers southwest ofsaskatoon. The detainees arrived onFebruary 25, 1919, travelling from thecamp at munson, Alberta where they hadworked on the railway. The war hadalready ended on November 11, 1918. onmarch 21, 1919, they were moved to amilitary installation at Amherst, Novascotia and then deported.
on october 28, 2014, to mark the 100years since “enemy aliens” wererequired to register, the ukrainianCanadian Congress (uCC-sPC) placed aplaque at the site of the eaton Camp.The plaque portrays internees behindbarbed wire at Castle mountainInternment Camp in Banff.
Bohdan Kordan, director, Prairie Centrefor the study of ukrainian Heritage, saysthis is an opportunity to re-dedicateourselves to remembering whathappened. “This is an unknown page inCanada’s history, and a country withoutits history is not a country. Knowing ourhistory we can see where we’ve gonewrong. It tells us what we expect andwant from ourselves. We note politicalerrors in judgement. These challenges
keep reappearing. How do we rise tothese challenges? By looking back andtaking stock.”
Japanese Canadian Internment1942-1949
This fall, the Regina JapaneseCanadian Club and the RCmPHeritage Centre brought to
Regina, the exhibit, A call for Justice -Fighting for Japanese canadian redress(1977-1988).
In 1942, after Japan’s attack on PearlHarbor, the Government of Canadaconsidered people of Japanese descentto be a threat. under the War measuresAct, over 22,000 Japanese Canadianswere banned from the BC Coast, sent tointernment camps in central BC, Albertaor manitoba, lost all their property andbelongings, and were later dispersedacross Canada.
The National Association of JapaneseCanadians, led by Art miki, worked withcommunity members, media,multicultural and human rightscoalitions, two governments and fiveministers of multiculturalism beforeachieving redress. on september 22,1988, Prime minister Brian mulroneyacknowledged in the Parliament ofCanada the past injustices towardsJapanese Canadians from 1942-1949.
Al Nicholson, Ceo, RCmP HeritageCentre, explains that the Centre has theresponsibility to tell the story of thepolice and the growth of Canada as anation. “This is a sad story, but it is partof our history. Wars have all kinds ofeffects. even on those with no directinvolvement. This story speaks well ofthose who came after and worked forredress.”
To Andre Boutin-maloney, president,Regina Japanese Canadian Club,remembering the internment campshonours those that came before. “Weneed to recognize when we’ve mademistakes and find ways to address thosemistakes. This is part of what it means tobe Canadian. We try to do better, or wetry to make atonement. People wereimprisoned for a racially charged reason.Internment took a huge toll on JapaneseCanadian culture.”
Both the Ucc-SPc and the rcMP heritagecentre receive funding from Saskculturethanks to the Saskatchewan Lotteriestrust Fund for Sport, culture andrecreation.
Details in this article was gathered withhelp from the Ucc-SPA, rcMP heritagecentre, Ukrainian canadian congress andcitizenship and Immigration canadawebsites, the Manitoba history Journaland the nikkei Museum.
many ukrainian and Japanese residents had their rights striped, detained inInternment Camps and treated as prisoners of war during the World Wars.
Photos courtesy of the national Archives in Ottawa
Fall 2014 9
“This is a sad story, but it is part of our history. Wars have all kinds of effects. even on those with no direct involvement.”
10 Fall 2014
maple Creek moves ForwardHow a town in southwest Saskatchewan discovered that the
preservation of its past can spur cultural growth today.
B Y D a N I C a l O r E r
What began as a desire topreserve a community’sheritage buildings, has led to
the preservation of the region’s culture.
maple Creek recently participated in twocomplementary planning processes: aheritage conservation downtown plan,and a community cultural plan.
Royce Pettyjohn, main street programcoordinator, Town of maple Creek, says itmade good sense doing the two plansconcurrently, and because of this, aprocess began of breaking down silos andbuilding collaborative relationships. “Theintangible outcome was the firstopportunity to bring all of theseorganizations together under one roof,and to have a discussion about the futureof the community from a cultural andheritage perspective,” says Pettyjohn.
