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Videos / testimonies
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Testimonial by Jean St-Onge
Testimonial by Lauréat Moreau
Testimonial by Laurette Grégoire
Testimony by Camilienne Pinette
Testimony by Jeanne-Mance Ambroise
Testimony by Élise DubucNew Innu community museology at Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam
As additional information, we suggest the special edition of Petit journal de l'Alliance which describes the activities involved in the creation of the Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam community Heritage Collection.
Follow this link to the original document (in French): Source
New Innu community museology at Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam KANANATUAPITSHET ANITE INNUAT UTINNIUNUAT MAK INNUAT-AITUNIT
Élise Dubuc
Petit journal de l'Alliance, Special Edition, Fall 2006
'Kananatuaputshet anite innuat utinniunuat mak innuat-aitunit', a research project in collaboration with the community, aims at defining and valorizing cultural heritage. It is a continuity of the Community-University Research Alliances (CURA) 'Design et culture matérielle: développement communautaire et cultures autochtones' (Material Culture and Design: Community Development and First Nations Culture) project created two years ago in Uashat mak Mani-utenam in partnership with the Shaputuan Museum. The experimental component of the project saw the creation of 'Territorial Memories', a group focused on identifying significant elements of their culture. Still active, Territorial Memories has attracted a greater number of community members and their reflections have resulted in the beginnings of a project which initially involved creative workshops and a renewed museology approach. The contacts established with the Uashat mak Mani-utenam community, the mutual trust developed, and the attentiveness to comments concerning the Shaputuan Museum led to extensive work with the community. The community inventory accomplished this year is the result of initial meetings within the CURA project. A new permanent exhibit at Shaputuan Museum, project partner, will be created based upon this inventory. However, the community inventory resources largely exceed the permanent exhibit: this cultural wealth belongs to the community and through its development and enhancement holds the possibility to be applied towards educational, cultural, and artistic development, not to mention health and well-being. Since it is, in essence, community property, it is important to ensure that the advantages of such wealth do benefit the community.
The inventory method Uashat mak Mani-utenam employed is an adaptation of the educational methods created by Paulo Freire in Brazil and those created by Hugues de Varine. Community museology is a widespread concept in Latin America where inventories are performed by the local population. The professional-looking photographs taken by members of the inventory team add to the originality of this community inventory.