Indigenous Success Stories: First Nations

Gained fame for Indigenous exhibits, worked at Woodland Cultural Centre

NationTalk: When Tom Hill told his father in the 1960s he wanted to be an artist, his father was dismissive. “His comment was sarcastic, ‘What do you want to do? Put on a blanket and sell trinkets to tourists all your life?” the Six Nations band member told The Spectator in 2004.

“But, that was his world. There was a feeling that we were folk artists, part of the modern era, not the postmodern one. It pushed you into a niche. You could emphasize your Indian-ness, but don’t go beyond that.”

Hill did go beyond that.

He didn’t just become an artist, he became recognized as one of the first big advocates of contemporary Indigenous art and an expert on Indigenous history. The bulk of his career was spent as a curator, first as an intern at the National Gallery of Canada and as a director in the cultural affairs branch of the federal Indian Affairs Department.

The Seneca artist — who died Nov. 11 at age 80 — became curator of the Woodland Cultural Centre in 1982, and remained there until he retired in 2005.

He graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 1967. Some of his artwork hangs in the Smithsonian and the Art Gallery of Ontario (where he staged a well-received Indigenous art exhibit in 1984).

Hill first made a splash when his ceramic mural Tree of Peace was shown at the Indians of Canada Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. It won him a $300 prize and led him into curating in 1968.

The Woodland Cultural Centre, which opened in 1972 and expanded into art in 1975, became known under Hill as a hotbed of contemporary Indigenous culture, holding annual juried shows and launching the careers of many Indigenous artists. Hill’s exhibits touched on Indigenous people in pop culture, traditional quilt-making and the culture of Indigenous steelworkers.

In a release, the WCC called Hill “a champion for Indigenous artists” and said he was “instrumental in creating paths for Indigenous artists and cultural workers.” WCC executive director Heather George said Hill’s work reflected who he was as a person. “He was collaborative, kind, open and inclusive,” she said.

Naomi Johnson, a former WCC curator, said Hill had “a love of life and was curious about people of all walks.”

On social media, actor Gary Farmer said he was going to miss Hill and “as a young person he set me straight on a lot of protocol that informed my long career in performance. I will always remember him with fondness and love.” Farmer, known for such work as “Powwow Highway” (1989), once worked at the WCC.

Hill spoke at Harvard once on sacred Indigenous art and was an advisor to the Smithsonian and the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa. In 1992, he was one of the chairs and authors of the Taskforce on Museums and First Peoples, which helped redefined the relationship between museums and Indigenous people. Hill was a writer, co-authoring a number of books, and a playwright. He co-wrote a play about Mohawk poet Pauline Johnson.

Hill was born May 9, 1943, in Ohsweken to Alton and Daisy Hill. He married Roberta Jamieson in 1975. A Mohawk from Six Nations, she served as Ontario ombudsman from 1989 to 1999 and as chief of the Six Nations elected-band council from 2001 to 2004.

In 1989, Hill and his wife were among a small group of parents who recruited two teachers to an abandoned school and started an Indigenous language school so their children could be educated in their native tongue. By 2004, there were two schools teaching Mohawk and Cayuga.

Hill received numerous awards, including an Order of Ontario in 1993 and the Governor General’s Award for Visual and Media Arts in 2004.

Hill is survived by his wife Roberta, daughter Jessica, grandchildren Daisy, Miles and Lyla. He is also survived by his sister Rose Margaret.

Daniel Nolan is a freelancer who writes about film and TV for The Hamilton Spectator. He can be reached at dannolanwrites@gmail.com

A Q&A with the Manager of Indigenous Learning and Programs at ROM

BY COLIN J. FLEMING

• 

NationTalk: ROM – In lieu of a baby, Leslie McCue cradled a plush toy shark.

This was in 2018, back when Leslie, a member of the Mississaugas of Curve Lake First Nation, was working as an Indigenous Museum Educator. She was in the Daphne Cockwell Gallery dedicated to First Peoples Art & Culture, teaching a group of visitors how to use a tikinagan, which is the Anishinaabemowin term for cradleboard. And, because she didn’t have a baby for the demonstration, she carefully and lovingly wrapped the shark.

That’s when the screaming started.

It was a little baby, whose parents were mortified—apologizing profusely and promising to leave. But Leslie was unbothered.

