[Bcma-l] SFU – First Nations project nets UN Grand
Prize
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:55:24 -0700
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SFU =96 First Nations project nets UN Grand Prize
A virtual collaboration between SFU and the=20
Fraser Valley=92s Xa:ytem Longhouse Interpretive=20
Centre is turning heads globally =96 as the=20
recipient of a major international award.
After earning awards in Canada and the U.S., the=20
website Journey into Time Immemorial has been=20
chosen to receive the top prize =96 the Grand Prix=20
=96 awarded by UNESCO - the United Nations=20
Educational, Scientific and Cultural=20
Organization=92s international committee=20
responsible for audiovisual, image, sound and new technologies.
The interactive website, a collaborative project=20
involving the SFU Museum of Archaeology and=20
Ethnology and the Xa:ytem Centre in Mission, was=20
launched last spring and has generated well over a million hits.
=93We began this project with a vision of=20
presenting an experience of a living history,=20
where the static objects in the SFU and Xa:ytem=20
museums could be seen in use, as part of a living=20
community,=94 says Barbara Winter, curator of SFU=92s museum.
=93The project is an excellent example of SFU=20
collaborating with an external First Nations=20
agency to create a product of world caliber excellence.=94
The website is based on First Nations traditional=20
knowledge and oral history and provides a picture=20
of life in the Fraser Valley as it was hundreds of years ago.
Winter and staff from SFU=92s Learning and=20
Instructional Development Centre worked in=20
concert with First Nations representatives,=20
including Linnea Battel of the Xa:ytem Longhouse,=20
collaborated to produce the site. First Nations=20
community members and a team of SFU students participated in the project.
The teams digitally reconstructed a pithouse and=20
longhouse village and incorporated First Nations=20
actors to depict early life in the region. =93Using=20
actors and inserting them into landscapes allowed=20
us to show cultural continuity and the strength of tradition,=94 says=
Winter.
The site was one of many being considered for the=20
U.N. prize. Others were from France, Hungary, Taiwan and the U.S.
The site was developed with a financial=20
investment by the Department of Canadian Heritage=20
for the Virtual Museum of Canada, an initiative=20
of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Other Awards:
2008 Columbus International Film and Video=20
Festival - =93Silver Chris Award=94 for best overall interactive online=
experience
2008 University and College Designers Association=20
- Silver in Electronic Media Category for Entire Website (Gold was not=
awarded)
2008 Digital Education Achievement Award, Center=20
for Digital Education and Center for Digital=20
Government - Winner in Learning and Engagement Category
2008 Horizon Interactive Awards - Gold in University/College Website=
category
2008 CNIE/RCIE Media Festival Winner - Award of=20
Excellence in the Post-Secondary/Interactive category
Simon Fraser University
Public Affairs/Media Relations (PAMR)
778.782.3210 www.sfu.ca/pamr
Contact:
Barbara Winter, 778.782.3325;=20
<mailto:barbara_winter@sfu.ca>barbara_winter@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 778.782.4323
Website: <http://www.sfu.museum/time/>http://www.sfu.museum/time/=20
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<br>
<b>SFU =96 First Nations project nets UN Grand Prize<br>
</b> <br>
A virtual collaboration between SFU and the Fraser Valley=92s Xa:ytem
Longhouse Interpretive Centre is turning heads globally =96 as the
recipient of a major international award.<br>
<br>
After earning awards in Canada and the U.S., the website <i>Journey into
Time Immemorial</i> has been chosen to receive the top prize =96 the Grand
Prix =96 awarded by UNESCO - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization=92s international committee responsible for
audiovisual, image, sound and new technologies.<br>
<br>
The interactive website, a collaborative project involving the SFU Museum
of Archaeology and Ethnology and the Xa:ytem Centre in Mission, was
launched last spring and has generated well over a million hits. <br>
<br>
=93We began this project with a vision of presenting an experience of a
living history, where the static objects in the SFU and Xa:ytem museums
could be seen in use, as part of a living community,=94 says Barbara
Winter, curator of SFU=92s museum.<br>
<br>
=93The project is an excellent example of SFU collaborating with an
external First Nations agency to create a product of world caliber
excellence.=94<br>
<br>
The website is based on First Nations traditional knowledge and oral
history and provides a picture of life in the Fraser Valley as it was
hundreds of years ago.<br>
<br>
Winter and staff from SFU=92s Learning and Instructional Development Centre
worked in concert with First Nations representatives, including Linnea
Battel of the Xa:ytem Longhouse, collaborated to produce the site. First
Nations community members and a team of SFU students participated in the
project.<br>
<br>
The teams digitally reconstructed a pithouse and longhouse village and
incorporated First Nations actors to depict early life in the region.
=93Using actors and inserting them into landscapes allowed us to show
cultural continuity and the strength of tradition,=94 says Winter.<br>
<br>
The site was one of many being considered for the U.N. prize. Others were
from France, Hungary, Taiwan and the U.S.<br>
<br>
The site was developed with a financial investment by the Department of
Canadian Heritage for the Virtual Museum of Canada, an initiative of the
Department of Canadian Heritage. <br>
<br>
Other Awards:<br>
<br>
2008 Columbus International Film and Video Festival - =93Silver Chris
Award=94 for best overall interactive online experience <br>
<br>
2008 University and College Designers Association - Silver in Electronic
Media Category for Entire Website (Gold was not awarded)<br>
<br>
2008 Digital Education Achievement Award, Center for Digital Education
and Center for Digital Government - Winner in Learning and Engagement
Category<br>
<br>
2008 Horizon Interactive Awards - Gold in University/College Website
category <br>
<br>
2008 CNIE/RCIE Media Festival Winner - Award of Excellence in the
Post-Secondary/Interactive category <br><br>
Simon Fraser University<br>
Public Affairs/Media Relations (PAMR)<br>
778.782.3210
<a href=3D"http://www.sfu.ca/pamr" eudora=3D"autourl">www.sfu.ca/pamr<br>
</a> <br>
Contact:<br>
Barbara Winter, 778.782.3325;
<a href=3D"mailto:barbara_winter@sfu.ca">barbara_winter@sfu.ca</a><br>
Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 778.782.4323<br>
<br>
Website:
<a href=3D"http://www.sfu.museum/time/">http://www.sfu.museum/time/</a>
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