Voices, languages and perspectives from Indigenous communities will be an integral part of the Canadian Canoe Museum’s new building and exhibitions.
Recently we invited Waaseya-Kwe [Bright Light Woman, Turtle Clan] Kim Muskratt, a citizen of Hiawatha First Nation, one of the Williams Treaties nations on whose territories the Museum exists, to explore with us why it’s important to include Michi Saagiig (Mississauga) language in the new exhibits.
Waasaya-kwe/Kim is a Knowledge Holder, a Medicine holder and pipe carrier, a business owner, and part of the Mississauga Nation Liaison Team. She is The Canadian Canoe Museum’s Community Coordinator for work at Hiawatha to link community voices, perspectives and knowledge to the new building and the new exhibits.
Kim reflected that the inclusion of this local dialect of Anishnaabemowin is important, especially, for youth: “when they see that language, anywhere that they go within the new Canoe Museum, their shoulders will go back a little bit, … And they’ll stand up a little bit prouder.”
The Canadian Canoe Museum acknowledges with gratitude the work and contributions of Community Coordinators from Indigenous communities, such as the Michi Saagiig territory and beyond. Your voices, your perspectives and your languages are important to us, and together, we will create an inspiring space where we can all learn.
The Canadian Canoe Museum’s Indigenous Languages Program is generously funded by TD Bank Group (TD) through its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment. Thanks to this funding, the Museum is working with Indigenous knowledge-holders across Canada to ensure that their perspectives and voices will be an integral part of the exhibitions for the new museum building.