“I love when the Educators bring their kids into the space,” she said. “Because I want young people to feel safe and to feel like they grow up here at ROM.”

So, Leslie asked the parents if she could share knowledge on the cradleboard. The parents agreed and passed their baby to Leslie. She carefully wrapped the baby in the tikinagan, lacing the leather hide side to side.

“When I got to the last loop, the baby stopped crying,” she said. “So I was able to walk around the First Peoples Gallery and continue teaching and sharing.”

When Leslie handed the baby back, they were sound asleep.

Left: Teaching a group of children about the tikinagan in the Daphne Cockwell Gallery dedicated to First Peoples Art & Culture. Centre: Leslie in front of an array of artistic and cultural belongings at ROM. Right: Looking out at Lovesick Lake, where she spent many summers fishing, swimming, canoeing, and spending time with her Mishomis (grandfather).

This, Leslie says, is her favourite ROM memory. But over her more than decade-long career at ROM—during which she’s gone from working on the Indigenous Advisory Circle to, in 2023, leading the entire Indigenous Learning and Programs team—she has taught tens of thousands more people, and accumulated dozens more memories, many of them just as sweet, others more challenging.

This is our conversation.

Making cross-cultural connections seems very important to you. Why is that?

Breaking stereotypes and raising cultural awareness is at the heart of everything I do. 

We had an international group come in recently that had never heard of residential schools. They had never heard about the type of inequities Indigenous Peoples face here in this city or in our communities, and they were blown away by seeing the First Peoples Gallery. They thought it was something that lived in the past. And so I think it’s important Indigenous Museum Educators are here to share lived experiences because we can give that experience and share that history. 

Sometimes we’re the first point of contact for people to hear about the Sixties Scoop, about residential schools, about missing and murdered Indigenous women and more. Some people have never heard of the roadblocks that Indigenous Peoples face every day, and rarely hear about the success stories and resilience.

That’s got to be emotionally taxing, no?

It’s definitely an emotionally labour-intensive job at times, but also rewarding. One thing I try to offer the Indigenous Museum Educators is moments for self-care, time to spend at community events, and ways to support connection building. In the new year, we’re starting an Elder-in-Residence program with local Indigenous Elders to support the team behind the scenes.

I get the sense that teaching is as much a passion as it is a vocation for you. Where does this passion come from?

In spaces that I’ve been in, I’ve often seen that void of knowledge about our people. And the media isn’t always a good spot for that information, but at times the only place they hear about Indigenous Peoples. When people do hear about Indigenous Peoples in the media, our people are often villainized. So, I’ve always felt like it’s kind of my responsibility to teach and share knowledge with others. Our parents, grandparents, and people who have come before us didn’t always have that privilege. There were many parts of our cultures and ways of life in Canada that were illegal for our people to partake in, such as dancing, speaking our language, participating in ceremonies, gathering in groups, and more. I feel it’s part of my responsibility to be proud of who I am, to champion that for students visiting the Museum, and for the team of educators to be proud of who they are, so that we’re comfortable in spaces like museums. It’s okay to take up space.

• Leslie, pictured onscreen, teaches a class about Indigenous dance.

In addition to working here, you’re also a performer and artist. Tell me about that side of you. 

Some people in our community start dancing once they take their first footsteps. Even before we start walking, we still get that rhythm and that bounce. And if you hear the drum beat, we say it’s the heartbeat of mother earth, the land we walk on. And so, you pick that up when you’re in the womb with your mother. You hear that heartbeat. Then you hear that beat when you come to this world in our songs.

I’ve been dancing since a young age, and I’m part of a dance collective called Odawa Wiingushk, which means Ottawa Sweetgrass. Sweetgrass is one of our four sacred medicines in this area. We use it for a practice called smudging and cleansing, and it’s imagery we have also incorporated in the Youth Cabinet mural at ROM in a permanent installation.

I dance because some of my ancestors weren’t allowed to dance or, when they were older, haven’t felt comfortable. I dance to inspire younger people in my family and in my community and for those who can’t. Recently, my cousin finally came to me and said, “I want to dance; can you help me make my regalia?” It was one of the happiest days of my life. I was so proud to see her coming into the dance circle, proud of who she is as an Anishinaabe woman. 

