Reconciliation

Relationship Building and Reconciliation through Living Heritage Pilot Project Page.

In January 2023, a year-long pilot program called “Relationship Building and Reconciliation through Living Heritage” commenced through funding through the Community Initiatives Fund. This pilot was developed in partnership by Heritage Saskatchewan with the Office of the Treaty Commissioner (OTC) and Aboriginal Friendship Centres. This program will be grounded in the local context of the Humboldt region through the Museum re-design of exhibit storylines. 

Inspired by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada’s Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) this four-part cyclical process is the result of conversations and feedback from communities who need help implementing calls from the TRC and UNDRIP in meaningful ways.

Check back often for updates on this unique partnership between Heritage Saskatchewan, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner, Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatoon, and the City of Humboldt.

Relationship Building & Reconciliation Through Living Heritage Follow Up Survey

Thank you to everyone who participated in any of the events that were part of this pilot project about Reconciliation. After a full year of events and activities, we are collecting feedback about how we can move forward with Reconciliation in Humboldt.

To fill out our short feedback survey, please click HERE.

Wednesday, January 24

The Museum is presenting a Noon Hour talk with the Office of the Treaty Commissioner entitled Building Your Next Steps for Truth and Reconciliation Through Treaty Implementation.

Shaid Heimbecker and Rhett Sangster will present on the Office of the Treaty Commissioner’s work to advance Truth and Reconciliation, providing you with a framework and tools to examine and advance your own next steps forward.
 
Wednesday, January 24 from 12pm to 1pm at the Museum. Bring your lunch to the Museum to listen to this important talk in person!
 
Part of the Relationship Building and Reconciliation Through Living Heritage pilot project, a partnership between the City of Humboldt, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner, the Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan, and Heritage Saskatchewan.
 
 

October 7, 2023

The Humboldt & District Gallery is so proud to announce that our Reconciliation Mural in Civic Park has won a national award!

This public art project was awarded the Creative City of Canada Public Art Sustainability Award on October 5, 2023!

Find out more about all of the Awards of Excellence here, and check out more information about the award presentation in this Discover Humboldt article

Thank you to artist Kevin PeeAce, the Humboldt Public Art committee, and of course all of the local students who worked on the mural!

The Reconciliation Mural in downtown Humboldt is a perennial reminder for local residents to consider thought and action toward Truth and Reconciliation. 

October 10, 2023

Land Based Learning at Original Humboldt, 2:00 p.m. (weather permitting)
Inspiration/Reconciliation/Relationship Building

Everyone is welcome to join us on the land for the opportunity to learn from Gilbert Kewistep, Elder, Knowledge Keeper, Residential School Survivor, and faculty member at the First Nations University of Canada.

We also invite writers, artmakers and musicians to draw inspiration from the physical experience of being on the land and learning the stories of the land. The challenge is to create a piece of work using that inspiration and, through the process, to explore the relation to reconciliation in lives and communities.

After the winter holiday season (mid January or early February), we will regroup to share what was created. We realize that everyone works at different paces and so the projects may not be finished, but if the creators are willing to share the work at whatever stage it’s in, it would provide an interesting insight into the creative process.

The Original Humboldt site is located 8 kms west and 3 kms south of Humboldt on Telegraph Road.

There will be drinking water and light snacks available on site, as well as portapotty facilities.

October 4 and 11, 2023

Delvin Kanêwiyakiho will be speaking about The Spirit and Intent of Treaties on Wednesday, October 4 from 12pm to 1pm, and about The Importance of the Pipe on Wednesday, October 11 from 12pm to 1pm.

We will be streaming this conversation via Zoom at the Gallery over the noon hour, so we invite people to come to the Gallery to watch while they eat their lunch.  There is also a Zoom link for folks who would prefer to watch from their own device. Whether you join us in person or online, there is no cost to participate but please pre-register by calling the Humboldt and District Museum, 306-682-5226, or emailing info@humboldtmuseum.ca.

Everyone is welcome to join in these learnings as part of the Reconciliation Through Living Heritage pilot project in the City of Humboldt.