These processes have led the communityto a shift in thinking, and one such resultis that businesses and arts groups havestarted to build partnerships with eachother. one such collaboration resulted inthe maple Creek Business Awards ofexcellence now using locally-made artrather than plastic trophies as awards. Indoing so, the awards become moremeaningful for recipients, and in theprocess they elevate the status of theartist chosen.
Also arising from the planning processeswas the creation of a métis CulturalCentre in maple Creek. According toPettyjohn, the métis story in the CyprusHills, which is located south of mapleCreek, is rich; however, in the past therehas been a stigma attached to being amétis person. “Fortunately because ofwork being done by the broader
community, people are becoming morecomfortable with métis cultural identityand heritage. They’re starting tocelebrate it in ways that would havebeen inconceivable when I wasyounger,” says Pettyjohn. The centrehosted workshops on playing the fiddle,creating sashes, beading and dancingthe Red River Jig. It has also developed amutually beneficial collaborativepartnership with the local museum. Thetwo groups share space and utilize thegallery for public programming, whilemaintaining their own unique identities.
The Nekaneet First Nations RegaliaGroup is another success story built oncollaboration. The idea grew out of arealization there were young peoplewho were interested in pow wowdancing, but faced challenges of nothaving access to regalia.
Fall 2014 11
The project brought together elders, artisans and young people at the museum tocreate regalia. since this time, more than a dozen young people have now had theopportunity to start participating in pow wow, and as a result stay connected withtheir culture.
maple Creek is now embracing the unique aspects of its past to create a future thatcelebrates culture and diversity, and also builds an engaged, thriving community.
“We wouldn’t have been having this conversationin maple Creek ten years ago.
It just wasn’t on the radar, there was no appetite for it, no understanding, really nointerest in it whatsoever,” says Pettyjohn. “Ten years later we’re now talking abouttourism, we’re talking about cultural activity, we’re talking about festivals, eventsand heritage conservation.”
the town of Maple creek received funding from Saskculture’s Municipal culturalengagement and Planning grant for these planning processes.
Check out Engage online atwww.saskculture.ca/engageto view the video of the workdone to the restoration of thes.W. saskatchewan oldtimers’museum, and the partnershipof the museum hasundertaken with the NekaneetFirst Nation and the CypressHills métis Cultural & ResourceCentre.
Photos courtesy from the town of Maple creek
maple Creek residents participate in thecultural offerings in their community.
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Culture Days Animateurs exp B Y P a U l S P a S O F F
Kevin Power was once accused of beingall talk and no action. Today,fortunately, he is still all talk, but thereis also plenty of action.
Power is the creator and host ofSaskScapes, a series of podcastsdevoted to arts, culture and heritage inSaskatchewan. as one of threeSaskCulture animateurs, he was part ofa Culture Days team that travelled theprovince this summer capturing thestories of Saskatchewan people.
“When I approached SaskCultureregarding the animateur program,because of my background as aBroadway singer and actor, I kind ofthought I would propose an idea thatreally was in keeping with what I’vebeen doing for the past 26 years,”explains Power, a graduate of theUniversity of Saskatchewan who is nowback living in Saskatoon. “But thispodcast idea has been nagging at me for
a couple of years now to the pointfriends asked me to stop talking aboutit. I had been all talk and no action.”
Power can no longer be accused ofinactivity. Shortly after agreeing on anapproach with SaskCulture, he set aboutfinding subjects for his series.
By the end of October, Power hadcompleted 44 SaskScapes. Each podcastfocuses on the human element, asPower travels around Saskatchewanlistening to people tell their stories
“No one has disappointed me yet,”Power says. “I am overwhelmed at theemails I get. I’m going in as a completestranger and I’m leaving having made awhole bunch of new friends.
While Power insists every edition ofSaskScapes is a highlight, there is onethat holds particularly meaning. Episode30 is entitled Remembering Alvin, andfocuses on alvin Cote, a homeless First
Nations man with addictions issues whopassed away in Saskatoon in early 2013,but not before leaving his mark on hiscommunity.
