Winner of the 2022 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive!

Trade Ornament by Ludovic Boney, a Huron-Wendat artist. Made of a variety of materials, the shape of the work evokes a trade ornament, the silver medallions and brooches the British crown would present to its Indigenous allies and worn notably by Huron-Wendat chiefs. Photo — Roger Aziz, courtesy of the McCord Stewart Museum.

Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience

It’s a project that the sheds light on Indigenous knowledge, explores an often-traumatic shared history, and celebrates the incredible capacities of Indigenous resilience.

Musée McCord Stewart Museum’s new permanent exhibition, Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience, is a vital and visually stunning exploration of eleven Indigenous nations in Quebec.

An example of the museum’s decolonizing journey, the ground-breaking exhibition was honoured with the 2022 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive!

A waterproof parka dated to 1919. Photo – Marilyn Aitken, courtesy of the Musée McCord Stewart Museum.

“In keeping with the museum’s decolonization practises, and as part of an effort to initiate dialogue to foster understanding, this new permanent exhibition gives voice to Indigenous peoples,” said Martine Couillard, head of government and institutional relations at Musée McCord Stewart Museum. “Through it we hope to create a meaningful encounter between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.”

Examples of Indigenous knowledge featured prominently in the first exhibition zone, including a Kanien’kehá:ka cradleboard (far right) dated 1890-1910. Photo — Marilyn Aitken, courtesy of the McCord Stewart Museum.

Governor General Mary Simon presented the award to McCord Stewart’s Curator of Indigenous Cultures, Jonathan Lainey and Elisabeth Kaine, exhibition curator, at a special ceremony at the Citadel in Quebec City.

The exhibit was designed in collaboration with la Boîte Rouge Vif, an Indigenous not-for-profit dedicated to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage. Curator Élisabeth Kaine combined one hundred objects from the museum’s Indigenous Cultures collection, carefully selected by Innu curator Jean St-Onge, with more than eighty inspiring stories into a visually stunning visitor experience.

Left to right: CMA interim Executive Director and CEO Massimo Bergamini, CMA president, Heather George and Award recipient, Jonathan Lainey at the Award ceremony in Quebec City on November 22, 2022.

Through engaging testimonies that prioritized Indigenous languages, speakers shared their dreams, experiences, and plans for a better future — a future no longer undermined by assimilation. Additionally, Indigenous designers and illustrators contributed to the development of marketing and visual materials.

Extensive and purposeful programming was developed for the general public, school groups, and post-secondary institutions, as well as for community organizations and businesses, all interested in building their awareness and deepening their understanding of Indigenous experiences. Indigenous Voices of Today hopes to do more than just inform, but also to inspire visitors to learn more — and to do more — as active participants in the process of reconciliation.

“It’s an honour to work with Canada’s History and shine light on projects of this caliber,” said Heather George, CMA president. “The important work being carried out by Musée McCord Stewart Museum is a stunning example of the five I’s that form the selection criteria: Innovation, Integrity, Impact, Inclusion and Inspiration… plus one more for Indigenous-led.”

The second section of the exhibit, focused on trauma, is reinforced by a dark and moody atmosphere. Here we see women’s regalia in the form of a red dress, often used to commemorate missing and murdered Indigenous women. Photo — Roger Aziz, courtesy of the McCord Stewart Museum.

Last year’s recipients, Printed Textiles From Kinngait Studios by the Textile Museum of Canada and West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative were also recognized at the Awards celebration, as was the entire 2021 cohort of Award recipients.

We would like to extend our gratitude to this and last year’s winners for their outstanding work, demonstrating what our sector can accomplish. We would also like to thank the jurors who gave their time to review nominations and select the winners. M

One of the many interview recordings featured in the exhibits introductory space, which prioritized Indigenous knowledge systems and featured a digital lush, green forest environment. Photo — Roger Aziz, courtesy of the McCord Stewart Museum.

A message from award sponsor

“Ecclesiastical Insurance’s sponsorship of the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive!, is a manifestation of our commitment and support for protecting and promoting cultural heritage in Canada,” said David Huebel, President of Ecclesiastical. “Congratulations to the McCord Stewart Museum’s new permanent exhibition, Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience, which is shedding light on still unrecognized forms of Indigenous knowledge, exploring a shared and traumatic history, and recognizing and celebrating the incredible capacities of Indigenous resilience.”

About the Governor General’s History Awards

The Governor General’s History Awards are administered by Canada’s History Society and recognize excellence in five categories: Community Programming, Museums, Popular Media, Scholarly Research, and Teaching. The awards are Canada’s top history honours and involve the leading agencies of Canada’s history and heritage community. Each award category is administered by the presenting organization and has its own jury, selection process and prize structure.

The History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive! is co-presented by the Canadian Museums Association to honour significant achievement in the historical field and encourage standards of excellence specifically in the presentation, preservation and interpretation of national, regional or local history.

About Canada’s History

Canada’s History Society is a national charitable organization that seeks to encourage Canadians to engage more deeply with their country’s past. They share the stories behind the history through their magazines, Canada’s History and Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids, digitally at CanadasHistory.ca, as well as through their education and award programs, including the Governor General’s History Awards.

Watch for the next Call for Nominations coming in the Spring of 2023.

About the Award sponsor, Ecclesiastical Insurance

This award is presented by the Canadian Museums Association, with the support of Ecclesiastical Insurance Ltd.

Ecclesiastical is a specialist insurer deeply committed to protecting the needs of organizations that enrich the lives of others; to preserving Canada’s distinct communities, cultures and history; and who understand that many heritage and cultural institutions have unique insurance needs. Canada’s museums require specialized and tailored insurance coverage to help protect their institutions, as well as their staff, volunteers, visitors, their reputations, and their property, which in many cases is iconic and irreplaceable.