Delvin Kanêwiyakiho joined the Office of the Treaty Commissioners Speakers Bureau with 28 years experience as an educator with Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools. A certified Treaty Catalyst teacher, he helps colleagues with their Treaty teaching using the Treaty curriculum and uses his own experiences to give students a good start in their journey.

In 2015 Kanêwiyakiho received Indspire’s 2015 Guiding the Journey: Indigenous Educator Award in the Language, Culture and Traditions category. He has cultural currency to speak about most things related to Treaty and nehiyaw settler relations in Canada.

Kanêwiyakiho is Plains Cree raised on Little Pine First Nation.

The Reconciliation through Living Heritage pilot project is a partnership between the City of Humboldt, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner, The Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan and Heritage Saskatchewan.

For more information, please email culturalservicesdirector@humboldtmuseum.ca or call 306.682.5226.

 
 

September 29, 2023

Fiddle Performance with Tristen Durocher
Humboldt & District Gallery at 7pm (doors at 6:30pm) on Friday, September 29th

Don’t miss this performance by one of Canada’s best young fiddle players!

Tristen started playing fiddle at the age of nine after his grandfather, who also played fiddle, passed away. He learned to play by listening to his grandfather play on a recording. Tristen was the Peoples’ Choice at the 2019 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Competition where he placed 9th among 35 of Canada’s top fiddlers. Fun for the whole family, free, and participatory! Registration is not required but space is limited.

In partnership with Arts Humboldt.

 

 

September 30, 2023

Walk for Reconciliation from Civic Park to Westminster Hall
Meet at the Civic Park Gazebo at 9:45am on Saturday, September 30th

Engage in thoughtful meditation on Reconciliation while walking from Civic Park to the Westminster Hall. Tea and bannock will be served at 10:30am, followed by remarks from musician, activist and speaker, Tristen Durocher. Orange shirts encouraged but not required. If you are unable to join to walk, feel free to come to 708 13th Ave. for 10:30am for the rest of the program.

Organized by the Westminster United Affirm Team.

 

 

August 3, 2023

Long before contact, Indigenous peoples in Canada mastered the art of pottery making. Archaeologists have long studied these pots to learn about different groups of people and how they lived. Please join Dr. Jill Taylor-Hollings as she shares her knowledge of Saskatchewan precontact pottery and learn this crafting tradition by making your own mini and full-size pot. All materials are provided.
 
Dr. Taylor-Hollings is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Lakehead University and President of the Ontario Archaeological Society. She is part of the archaeology team of the Six Seasons of the Asiniskaw Ithniniwak project that recently published Amō’s Sapotawan – an award-winning picture book telling the story of a young Rocky Cree girl learning how to make baskets and pottery.
 
$10 registration fee. Call 306.682.5226 or email info@humboldtmuseum.ca to register!

 

June 27, 2023

Thank you to everyone who attended our Teepee Teachings in Civic Park on June 22 and our Flintknapping workshop at Original Humboldt on June 24! We had blue skies and lots of interest in both of these unique events!

 

June 22, 2023

We are excited to welcome Myron Neapetung and Robert Bellay to Humboldt for a series of Teepee Teachings.
 
Come to Civic Park on Thursday, June 22 at 9am or 10:30am to witness a teepee raising, or come by the part over your lunch break to learn about the cultural significance of teepees in Indigenous cultures. The teepees will remain up until 1pm, so don’t miss your chance to come by and learn about them.
 
Everyone welcome!

 

June 24, 2023

The City of Humboldt Department of Cultural Services is in Partnership with Saskatchewan Archaeological Society to present a Flintknapping workshop at Original Humboldt on Saturday June 24. This is an opportunity to learn the basics of flintknapping – the art of stone tool making! This workshop will be instructed by experienced flintknapper, Gabriel Lamarche, as he guides you through the process of turning a rock into a finished tool.

There will be two workshop sessions, from 9am to 12pm and from 1pm to 4pm. Each hands-on workshop is limited to 10 participants, so register early!

Participants must be 15 or older to register and minors must be accompanied by an adult. The fee is $10 per person. To register drop by the Museum or Gallery in person or call 306-682-5226.