“When I first started, I don’t think Iwould have thought about doing streetculture,” Power notes. “I was thinkingartists and musicians and authors andpainters. But street culture is part of ourculture.”
Power believes there is no end to thestories to be told in Saskatchewan. asfor the future, stay tuned…
SaskScapes chronicles the people of Saskatchewan
Kevin Power featured Amanda Amundrud, owner ofthe Root Community emporium in lloydminster, on
saskscapes episode 41.
SaskScapes are available fordownloading through SoundCloudor the iTunes store. Streamingversions of the podcast can beaccessed at iheartculture.ca
Fall 2014 13
plore saskatchewan stories
With a background in journalism, Evieruddy is a natural storyteller. as aSaskCulture animateur, she is helpingothers develop that very same skill.
ruddy was leading digital storytellingworkshops in Saskatchewan as part ofher role on the Culture Days animateurteam. It’s a skill she learned at theCentre for Digital Storytelling inCalifornia.
“It is so rewarding for me to watch 10year-olds when they view their finalproduct,” says ruddy, who is based inregina. “They just have this huge smileon their faces. It’s rewarding for thembecause it’s immediate. They’ve spenttheir time on it and right away they getto see the final product.”
People attending ruddy’s workshopsgenerally arrive with a story idea inmind – about a person in their lives, avacation they took, or something elsespecial to them. The only requirement is
that it must be a true story.
She then helps them develop a script,which is recorded and inserted into acomputer program. Photos are thenscanned to help illustrate the story.
“Now they have the audio and thevisual,” ruddy says. “I teach them thetechnical aspects of the computerprograms. How to do transitions. Howto make the photos zoom in and out.How to put music to it. How to edit theaudio.
“By the end of it they have a three tofive-minute movie they can share withfamily and friends.”
The workshops run over a period of twoto three days and appeal to people of allages. From children to seniors, ruddyhas helped many generations tell theirstories, as well as people of differentcultures. The format also lends itself to
sharing the history that is housed inSaskatchewan museums.
“These digital stories are rich withhistory and cultural heritage,” ruddysays. “That’s why it is so rewarding forme. They can be very moving.”
although her work as a SaskCultureanimateur has come to an end, ruddyplans on continuing on with her digitalstorytelling workshops. She can bereached at her website(www.storiesthatmoveyou.ca), whichwill be operational in late November.
Expressing Saskatchewan narratives through technology
Photo courtesy of Lynn Kirk. Background photo courtesy of Michelle Brownridge.
evie Ruddy helps moose Jaw studentsto compose their digital stories.
View some of the stories from thedigital storytelling workshop, pleasevisit iheartculture.ca
14 Fall 2014
Photo courtesy of Glenn Sutter
museumsWithout Walls Getting the conversationstarted on ecomuseums
B Y S a N D r a M a S S E Y
several saskatchewan communitiesare bringing the concept of an‘ecomuseum’ to the province.
ecomuseums - also known as ‘museumswithout walls’ – provide a framework forsustainable community development byleaving natural and cultural heritageobjects in place – rather than beingcollected and placed in a traditionalmuseum – and having the communitywork together to understand and showoff the objects’ significance.
since first developed in europe in the1970’s, hundreds of ecomuseums nowexist throughout the world. until recentlythere were none in saskatchewan, butseveral communities are working tochange this. The saskatchewanecomuseum Initiative steeringcommittee, which is chaired by Glennsutter from the Royal saskatchewanmuseum, and includes representativesfrom Heritage saskatchewan, TheNational Trust for Canada, museumsAssociation of saskatchewan andsaskCulture, is working with thecommunities of Indian Head, Wolseley,Nipawin, North Central Regina and Valmarie to bring these wall-less museums tothe province.
