The Mobile Museum in
British Columbia
BRIEF HISTORY
OF THE MICHIF HISTORICAL
& CULTURAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY
IN OPERATION SINCE 1996
LAST EIGHT 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
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 (8-
9) 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 - National Aboriginal Day - 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 Métis 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.

November 05 - Dale was invited, in his capacity of Métis Cultural Advisor for the Métis Commission in Kamloops,
to take part in a workshop to explain Métis Culture to the children's workers, etc.

November 11 - Participated on Veteran's Day by marching in the parade in Clearwater, and Dale laying a wreath
on behalf of the Métis Veteran's as well as the Métis community.

November 16 - Elder's Dinner and Louis Riel celebrations in Kamloops, we were invited by the Interior Métis
Child & Family Services to put on a small Museum display.  The Dinner was held at the TRU campus and was
fabulous.  As well, Canadian champion jigger, Yvonne Chartrand was invited to perform and teach the children
(and anyone else that was interested) jigging.  
Way to go Yvonne, our champion.

November 23 - Elder's Dinner and Louis Riel celebrations - the first held in Clearwater, BC, it was wonderful,
everyone enjoyed the Museum display and the story converted from the play 'The Summer of 1884' a segment of
Métis history.  The Michif Historical and Cultural Preservation Society hosted this event in conjunction with the
Success by Six Society who were the sponsors.  The food was great and also the children's dancers did so well
(We'll post some pictures).

December 05 - There was a wonder Christmas get-to-gether put on by the Interior Métis Children and Family
Services in Kamloops - dinner and entertainment was great.  We were delighted that our good friend and
Canadian Jigging Champion, Yvonne Chartrand attended and performed.  Our Cultural Director, Derrick
Whiteskycloud represented the museum, and set out his and his wife's crafts for all to enjoy, while Dale and Dale
just had fun!

December 12 - A Christmas 'Open House' along with a Museum display, was held by the Métis Commission for
Families and Children in Kamloops.  We had a great time grazing through the numerous tasty dishes, that was set
out by the staff along with their festive decorating efforts.

2009
February - Class presentation by Curator, Dale Haggerty, on Metis Hunting rights.

May 16 - May Day Parade in Clearwater where the Michif Metis Museum took First Place in their category for
the best float

May 30 - Eurofest - attended by our Cultural Director for the Lower Mainland - Derrick Whiteskycloud with a
Museum display and Trading Post

June 01 - Clearwater, BC, opening of our North Thompson Aboriginal Centre (NTAC) at the Antique Store,
through to end of September

June 21 - National Aboriginal Day, MacDonald Park, Kamloops, BC - Museum Display, RR cart, Metis History
and Culture session with finger weaving class

July 1 - 5 - Delia, AB Michif Gathering and Parade with our RR cart float in Drumheller

August 7 - 9 - Riverside Music Festival - Museum Display, Terrace, BC

November 10 -Museum Louis Riel Day School Presentation in Vavenby

November 11 - Remembrance Day - laying the Metis wreath

November 14 - Museum display at Kamloops Louis Riel Day celebration dinner and dance

November 15 - Louis Riel Day celebration in Clearwater, BC - Elk's Hall, Museum display

November 18 - Museum Louis Riel Day School Presentation in Clearwater

2010




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

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