First Nations artifacts at museum

A Matter of Ownership: First Nations Objects in the PMA Collection is the latest exhibit at the Peterborough Museum and Archives.

The display opened April 9 and runs until June 25.

There are 22 artIfacts on display, including a dugout canoe found locally in 1972 at the bottom of Pigeon Lake.

“In order to preserve them, they would sink the canoes with rocks for the winter,” reveals curator Kim Reid.

There is also a birch bark canoe on display, suspended directly over the dugout.

The museum’s glass display case holds mostly local pieces, including handmade moccasins and Louis Riel’s accordion.

We have contacted the St. Boniface Museum and they are fine with us keeping it here,” Reid said.

Youcanalsocheckoutabinderwith photo reproductions from the museums photographic collections.

“We are hoping people come in and identify people in the photos,” she said.

Many of the objects on display originally came from the Victoria Museum, which opened in 1896.

“Some of the artifacts have little or no information about them,” Reid said.

That collection was moved to the Carnegie library and didn’t find its way into the PMA collection until the museum was built in 1967.

Of the 45,000 artifacts listed in the old log book, only about three percent of that is in the museum’s permanent collection.

“There are pages and pages of things from that collection that are missing,” she said.

Some of the items were returned to donors, but none of it was documented.

The exhibit is also intended to start a dialogue between community members and the museum regarding the placement of some of the objects.

“We are questioning if they belong here,” she said.

Most of the objects have never been shown at the PMA before and Reid thought the time was right to display them.

Artifacts include a red ceremonial garment, an intricately beaded bandolier, a woven headpiece and a ceremonial oil feasting bowl used in pot latch ceremonies.

“We feel it’s the time to make amends. We want to do the right thing,” Reid said.

The museum invites residents to voice their opinions on whether to keep the objects or find more appropriate homes for them.

You can view the exhibit weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends noon to 5 p.m. The museum is located at 300 Hunter St. E., Museum Dr.. Admission is by donation.