Photo supplied by the South Peace Regional Archives

By Shaun Penner

Truth and Reconciliation

National grant to help Regional Archives with reconciliation project, promote Indigenous history

May 16, 2020 | 5:30 AM

Funding in the amount of nearly $9,000 has been granted to the South Peace Regional Archives from Library and Archives Canada’s Documentary Heritage Communities Program to help improve access to local Indigenous-related records and continue the path forward in the reconciliation process.

The project Renaming the past, Reclaiming their stories will involve the examination of content previously identified as pertaining to the Indigenous community, as well as the digitization of nearly 300 pieces of local Indigenous historical records, providing greater access to photographs and other documents that tell the story of the South Peace’s Indigenous peoples.

Executive Director at the Archives Alyssa Currie says this project will continue the work done by its Indigenous History Committee, which was established a few years ago to address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to action to archives across Canada to better promote the history of Canada’s Indigenous peoples.

“This project is going to build on the work that has already been completed by the committee, and is going to assist that work by re-contextualizing some of the records in our collections and digitizing a number of them to make them available for consultation.”

Currie says that this project is positive step forward in the reconciliation process.

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“We’re quite honoured that the members of the Indigenous community have collaborated with us and recognize our efforts towards reconciliation,” said Currie. “We understand that reconciliation is an on-going process, and we hope that this project is going to demonstrate our continuing commitment to reconciliation.”

She adds that by bringing a greater volume of Indigenous content to the forefront, the project can help the archives balance the telling of the South Peace region’s history.

“Many of the records that we have here in our collections were created by settlers or non-Indigenous peoples. Therefore, they might not reflect how those people identify themselves or their stories,” said Currie. “By involving the Indigenous community in renaming the past, we can help them reclaim their stories.”

Currie says the project will be done through full consultation with the Indigenous History Committee, and says the Archives are encouraging new members to take part in the committee.

“I would invite any member of the Indigenous community or organizations to certainly get in touch with us. “