You’ve always struck me as someone unafraid to speak their mind. And, earlier this year, the Museum gave you an award for courage, so I’m clearly not alone in that sentiment. But I’m more curious how you see yourself.  

I like to consider myself a mentor and somebody that champions change, but I don’t need the accolades as there is much more work to be done. I’m grateful to be acknowledged by ROM and my colleagues.

I always feel weird about receiving praise for my work because I wouldn’t be here without the people that have mentored and supported me along the way. I don’t want to cry, but Sara Roque-baa, who is no longer with us in the physical realm and who advised on work at the Museum, was a dear friend and a mentor to me. J’net AyAyQwaYakSheelth and Wendy Ng, who brought me to the Museum; Denise Bolduc, Elwood Jimmy, Raven Cotnam, and Jillian Sutherland, who continue to be there for me, too. Folks like Sara-baa, who weren’t scared to speak their truth, to ensure their voice was included in rooms that normally weren’t meant for our people, paved the way for me to be able to do that as well. 

Are they the reason being a mentor is so important to you?

For sure. It’s also just the way that our cultures work. We look up to our Elders, we look up to our grandparents, we look up to older people in our community because their knowledge is what got us here. Their resilience, their strength, their determination is why we’re in spaces and rooms like this.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Monture is leaving her role as Woodland Cultural Centre executive director

CBC News: The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) has appointed Janis Kahentóktha Monture as its new executive director and chief executive officer, making Monture the first Indigenous person in the role. “I’m really humbled and I’m excited,” Monture, executive director of the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford, Ont., told CBC Hamilton.

The Woodland Cultural Centre is also the site of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School. Residential school survivors are leading a search on the plot of land for unmarked graves.

CMA and the cultural centre said in a joint media release earlier this month that Monture will start the new role on Feb. 27. “Janis passionately advocates for the voices of Indigenous communities and cultures within the museum sector, with a focus on strengthening connections beyond the walls within Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities alike,” said Allison Lynn, director of the cultural centre. 

Heather George, CMA president, said Monture “brings an invaluable set of skills as an experienced administrator, leader and community builder.”

The Woodland Cultural Centre has started the process of finding a new executive director, Monture said.

Monture, a member of the Mohawk Nation, Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River, served on the steering committee for the Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures. She also was director of tourism and cultural initiatives for the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation.

• Mohawk Institute Residential School survivors have been waiting 6 months for money due from Ottawa
• Canadian Museums Association recommends 10 ways to decolonize heritage sector

Monture said her new CMA role will include doing an analysis of the association to see where it currently stands, as well as outlining a new strategic vision for the next five to 10 years.

The role will also see her implement the 67th call to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission — a national review in collaboration with Indigenous communities of museum policies and best practices to determine the level of compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

She’ll also expand the association’s capacity to support the museum sector and develop international relationships. “It comes with a lot of responsibility and it’s not something I take lightly,” Monture said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bobby Hristova, Reporter

Bobby Hristova is a journalist with CBC Hamilton. He reports on all issues, but has a knack for stories that hold people accountable, stories that focus on social issues and investigative journalism. He previously worked for the National Post and CityNews in Toronto. You can contact him at bobby.hristova@cbc.ca.

Globe and Mail – Royal BC Museum, Museum of North Vancouver, Fraser River Discovery Centre
Royal BC Museum

Royal BC Museum is de-colonizing the museum, closing:

• First Peoples Gallery, with its Indigenous artifacts lifeless behind glass
• Our Living Languages: First Peoples’ Voices in BC, a newer exhibition that served as something of a corrective
• Becoming BC – including Old Town, a folksy walk through British Columbia’s history

Melanie Mark, the minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, who is Nisga’a, Gitxsan, Cree and Ojibway, takes seriously the UN Declaration that states Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions. Many museums are taking it seriously too. From the grand RBCM, to smaller exhibit halls around the province, museums are working toward a more authentic, inclusive, truthful way to reflect history.

“What I think is interesting is the timing of this happening at this moment in time when I’m the first and only First Nations woman to serve in cabinet,” Mark says. “What I hope to bring to the table is my own cultural lens and that commitment to share the values, the principles of ‘nothing about us without us.’”
“Indigenous people haven’t always played a role in museums that curate the artifacts, specimens, etc.,” Mark says. The more Indigenous people inhabit that role, the more influence they will have in how stories are told, she says. “And that’s why diversity at museums – the people that work there – is incredibly important.”