According to sutter, ecomuseumsdemonstrate the role of living heritage indaily life. ‘living’ may not be the adjectivegenerally used to describe ‘heritage’, butit’s easy to understand. It refers to thefact that our values, beliefs, and ways oflife are shaped by family, friends andteachers, as well as our own livedexperience. living heritage in turn,
shapes our landscapes, our identities, andour sense of belonging and place in theworld. Who we think we are, where wecome from, where we are, and what wedo, in large measure determines ourability to participate in, and contribute to,our communities.
“The aim of an ecomuseum is to enhancequality of life within the community, tomake the community a place wherepeople want to live, work, and play; aplace people are proud to call home andwhere they share a strong sense ofbelonging,” says sutter. These outcomesare achieved by bringing communitymembers together in conversationsabout a living heritage that is connectedto the present, and by providing a publicspace for discussion of different andshared value systems.
By enhancing the role of living heritage inour communities, ecomuseums cancontribute in many positive ways toquality of life issues, such as: healthy,active living for seniors; developingwelcoming communities for newcomersand visitors; building social cohesion andcreating culturally sensitive learningenvironments and workplaces; andhighlighting and conserving importantwildlife areas. As a framework forsustainable community or regionaldevelopment, an ecomuseum can bringpeople and communities together toengage in an ongoing conversation aboutwhat really matters and how they canbecome part of positive change in theircommunities.
“Communities are encouraged to start
the conservation,” says sutter. “Talk toyour neighbours. Talk to local businessowners. Talk to your electedrepresentatives. Ask them what theybelieve are the most valued aspects ofthe community and why.” If you areinterested in the concept of anecomuseum and want advice on how toproceed in your community, you cancontact Glenn sutter at the Royalsaskatchewan museum, glenn.sutter@ gov.sk.ca, ph. 306-787-2859.
old elevators are part of theheritage landscape in Val marie.
Ecomuseum Defined
An eco-museum is a communitymuseum that provides a uniquemechanism for communityengagement, in whichcommunity members work topreserve and learn from tangibleand intangible heritage in itsliving form. through communityconsultations, stakeholders agreeon natural and cultural assetsthat they value and create plansto ensure they are preserved andused to foster a culture ofsustainability. . . . they enablecommunities to preserve valuedobjects, sites, and culturalpractices where they exist,enhancing their visibility and thecontributions they make tocommunity developmentactivities.
(Source: the ecomuseum concept: A Saskatchewanview, Draft - nov. 20, 2013, page 3)
Fall 2014 15
Jo Custead enjoys making a DifferenceB Y F E l E C H I a B r O D I E
Jo Custead volunteers with a passion.Her volunteering experience hasincluded organizations such as the
Persephone Theatre, saskCulture,saskatoon symphony orchestra and theYWCA saskatoon. she emigrated toCanada as a teenager in 1967, but she wasvolunteering even before that, when herfamily lived in Kenya.
FElECHIa BrODIE: Why do youvolunteer? How did you get started?
JO CUSTEaD: Volunteering is verypersonal for me. I like meeting people. Ifeel good. I feel fulfilled. Volunteering isa big part of my emotional and spiritualgrowth. It’s a chance to be part ofsomething I believe in and care about.
my family has a big streak ofvolunteerism. We were volunteering inKenya before we moved to Canada. In1967, we emigrated from lake Victoria,Kenya, to Canada and I started GradeNine on December 1st at City ParkCollegiate in saskatoon. We moved fromthe shores of a tropical lake to asaskatchewan winter!
FB: How does your backgroundinfluence your volunteer work?
JO CUSTEaD: Being an immigrant is a biginfluence on my volunteering. I relate tothe difficulties that people are goingthrough and I want to help them.
The decades I grew up in also influencedme. I’m part of that Woodstockgeneration. In the sixties and seventieswe became interested in human rights,women’s rights, racial equality and Toolsfor Peace.
FB: What impact has volunteeringhad on your life?
JO CUSTEaD: I have a quote at home thatreads, “Happiness is not somethingready-made. It comes from your ownactions.” It’s from the Dalai lama andvolunteering Is my action. When I delivermeals on Wheels, I’ve done something tohelp someone. It brings tears to my eyessometimes. It’s what makes me alive.
