Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie of Memorial University wins 2013 (SSHRC) Insight Award.

ACCI would like to congratulate Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie of Memorial University – winner of the 2013 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Award.  This national award recognizes outstanding achievement in projects funded by SSHRC.

Dr. MacKenzie was recognized for work over the past 40 years in preserving aboriginal languages, notably within the Cree, Innu and Naskapi communities.  The Innu Language Project produced the Innu-English-French dictionary, which is “is considered the most thorough and complete dictionary of an Algonquian language to date.”

In the fall of 2013, Dr. MacKenzie donated documents and books to ACCI Library and Archives relating to her research of James Bay Cree language.  These items included several Cree syllabic books, reference material and original Cree language dictionaries.

You can read more about Dr. Mackenzie and her award at the SSHRC website:

http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/results-resultats/prizes-prix/2013/insight_mackenzie-savoir_mackenzie-eng.aspx

To read more about The Innu Language Project (ILP) please visit:

http://www.innu-aimun.ca

Building a Relationship with Switzerland's Nordamerika Native Museum

The first loan to Aanischaaukamikw from Europe was an 18th century Cree moccasin from the city of Zurich, Switzerland's Nordamerika Native Museum.

It was particularly important for the opening phase of our exhibition because it features fine porcupine quill work, a technique of decoration long ago replaced by beadwork and embroidery in this region.

It was also popular with visitors because the other moccasin of the pair had been located in a collection in Toronto (the Bata Shoe Museum) and the two had been brought together in our exhibition for the first time in many decades.

When it became time to return the moccasin cared for by the Nordamerika Native Museum this fall according to the original agreement, we requested that they extend the loan so that more people could see this quill work and our reproduction project could have the benefit of a such a masterwork as a model.

The Nordamerika Native Museum agreed and in their approval letter, asked if we could loan them a Cree artifact from our collection. Instead of a loan, we opted to gift them a newly made pair of snowshoes by master craftsman, Saunders Weistche, of Waskaganish.

This exchange (albeit temporary for the moccasin) of "footwear" between Aanischaaukamikw and the Nordamerika Native Museum signals a new kind of co-operation, a chance for people in the northern region of Canada to see the exquisite historic handwork of their ancestors and a chance for visitors to Zurich to see an example of a highly specialized and utterly essential ongoing part of daily life on the traplines and in the forest camps of Eeyou Istchee.

James Bay Cree Grand Chief, Matthew Coon Come, Cree Federal Government Member of Parliament, Romeo Saganash, Ouje-Bougoumou Chief Reggie Bosum and local and Quebec government ministers view the Swiss moccasin and its pair at the Museum opening.

Written by Stephen Inglis, Executive Director, Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute, updated in 2021 by Aanischaaukamikw to correct erroneous information about a loan of an older pair of snowshoes from the ACCI collection to Switzerland. This was an early idea, but in the end ACCI opted to gift a contemporary pair.

A Visit from a Distant Chief

This past month ACCI welcomed Celestino Mariano Gallardo, Chief of the  Ngäbe-Buglé people who live in the Nidrini region of Panama.  He was joined by Professor Daviken Studniki-Gizbert from McGill University, Sean Phipps an undergrad in Latin American and Environmental Studies and Rachel Mulbry an undergrad in Environmental Sciences and Middle Eastern Studies, and Katherine Scott a graduate student all from McGill University.  The Ngäbe-Buglé people of Panama have had struggles with their federal government with respect to self-determination and have had to deal with impacts of foreign mining and hydro companies using their traditional land. 

Celestino Mariano Gallardo came to ACCI on a fact finding mission to view what has been accomplished by the Cree Nation over that past 40 years in their relations with the federal and provincial governments.   Upon arriving, the group was greeted by ACCI’s Executive Director, Stephen Inglis, Sophie Bosum, Director of Operations for the Band of Ouje-Bougoumou, and by Abel Bosum, President of ACCI’s Foundation, former Chief of Ouje-Bougoumou and Negotiator for the CRA.  A wonderful conversation took place between Celestino Mariano Gallardo and Abel Bosum.  Both highlighted similarities between their people and the struggles that they have had to endure over the years.   It was especially heart-warming for Celestino Mariano Gallardo as this conversation inspired hope that his current struggle can have a positive ending for his people.

Something Good is Cooking!

The air is getting colder and the days shorter, fall is here, and in Eeyou Istchee, winter comes quickly.  Winter is a tough season, and for those that are not prepared for it, it can be especially long.  Long ago, those that lived in off of the land had to prepare for winter to ensure that they and their family had enough to eat for the winter months.  The food preparation often involved smoking meat to preserve it and thus ensure that there was enough to eat during a season that is often unforgiving. 

ACCI continued this tradition and dedicated a week to smoking fish.  Now that the weather and leaves on the trees are changing colour, the geese are starting to fly and that means that the trout are starting to spawn and this is the time of the year to catch fish.

Preservation Workshop

On September 17^th and 18^th ACCI held a Preservation Workshop in partnership with the Centre de Conservation du Quebec (CCQ) .  The workshop was the “final” phase of the Outreach Project started in October 2012.  The project’s main objective was to survey all collections in the Cree communities and to offer preservation advice supporting the work of Eeyou Istchee cultural centers.

France Rémillard and Marie Trottier conservators from CCQ came to Aanischaaukamikw to present the workshop and teach basic preservation techniques to our participants and staff. The participants came from Chisasibi, Wemindji and Waswanipi to learn and share their knowledge about their collections. 

Madame Rémillard presenting storage techniques

Our presenters used ACCI to demonstrate preservation techniques and to give the participants a more meaningful experience. Participants saw how ACCI houses its collections; from rolling maps to taking books from shelves, they learned and refreshed their skills. Participants also handled and tested archival quality materials and learned what can be safely used around collections (http://preservart.ccq.mcccf.gouv.qc.ca).