The Original Humboldt committee has been busier than usual this past week.
The committee was honoured during both the Museums Association of Saskatchewan’s annual conference and the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan 2018 Heritage Awards for their numerous hours of work at the Humboldt site.
The group was given the Award of Merit from the Museums Association on June 8 during their conference in Humboldt.
The award was given to an institution to recognize, “outstanding success in areas such as community engagement, programmes involving inclusivity and Indigenization, and originality in exhibitions… (and) have played a significant role in the collection, preservation and/or presentation of Saskatchewan’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage,” according to the award criteria.
On June 13, members of the committee then made the trip to Regina to receive the Heritage Award for Public Outreach, particularly for their June 8, 2017 Sharing Stories of the Land event.
The event, “communicated multiple narratives and engaged the community in understanding Humboldt’s shared history and reconciling to work together to build a better Canada,” said the award ceremony program.
Humboldt and District Museum and Gallery Director Jennifer Fitzpatrick says work on the site during 2017 also included working with the White Cap Dakota First Nations, the Governor General’s Horse Guards, and Saskatchewan Archeological Society on different story board and information sessions regarding expansions and discoveries on the site.
These collaborations were a major part of Original Humboldt receiving the award.
“It’s not just about museums and organizations telling community stories. It’s about involving the community and telling their story. It’s a different approach and it’s a fantastic way to build partnerships. We facilitate the telling of stories.”
The Original Humboldt committee accepted the award on behalf of all the partners involved in the Original Humboldt story, including the local Métis community, Western Heritage and the Saskatchewan Archeological Society, the White Cap Dakota First Nation. Ensuring these stories told are never just one group of people, says Fitzpatrick.
“You need everyone to work together to make a great project.”
The Honourable W. Thomas Molloy presented the awards during the ceremony, which also included awards for seven total heritage projects across the province.
Malloy congratulated all the nominees in the award ceremony program, thanking them for “honouring and sharing our heritage.”
“Your diverse projects connect us to our past, they give us a sense of identity and shared pride, and they most certainly enrich our lives.”