FB: Why do we need volunteers?
JO CUSTEaD: snowflakes! When they arealone, they melt, but together, they aretraffic-stoppers! It’s the same withpeople. Together we can do anything.
organizations don’t have the resourcesthey need to achieve what they need todo. They need more snowflakes!
FB: What is the importance ofculture to you?
JO CUSTEaD: Culture is your values, thevalues that guide you.
I’m 100 per cent east Indian with all thecelebrations and storytelling of Hindu
Jo custead by Imagery Photography
“It would be likecutting off my arm
if you took myvolunteering
away!”
J O C U S T E a D
culture. The values of my culture do notchange: honesty, truth and compassionfor others. These values are the same inevery culture. They are our humanity. Atthe end of the day, that’s who we are.
FB: What would you say to others toencourage them to volunteer?
JO CUSTEaD: Tell people, you get waymore out of volunteering than you give.You’ll feel so good, knowing you made adifference. It’s so satisfying andenriching.
Jyotsna (Jo) Custead serves on Persephone Theatre’s Board of Directors and asa volunteer adjudicator for SaskCulture. She has been President of YWCaSaskatoon and Treasurer of YWCa Canada. She served as President of the IndiaCanada Cultural association and has volunteered with the Hindu Society ofSaskatchewan, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Children’s InternationalSummer Villages, Consumer’s association of Canada, the Saskatoon Marathon,and has helped many local celebrations, including the City of Saskatoon'sCitizens' Centennial Committee. Jo is the Past Chair for United Way Saskatoonand area and has served on the Heritage Saskatchewan Board of Directorswhere she chaired the audit Committee.
16 Fall 2014
Traditional Parenting Workshop RevivesCulture at Island lake First Nation
B Y S a r a H F E r G U S O N
This past summer, a unique campoffered parents a chance to learnand explore traditional First
Nations parenting practices with theirchildren.
Dorothy myo, president, saskatchewanIndian Cultural Centre (sICC), insaskatoon, was part of a dedicated teamof individuals who facilitated a PlainsCree traditional parenting workshop atIsland lake First Nation, from August 12-15, 2014.
The idea for the workshop came directlyfrom community residents. “Theyrequested a workshop that wouldincorporate the cultural knowledge andthe language associated with theteachings of the elders into how theybrought up their children,” says myo.
melody Wood, Indigenous knowledgesystems researcher, sICC, states that
with the mainstream [parenting] valuesthat are out there, which is why wedeveloped this workshop. The FirstNations parents of today are the secondgeneration of residential school parents,and the ancestral knowledge is missingfrom their lives.”
one of the workshop objectives was tobring together the elders and the youth.
Ross Gardypie, elders’ helper, sICC, andco-master of ceremonies for theworkshop, says, the workshop openedwith a sweat lodge ceremony andincluded agenda topics such as PlainsCree world view, impact of residentialschools, nutrition, male and femaleresponsibilities, and traditional games. Itwrapped-up with a feast.
Gardypie says, simple activities likegetting together, talking aboutmedicines, traditional plants, andtraditional foods had been culturallysevered, and this traditional parentingworkshop reinvigorated these practices.
“At one point, we had a breakout circleand passed [the microphone] around, andone council member said ‘You’vereawakened us’,” he recollects.
Kristian Blind, a sICC summer studentwho recorded workshop sessions, says
Photos courtesy of Melody Wood.
sICC’s desire to conduct a workshop atIsland lake First Nation was based on aneed to revitalize the culture in thatarea. “Back in 2010, Island lake FirstNation was one of the first to ask if theycould have [a traditional parentingworkshop] in their community,” shesays.
According to Wood, the four-dayworkshop, which was made possible by asaskCulture Aboriginal Arts and Cultureleadership grant, drew up to 60participants daily, and featured teachingsfrom nine community elders, as well asseveral knowledge keepers. Woodexplains that traditional parenting isbased on practices that are over 150 yearsold, and its lessons are about taking careof the land, as well as taking care of eachother.
myo adds, “We are sometimes in conflict
elders and youth participate in activities, such as traditional hand games andtipi raising, all in the spirit of bringing awareness to their Aboriginal heritage.
