[Bcma-l] exhibit opening quesnel museum

[bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca]

The Quesnel & District Museum and Archives is pleased to announce its 
newest exhibit:

/River// of Memory// Took’oh Whunats’ulnih/: /Reflections on the Fraser 
Expedition/.   When Simon Fraser undertook his famed journey 200 years 
ago, seeking a route to the Pacific, he encountered the Dakelh people, 
who, over centuries, had developed a complex culture adapted to survival 
on this land.  They followed a seasonal round, harvesting resources and 
trading with neighbouring First Nations.  This exhibit explores the 
relationships between the earliest Europeans in this area, who came to 
trade for furs, and the local inhabitants. 

 

In addition to Fraser the exhibit focuses on two other members of his 
crew:  Jules-Maurice Quesnel, after whom our town is named and 
Jean-Baptiste “Waccan” Boucher. A website developed in conjunction with 
the exhibit reproduces archival materials, such as the pages of Simon 
Fraser’s journal describing the people and scenery of this area and a 
letter by Quesnel to a friend back in Montreal, in which he unhappily 
complains about the living conditions in this far western region. 

 

In contrast to Fraser and Quesnel, “Waccan” Boucher spent almost all of 
the remainder of his life in this region.  A genealogical study of this 
Métis interpreter is underway. Waccan truly was a founding father of 
British Columbia, as he had 17 children! There are hundreds of his 
descendants who live in the Quesnel area.  They are invited to 
contribute their photos or stories to this ongoing project.  The photos 
will be posted on a bulletin board in the exhibit, graphically 
demonstrating the significance of this historical figure to our community.

 

In partnership with the College of New Caledonia and the North Cariboo 
Aboriginal Family Program Society, a second series of interviews of 
Dakelh Elders were filmed over the past year, building on the success of 
an earlier project that produced the Dvd /Elders’ Stories: Memory and 
Wisdom.  /Another collection of stories have be selected which focus on 
the traditional skills and knowledge which made the Dakelh valued 
partners in the fur trade.  These skills have been passed down through 
the generations.  The elders of today have supported their families 
through this knowledge and have recorded their stories for future 
generations.  This Dvd is called /Elders’ Stories:  Survival on the Land./

 

The exhibit will open at the Quesnel Community Campus, Saturday 29 
November 2008, at 2 pm.   Interpretive signs developed by the North 
Cariboo Aboriginal Family Program Society, to mark significant 
aboriginal sites in Quesnel will be unveiled.  They will later be placed 
along the Riverfront Trail.  A bronze plaque which will be installed in 
the terraced garden on St Laurent beside City Hall will also be 
unveiled.  This explains how the City came to be named after Jules 
Quesnel.  The Dvd /Elders’ Stories:  Survival on the Land/ will be shown 
for the first time and the Elders will be honoured for their 
contribution to the video project.  A traditional feast of bannock and 
stew is planned.  Music and dance will round out the lineup for this 
community celebration.

 

Funding for this multi-faceted project has been provided by The British 
Columbia Arts Council, BC 150 and the British Columbia Museum 
Association, The Government of Canada through the Building Communities 
through Arts and Heritage Program, The City of Quesnel and the Friends 
of the Quesnel and District Museum and Archives

 

The exhibit will be on view at the Quesnel & District Museum from 
December 2^nd .  The /River// of Memory /web site will be accessible off 
of the Quesnel Museum’s home page ( www.quesnelmuseum.ca 
<http://www.quesnelmuseum.ca/>).  The /Elders’ Stories/ Dvds are 
available through the museum gift shop.  

 

Educational programs based on the exhibit have been developed to meet 
the learning objectives of the grade 4 and grade 9 social studies 
curriculum, but will be of interest to many other groups. For 
information about booking a tour, or renting this portable exhibit which 
comes with a box of touchable artifacts, please contact Elizabeth 
Hunter, Museum and Heritage Manager at 250-992-9580 or 
ehunter@city.quesnel.bc.ca  

 

 


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