Gabriel Lamarche is a current master’s student in archaeology at the University of Saskatchewan. He grew up around Georgian Bay, on Lake Huron, and has now lived in Saskatchewan for most of his adult life. His first experience with archaeology when he was about 12, on Beausoleil Island, the one-time home of his Anishinaabek ancestors. He is now a well-practiced flintknapper, and he is always eager to share his passion and interest in ancient crafting traditions.

This workshop is part of City of Humboldt Department of Cultural Services Relationships Building and Reconciliation Through Living Heritage, pilot project, in partnership with Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan and Office of the Treaty Commissioner. The project is funded by Community Initiatives Fund and Heritage Saskatchewan.

 

Image: Gabriel Flintknapping demonstration at the Humboldt & District Gallery on April 25, 2023. 

May 17, 2023

Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey about Reconciliation in the Humboldt region! 

Find out more about the survey results here!

May 16, 2023

Thank you to everyone who joined the session on May 16, Visualizing Community Through Time and Space, with facilitator Christine Fiddler. Participants were taken through an act of creative learning to realize one’s sense of place by accessing the past and seeking better understandings of their community.

The goal was to add to ones’ own knowledge, self-understandings, and to encourage stronger relations in the Humboldt area.

For more information, see this article from Discover Humboldt.

Christine Fiddler is originally from the Treaty 6 territory of the Waterhen Lake First Nation in northern Saskatchewan and currently resides in Saskatoon. She is a Life Skills Coach and is currently a PhD student taking Indigenous History at the University of Saskatchewan.

 

Photo credit: Maury Wrubleski.

April 25, 2023

On Tuesday, April 25 Tomasin Playford, Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society and Gabriel Lamarche, a Masters student at the University of Saskatchewan, presented a fascinating archaeological talk and flint knapping demonstration at our Gallery. Click here to find out more!

March 28, 2023

 

On Monday, March 27, 2023, Kristen Catherwood from Heritage Saskatchewan and Rhett Sangster from the Office of the Treaty Commissioner made a presentation about Reconciliation to Humboldt City Council. See timestamps approximately 06:00 to 24:00 view the presentation.

March 28, 2023

Join us on Tuesday, March 28 for an evening with acclaimed Cree/Dene writer and musician Carol Rose GoldenEagle.

Carol is a poet, essayist, novelist, artist and musician with roots in Sandy Bay in northern Saskatchewan. 

Her 2021 novel, The Narrows of Fear (Wapawikoscikanik) won the Indigenous Peoples’ Writing Award at the Saskatchewan Book Awards. She became a Poet Laureate of Saskatchewan in 2021.

7pm at the Gallery. Free!

 

March 2, 2023

Please support this project by taking a few minutes to fill out our online survey. This survey is being circulated to gather data about residents of the Humboldt region and their current knowledge and engagement with reconciliation. The data will be used to support reconciliation work in the community. 

Click here to access the survey!

February 21, 2023

First meeting! Thank you to our amazing hosts, Carlton Trail College.

Photograph from the initial meeting of the committee – with others being present via Zoom.  
Back row: (l-r): Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Myron Neapetung, Gilbert Kewistep, Christine Fiddler
Front row; (l-r)  Melanie Gray, Taylor Severight

 

We are thankful to the following who are the project advisory committee:

– Kristin Catherwood, Director of Living Heritage, Heritage Saskatchewan
– Christine Fiddler, Contracted Reconciliation Coordinator, Heritage Saskatchewan
– David Siebert, Researcher, Heritage Saskatchewan 
– Joni Brass, Truth and Reconciliation Data Coordinator, Office of the Treaty Commissioner
– Brenda Robertson, Program Director, Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan
– Gilbert Kewistep – Professor, Sask Indigenous Social Work program, First Nations University
– Bryan McNabb, Superintendent of Indigenous Education, Horizon School Division
– Melanie Gray, Mnidoomnensag workshop leader
– Crystal Longman – Community Consultant, Prairie Central District for Sport, Culture, and Rec
– Taylor Severight – Community Justice and Reconciliation Worker, Yellow Quill First Nation
– Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Director of Cultural Services, City of Humboldt

 

February 17, 2023

Please find the February 17, 2023 Media Release HERE.

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