The Mobile Museum in
British Columbia
BRIEF HISTORY
OF THE MICHIF HISTORICAL
& CULTURAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY
LAST SEVEN YEARS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE........
November – Patrick Reed steps down and retires as Museum curator after
three years, Dale Haggerty was invited to take his place by the Society
Board members.

December 31st - Millennium First Night Festival – first on-tour display of
the Michif Métis Museum

2000
March – after many days and hours of negotiations, artifacts dating back
to 1830 and held in a church vault were finally returned to the Métis
people, represented by the Métis Museum and into the Museum’s care,
from the Bishop of the Victoria Archdioceses of the Anglican Church – in a
special ceremony held called Bringing the Past Into the Future
(Dale Haggerty’s first assignment as curator).

May – Michif Historical Society’s first organized multi-cultural dance (New
Westminster)

May – Cloverdale Rodeo Powwow – SACS (Surrey Aboriginal Cultural
Society) – museum display on-tour

June – National Aboriginal Day – celebration in City of Vancouver –
museum display on-tour

July – Harrison Hot Springs – Folk Festival museum display on-tour – first
time in a Provincial event – Folk Festival organization commented on our
museum display, he noted that it was the largest attended display in the
history of the Folk Festival.

November – Helped set up and organize Elder’s dinner – Louis Riel Day
(Dale Haggerty’s first assignment as elected President of the Michif
Historical and Cultural Preservation Society)

Sept – Dec – Surrey, Langley, Delta School District – museum cultural
presentations (approximately 20 schools)

2001
January – MNC AGM – museum display on-tour

February – Invitation by New Westminster School District to put on
presentation

March – White Rock Secondary School powwow – museum display on-tour

March – May – three month youth project – from proposal accepted by
MPCBC – Youth Council – many projects were created such as sash
weaving, jigging, beading, Michif language classes

March – Cranbrook Aboriginal Youth Conference – museum display on-
tour as well as cultural presentations and teachings (crafts)

April – Delta School – powwow

April through to 2002 – March – BC Aboriginal Youth project

May – Cloverdale Rodeo powwow – SACS – museum display on-tour

June – National Aboriginal Day – celebration in City of Vancouver –
museum display on-tour

July - Red River West Rendezvous – museum on tour

November – Helped set up and organize Elder’s dinner – Louis Riel Day

Sept. – Dec. – School Métis cultural presentations

2002
March - White Rock Secondary School powwow – museum display on-tour

March – Cranbrook Aboriginal Youth Conference

March – June – attended approximately 6 Aboriginal powwows – museum
display on-tour

June – National Aboriginal Day – celebration in City of Vancouver –
museum display on-tour

July – Red River West Rendezvous – museum display on-tour

July – First international invitation to Yakama, Wash. USA All – Nations
Powwow – museum display on-tour and parade (Red River Cart)

August – Métis Family Services/Michif Historical Society – created the first
Métis children’s camp – project was named – Mooshum and Kookum’s
Children’s Camp held at a local band’s (Scowlitz First Nation) recreational
RV camp.

November – Helped set up and organize Elder’s dinner – Louis Riel Day

Sept. – Dec. – School Métis cultural presentations

2003
June – Aboriginal Day – Cultural Awareness Day BBQ at museum parking
lot and helped feed the homeless.

July – Opening of the Métis Outpost celebrations – museum on-tour
display invitation

August – First inter-provincial invitation to Alberta – Big Valley – The
Hivernant Métis Rendezvous

August – Aboriginal Elder’s Conference – Museum display on-tour

August – Métis Family Services/Michif Historical Society - Mooshum and
Kookum’s Children’s Camp held at a local band’s (Scowlitz First Nation)
recreational RV camp.

November – Helped set up and organize Elder’s dinner – Louis Riel Day

2003 – 2005
Museum was put in storage, but displays and presentations were still
being done up to and including the present time including teepee
displays, e.g. New Westminster Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Day,
Vancouver Métis Association celebrations, Surrey Art Gallery, Veteran
displays at the Vancouver Burrard Armory for November 11th, Veteran’s
week participations in BC Place Stadium and continuing the tradition of
the yearly Elder’s dinners as well as presentations facilitator in all the
school districts in the Lower Mainland by invitation.

2005
Museum was totally and finally taken out of storage and set up on
Edmonds Street in Burnaby, next to the North Fraser Métis Association.

2006
March – Small Métis museum display (first in the Interior) was set up at the
Clearwater Secondary School Powwow.

March - Museum was partially brought up from Burnaby to Vavenby in mini-
bus that was recently donated by Métis Family Services main branch to be
set up
June 21-22 – National Aboriginal Day Museum presentations and craft
participations – Clearwater Elementary and Vavenby Elementary schools

July 01st – Canada Day teepee display at the Clearwater Information Centre

August 04-07 – B.C. Day (Great Canadian Music Explosion), Clearwater
Festival Celebrations, teepee displays and Museum Trading Post and Gift
Shoppe.