Fall 2014 17
normally young people don’t have a lot of opportunities to gain knowledgefrom elders. “It was amazing how the communities all spoke their languages;even a small four- year-old girl spoke Cree fluently.”
Wood says she hopes to initiate more parenting workshops in the future, whileGardypie believes the workshop has inspired the possibility of future interactionbetween elders and youth, such as wilderness survival camps.
“once, there was this beautiful way of life, and it was destroyed,” Wood adds.“Now we are trying to get it back in these contemporary times."
(right) ross Gardypie co-hosts a workshop where youth learnt about traditional medicines, plants and foods.
“At one point, we had a breakout circle … andone council member said ‘You’ve reawakened us.”
18 Fall 2014
New Digital magazine Provideslink to Northern Talent
B Y S H a U N N a G r a N D I S H
language is a pathway to one’s cultural identity, and the missinipiBroadcasting Corporation (mBC) in la Ronge is taking a leading role toensure this link is not permanently lost for future generations.
earlier this year, mBC launched the first edition of its digital magazine, MBcMagazine: Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal Arts and culture Magazine. As of thisseptember, four editions have been published with two more scheduled to bereleased in the future. The magazine showcases a variety of Northernsaskatchewan talent – everything from poets, artists and musicians, as well asprofiling local performers. What sets this magazine apart is that each article andpoem is translated via audio recording into Cree and Dene, with the addition inthe upcoming fourth edition of a michif translation.
For Deborah Charles, Ceo, mBC, executive publisher of MBc Magazine, thepreservation of Aboriginal languages and culture is very important for the healthand future of their communities. “I believe that it’s mBC’s responsibility for everyAboriginal person in saskatchewan to maintain their language and culture,”explains Charles. “I think it’s our role to support individuals and families in acommunity effort.”
each article comes with an audio translation that the reader can use to helpthem follow the story or poem in Dene, Cree and now michif. “even if youaren’t fluent in the language, you can listen to the recording and get a grasp ofthe language,” adds Charles.
since the magazine, which received some of its funding from a saskCultureCapacity Building Grant, is published on mBC’s website, Northernsaskatchewan talent can now be showcased to a worldwide audience. Charlessays she has noticed hits from as far away as Hawaii, Australia and NewZealand. “People are now spread across from all over the world,” she says. “Weare their link back home.”
Charles adds that she believes featuring artists from the northern most remotecommunities can provide inspiration for others to take a leading role inshowcasing their talents.
“The publication is a showcase of photos, music, articles and videos that reflect my people and the culture and lifestyles to not only Northern saskatchewan, but all over the province and world.”
W W W. M B C r a D I O . C O M
Fall 2014 19
Bridging the Gap B Y D a N I C a l O r E r
“You’ve got to have tradition withculture: you can’t have one or the other”
Young participants recently had the opportunity to spend a week survivingwithout many of our modern conveniences. The youth spent time withelders, who taught them how to catch and clean fish, set traps, dry meat,
prepare traditional food, make fish scale art and light a fire – even in the rain.
“You’ve got to have tradition with culture: you can’t have one or the other,”explains Ken larson, an elder who participated this summer in a camp designed topass on traditional Aboriginal teachings and ideas from elders down to youth. As ateacher, larson values hands-on experiences when knowledge is passed on byparticipation. “It’s so easy for the kids to learn because they just follow you,” headds.
Bridging the Gap - elders and Youth Cultural Camp was held at moose Bay, locatedon Churchill lake, from July 14-20, 2014. eighteen young people from ages 10 to 15participated in the camp, which was coordinated by the Buffalo NarrowsFriendship Centre, and made possible by support of saskCulture’s métis CulturalDevelopment Fund.