Museum of North Vancouver

The day before the Museum of North Vancouver opened its doors to the public in December, Monova officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Protocol Agreement with the Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish Nations. After the signing, participants walked out to the lobby for the unveiling of Squamish carver Wade Baker’s Ch’ich’iyúy Elxwíkn: The Twin Sisters, and rubbed it with cedar branches.

“We say that’s awakening their spirit,” Sheryl Rivers of the Squamish Nation says. “They’re like our ancestors, so we cherish them and respect them and look upon them for prayers and strength.” Rivers is a founding member of Monova’s Indigenous Voices Advisory Committee. The memorandum sets out a roadmap for that collaboration.
In this permanent exhibition, Indigenous history is part of everything – the timeline, displays about shipbuilding, mountaineering, arts and culture.“What I love about this is that we’re integrated throughout the museum,” Rivers says. “This is the first time we’re not behind a glass case and ‘This is Squamish nation, how they lived here. This is Salish and how they lived here. This is the city of North Van and how they lived here’ – so segregated. In today’s world, we’re all interconnected. We’re all woven together.”

Fraser River Discovery Centre

Housed in a giant riverside space in New Westminster, the FRDC is a place where visitors can learn about the Fraser River: its history, its contents, its industries. FRDC’s Stephen Bruyneel, Director of External Relations and Development and Nolan Charles, a Musqueam Council Member on the FRDC’s board, began talking about making change.

The parties developed a Memorandum of Understanding that acknowledges that the Fraser River is inherently tied to Musqueam’s identity, culture and history, and that the Musqueam have historically been and continue to be stewards of the river. “It’s modern scholarship meets traditional learning,” Charles says. “When we developed the declaration, Stephen put pen to paper and put it in what I guess you could call the scholarship context. We then in turn took that, sent it to Musqueam. Musqueam then put it in a traditional context. Boom. We’ve got Tatellem, the Place of Learning.”

“The Musqueam will determine what this looks like, what the stories are, how they will be presented,” Bruyneel says. The outcome is uncertain, as is the timeline. What is certain is it will be Musqueam-led and diverse.

Library and Archives Canada – Ādisōke is an Anishinābemowin word that refers to the telling of stories and is the new name for the Ottawa Public Library and Library and Archives Canada joint facillity given on behalf of the Anishinābe Algonquin Nation, Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg and the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation.
Storytelling is the traditional means by which Indigenous peoples share knowledge, culture and history over generations. Ādisōke is a meaningful and fitting name for the joint facility, as storytelling represents the coming together of knowledge, history, discovery, culture, creativity, collaboration, and connections. Ādisōke also evokes what is at the heart of the partner institutions: Library and Archives Canada as a keeper of Canadian and Indigenous stories, and Ottawa Public Library’s use of stories to build community and transform lives by inspiring learning, sparking curiosity, and connecting people.

Set to open its doors in late 2024, with an official opening in 2025, Ādisōke will become a landmark destination built on the shared values of the partner institutions. The facility, designed by Diamond Schmitt, in joint venture with Ottawa partner, KWC architects will deliver a rich customer experience through Ottawa Public Library’s Central Library and Library and Archives Canada’s public services, exhibitions and events, which showcases Indigenous stories and histories, as well as Canadian heritage. The joint programming and services will make this a truly unique offering in Canada

Cree Nation Government: City of Montreal – In keeping with its new 2020-2025 Strategy for Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, and in hopes of strengthening its bond with the Cree Nation, Montréal has responded favorably to the request by the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) to transfer the traditional Cree hood from the Musée de Lachine to the Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute, its new conservation site.

Indigenous related projects included:

• five signature projects (out of 38, or 13% of all signature projects);
• two (out of 38, or 5% of all signature projects) that are specifically designed to promote reconciliation and
• 248 (out of 636, or 39% of all community projects)

Many organizations including the City of Vancouver celebrated Canada 150+ where the “+” sign acknowledged that Indigenous peoples lived under their own laws, cultures and governance structures long before Canada became a country in 1867. The very nature of celebrating “Canada 150” – without the + sign – is an act of erasure by eliminating Indigenous history from the national narrative.