Days 4, 5 and 6 of the Heritage Preservation Project!

Our stops in Chisasibi focused on archival materials and how the Cree Nation of Chisasibi catalogues and stores materials, and ensures important files are backed-up by scanning them.  

The Cree Nation of Chisasibi Administrative Centre.

We also had time to sneak in a quick visit to the Catholic Church that had been moved by barge when the community of Fort George was relocated to Chisasibi in 1981, and to see the building of the Chisasibi Heritage Centre. 

Then we were off again, headed to Waskaganish!

The Waskaganish logo etched into a glass wall at the Waskaganish airport.

In Waskaganish we first met with Jim Chism of the Waskaganish Cultural Institute. Including furniture, tools, toys, fossils, archaeological finds, maps, books, historic photos and even a pump organ!, the Institute’s collection is large and diverse.

The Institute’s special collection of items from the John Blackned log house are precious mementos to the community and region overall.

Jim Chism reading a fragment of an old tombstone that was found along the shore of the Rupert River during a low tide some time ago.

Claire and Jim looking at the historic painted sign for the Memorial Hall in memory of J.S.C. Watt.

Claire with the environmental monitor, checking conditions in the display area of the Institute.

Left – Lisa and Jim looking at old photographs dating back to the early 1900s.  Right – Jim shows Claire how the Institute uses photocopies of the photographs to collect information from visitors.  Visitors can write and draw on the photocopies with names and stories, increasing what is known about the photographs.

In the next few days we will speak to the family of the late Chief Billy Diamond about Chief Diamond’s many personal items and awards.  We will also see the Cree Trapper’s Association collection and the work of local artist Tim Whiskeychan.