At the camp, learning was balanced with fun. According to larson, he prefers toteach both by example and by sharing his experiences. “Kids are famous for lovingto swim and race. They do a lot of activities like boogie boarding and using tubes onthe water with a boat,” he says. “me? I never had a tube when I was a kid. Insteadwe used a piece of plywood, and we rigged it up with a short string – like for ahorse – and we’d stand up on the plywood; however, we had to tie the stringunderneath the boat otherwise we would’ve took a nose dive to the bottom of thelake. We had to learn to balance.”
The interactive experience for the youth and elders was enhanced by the setting.“You can’t do it in town, it’s a whole different environment,” says larson, who triesto teach young people how to face challenges without fear, to help them make goodchoices, and learn respect and responsibility while experiencing life in a moretraditional manner.
leah Chartier was one of the youth participants who would love to go back to thecamp and pass on what she learned from the elders. “They talked a lot about their
culture and how they lived when they were young – itwas harder for them. They told us that when they
were young they had to go outsideto get water and haul in wood. Theyalso had to fish with their own netsand pick wild rice. I loved listeningto the stories,” she says.
Brenda Chartier, director, Buffalo Narrows FriendshipCentre, explains their mandate is both traditional andcultural. “We have to teach these lessons to ouryouth, so to help them a live healthier lifestyle. Toteach them their rightful heritage, instead of themnot knowing who they are.” located in the heart ofthe community, the centre is a busy hub whereeveryone is welcome. “We try to get our youth tointeract more and more with our elders, and that’ssomething everybody is doing – not just BuffaloNarrows. It has a huge impact on our youth,” shesays.
Participating in cultural activities, such as preparingtraditional foods, can make learning about heritage fun.
20 Fall 2014
Raising the Bar: Exploring Indigenous culture
through game creation
B Y M I C H E l l E B r O W N r I D G E
Culture, games and sport all play animportant role in a community,and a recent Artssmarts initiative
set out to explore that connectionthrough art and collaborative learning.
The Artssmarts raising the Bar programprovided opportunities for studentsfrom Prairie sky school (Pss) tocelebrate the North AmericanIndigenous Games (NAIG) in 2014 byexploring Indigenous culture and sportsthrough the creation of games.
saskatchewan artist laura Halefacilitated the project, and says, "Theproject not only explored the NAIG, butalso traditional Indigenous culture,games and sport, the role games playedin a community, the kinds of games andthe objects that were used to play thosegames." she adds, "For the project, wecreated our own games, then designed
and built the objects and equipmentneeded to play our games. We usednatural materials as much as possible tocreate our objects."
Along with exploring traditionalIndigenous culture through gamecreation, students also had several otheropportunities for learning outside of theschool environment including a field tripto collect natural materials, a visit to theRoyal saskatchewan museum to exploreFirst Nations tools and toys, an archerylesson and a chance to play and learnabout lacrosse.
Corry moriarty, principal, Pss, says, "ourstudents said that the best part of theproject was learning archery and usingnew and different art materials. Theysaid it was fun making the games,working with laura, and playingeveryone else's games." According to
the students the most challenging partwas trying to decide what to create andnot changing their minds. Finding theright materials was also challenging anda lot of experimentation was required.
The project culminated in a bigcelebration where Pss hosted their ownPrairie sky school Indigenous Games onWillow Island in Wascana Park in Regina.
Family, friends and the community wereinvited to join the celebration. Thechildren hosted their game, explainingthe rules and inviting people to play.Ceremonial feathers, made from paper,welcomed guests and canopied theentrance to the games. each studentalso made a badge from felt with theirgame logo on it that became part of thelarger Games logo. The opening andclosing ceremonies (with song anddance by the kids) including a ceremoniallighting of a fire to indicate the start ofthe games. Hale adds, "seeing it all cometogether was really special. The kids dida great job hosting their games for all ofour guests, and we were really proud toshare what we did together with all ofour families and friends."
moriarty says that the project was avaluable experience for the teachersinvolved as well. "What we as teachers
Artist laura Hale facilitated the Prairiesky school Indigenous Games.
Photos courtesy of Michelle Brownridge.