August 09-12 – Museum teepee display and Museum Trading Post and Gift
Shoppe - Hivernant  Métis Rendezvous – held this year at Big Valley,
Alberta

August 13 – Formation of partnership with the opening of the Musée
Michif a section of the Delia Museum in Delia, Alberta

September 09 – As a representative of the Michif Historical and Cultural
Preservation Society. I was honoured to attend the ‘Dedication’ Ceremony
of the opening of the Musée Michif in Delia, Alberta

2007
June 06 - in honour of Aboriginal week, Dale Haggerty was invited to put on a
Museum Display and Presentation for schools in Vavenby and Clearwater.

July 27 - July 29 - Off to Alberta with the Museum on Tour for the first Métis
Gathering and Rendezvous in Delia, joining up with the Musée Michif

Due to Dale's back surgery, the Museum tours and displays have been at a minimum
so far in 2007. (He has since had his surgery and is on the mend....doing very well!)

November 16 - Louis Riel Day - Dale is invited to the Raft Elementary School,
Clearwater, BC for a presentation to share with the students about Louis Riel, his
life, and how and why we celebrate Louis Riel Day on November 16th, each year.

November 08 - Invitation to the 'Aboriginal Family Sharing Centre' Grand Opening....
the Michif Métis Museum will be lending their support to this very worthwhile
Centre....

November 21 - Planning Committee for local Aboriginal Potluck and Winter Solstice
Gathering....introducing the Aboriginal Family Sharing Centre, the All-Star After
School Program and the TNRD/Well Gray Community Services committee, working
with SUCCESS by 6 Community Table - December 16th in Clearwater at the Star Lake
School....

December 16 - Winter Solstice Gathering Potluck went well - we gathered non-
perishable food items for the Clearwater Food Bank as well as gifts for the Christmas
Stocking....

2008 - Present

Still waiting to see if funding will come through for creating our mobile museum....but
in the meantime, we will try and raise some money and build as we go.

January 19 – Created a community site at http://michifmetismuseum.ning.com

April 4, 5, & 6- Earl Marriot Powwow - White Rock, BC - Museum Display put up and
attended by Museum Cultural Director - Derrick Whiteskycloud.

April 18 – New Internet Radio Program was created called ‘Métis Voices Radio’
hosted by our curator, Dale Haggerty, President of the Michif Historical and Cultural
Preservation Society every Friday evening at 7:55 pm PST on
www.bbsradio.com – Station 2.

April 25, 26 & 27 - Delview Powwow - Delta, BC - Museum Display put up and attended
by Museum Cultural Director - Derrick Whiteskycloud.  See pictures in the Events
section....

May 12 – Dale attended the Children's Health and Wellness Day at the Raft
Elementary School to teach ‘Traditional Finger Weaving’ for the Success x Six
children’s program.

May 17 - Inner-Garden on-line Chapel Bazaar - Museum Cultural Director, Derrick
Whiteskycloud, rented a table to which had Museum articles for sale.

May 30 - Museum Cultural Director, Derrick Whiteskycloud, attended the Chilliwack
Métis Association Cultural Dinner as the Museum Representative.

June 05 - Dale gave another 'Traditional Finger Weaving' class to 29 students at the
Raft Elementary school.

June 17 - Dale took the Red River cart to the Vavenby Elementary School and gave a
presentation to two classes.  See Pictures in the Events Section....

June 21 - Museum Display and 'Traditional Finger Weaving' demonstration at the
Clearwater National Aboriginal Day Celebrations at the Yellowhead Community
Centre.  It will feature a potluck lunch and dinner as well as games, drumming, etc. in
conjunction with the Aboriginal Community and the Success by Six Society.

July 24 - 27th - Attending the second annual Delia Michif Gathering - had a great time
working and participating with the Michif Métis Museum's sister museum, the Delia
Michif Musée....next year, bigger and better....

August 02 - the Clearwater, BC Festival - BC Day!  The museum had a Display and the
Trading Post set up in the Spirit Bear Village.  Dale participated in the bannock
making and I tended the Trading Post.

August 14, 15, 16 and 17th - The Caribou Chilcotin Metis Annual Picnic
At Felker and Museum Display and Trading Post - we had a wonderful time - Felker
Lake is very beautiful!  We met new friends and look forward to future gatherings.

Make sure to check out the pictures in the Events Section of this site....and also
check out our Metis Trading Post site and our newly posted blogs at
www.michifmetismuseum.ning.com


More updates of Museum Traveling History to follow....watch for it! .... Marsee!