Fall 2014 21
came to understand was that anIndigenous lens is accessible to all of usregardless of ethnic origin. embracing thiskind of exploration is entirely possiblewhen elders support our intentions andhelp us overcome some of the feararound the divide between First Nationsand métis people, and non-Indigenouspeople. Authentic Treaty education andengaging in traditional knowledge takescourage and humility."
ArtsSmarts Saskatchewan is supported bySaskatchewan Arts Board, SaskatchewanMinistry of education, and Saskculture,with funding from the SaskatchewanLotteries trust Fund for Sport, culture andrecreation.
The Saskatchewan Arts Board isproud to partner with SaskCultureand Saskatchewan Lotteries onprograms and initiatives that builda strong and vibrant arts andculture sector.
www.artsboard.sk.ca
artis foreveryone
SASKATCHEWAN ARTS BOARD:CULTIVATING AN ENVIRONMENTIN WHICH THE ARTS THRIVE FOR
THE BENEFIT OF EVERYONE INSASKATCHEWAN
14-06-19 2:13 PM Page 1
Prairie sky school students and teachers learnabout Aboriginal culture through fun and games.
Check out Engage online or theSaskCulture Success Stories blogat www.saskculture.ca to see avideo of one of the gamescreated by the students in action!
22 Fall 2014
Heritage momentsHow youth are finding inspiration through history
B Y J a N M O r I E r
saskatchewan students are takingan active interest in their heritagethanks to a school program
designed to explore history and culture.
For the past 20 years, the saskatchewanYouth Heritage Fairs program has beenbringing together teachers and theirstudents from across the province toexplore saskatchewan and Canadianheritage. This past year, over 2,300students from 131 classrooms created aHeritage Fair project.
“Judging by the fun they were havingwith their projects, many elementaryschool students engaged in thesaskatchewan Youth Heritage Fairs sawtheir future brimming with possibility,”says Ingrid Cazakoff, Ceo, Heritagesaskatchewan. students were excited toshare what they learned on a diversearray to topics, such as paleontology,archaeology, sport and well-knownCanadian personalities. some alsofocused on historic milestones andevents– like the legalization of gaymarriage in Canada – while otherscelebrated family and cultural affiliations.
students from grades 4 to 8 developedtheir heritage fair projects in theclassroom through inquiry-basedlearning. Teachers helped their studentsresearch a topic, create a written reportand visual display that went with an oral
presentation. Classrooms held their ownheritage fairs where students and theirprojects were selected to represent theirschool at the regional competition level,and from that point, a panel of judgescan then select students to go to theProvincial Youth Heritage Fair. Theparticipants are rewarded withcertificates, plaques and trophies fortheir interest and hard work in exploringCanadian heritage.
“The participants were incrediblyengaged in their chosen topics,” saysCazakoff. “They were quick to proclaimtheir topics ‘rocked their world’, and theresearch confirmed or changed theirviews.”
Cazakoff adds that the projects eveninspired some of the students to considercareers based on their topics. somebecame intrigued in possibly pursuingcareers as a researcher, writer, archivist,curator or exhibit designer. “Whatevertheir path in life, their experience in theYouth Heritage Fairs programundoubtedly would have provided themwith new skills, an improvedunderstanding of citizenship and arenewed appreciation for their heritage.”
the Youth heritage Fair program is produced byheritage Saskatchewan and supported bySaskculture/Saskatchewan Lotteries, and theSaskatchewan heritage Foundation.
Photos courtesy of Jan Morier
Fall 2014 23
Youth from across the province celebrate culture, sportand history as part of their heritage during the
saskatchewan Youth Heritage Fairs.
404 - 2125 11th AvenueRegina, sK s4P [email protected]
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Return undeliverable Canadian Addressesto: Administration Printing services111-2001 Cornwall streetRegina, sK s4P 3X9email: [email protected]
robynn Olson (right) and potter nancy Grummett (Left) participate in one ofmany culture Days events in Saskatoon. Photo courtesy of Kevin hogarth.
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