P R I N C E O F W A L E S N O R T H E R N H E R I T A G E C E N T R E

P R I D E I N O U R C U L T U R E

“It makes me cry. That's why I'm here. Because of what my people did.” Kate Inuktalik was amazed and touched when she first saw this kamik in the collection of the

Northern Heritage Centre. Still largely intact, the kamik is estimated to be over 2000 years old. Kate Inuktalik, right, with Curator Joanne Bird.

“THAT'S WHY I'M HERE”

CONTENTS

P R I D E I N O U R C U L T U R E 3

Message from the Minister .................................................................... 4

Message from the Director .................................................................... 5

The Northern Heritage Centre ............................................................. 6

The Northern Heritage Centre Online ................................................ 7

NWT Ice Patch Study ................................................................................ 8

Archaeology in the Dehcho..................................................................... 9

Kuukpak: An Exhibition of Inuvialuit Artifacts................................. 10

Steppe Bison................................................................................................ 11

Songs of the Tlicho Drum Dance .......................................................... 12

Through a Gwich'in Lens: James Jerome Photo Project ............. 13

Exhibits ......................................................................................................... 14

Exhibit Renewal ......................................................................................... 15

Community Displays ................................................................................ 16

Education and Outreach ......................................................................... 17

Showcase for NWT Artists .................................................................... 18

NWT Arts Council ...................................................................................... 19

Treasures of the Northern Heritage Centre ................................. 20

Archives Treasures ................................................................................. 26

The PWNHC thanks the following people for the images used in this publication:

Mailing Address:

PRINCE OF WALES NORTHERN HERITAGE CENTRE GOVERNMENT OF THE NWT PO BOX 1320, YELLOWKNIFE NT X1A 2L9

Main Phone: (867) 873-7551 Main Fax: (867) 873-0205

NWT Archives Phone: (867) 873-7698 NWT Archives Fax: (867) 873-0660

For public receptions please contact us. Open daily 10:30 am to 5:00 pm

Bill Braden

Boris Atamanenko

Dave Brosha

DeBeers Canada

Glen MacKay

Grant Zazula

Rae Braden

Robert Wilson

Susan Irving

Tom Andrews

Autumn Downey

John Poirier

Tessa MacIntosh

Richard Valpy

Val Conrad

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Memories can take many forms – tools, equipment, samples of wildlife, clothing, photographs, artwork and paper documents. At the Northern Heritage Centre we have state-of-the-art storage and knowledgeable staff to care for and share these physical things. The Centre also looks after other types of memories: place names, trails and places on the land that represent stories; types of food; games; music and performance art. The Centre helps to preserve these memories through programs that celebrate culture and encourage creative art and artists. Visitors are inspired by the ways we adapted to our environment, how we made a living and how our cultures helped direct our lives. In turn, we can learn from other regions and people. Preserving the memory of the NWT is beyond one institution. The Northern Heritage Centre shares our stories and our memories with northern, national and international visitors. It also builds meaningful partnerships with other NWT organizations that preserve our collective experience. The centre aims to preserve and to share a fair, balanced and accurate record of how we became who we are today. We invite you to experience the wealth of northern history and culture at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. There is something here for everyone.

Hon. Jackson Lafferty Minister of Education, Culture and Employment

MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTERStrong and healthy communities have traditions and vibrant cultures – a collective memory that celebrates who we are. The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre helps to preserve these memories for all our communities.

The first Minister's Cultural Circle Youth Award was presented to

Evan Tordiff of Fort Smith.

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Strong and healthy communities have traditions and vibrant cultures – a collective memory that celebrates who we are. The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre helps to preserve these memories for all our communities.

We aim to provide an enriching and positive visitor experience for everyone. Our renewed exhibits, school programs,

and public outreach services bring northern culture and history to life with inspiring and educational messages. Traveling exhibits,

online databases and web exhibits are now available to NWT residents and global networks around the world. We hold in trust a

unique collection of northern artifacts and archival materials representing all NWT cultures. Community heritage services include

support for arts and cultural activities. Collaboration with northern residents, communities, aboriginal and cultural organizations

has been a key factor in our success. Our goal is to instill pride in our culture – for today's and for future generations!

Barb Cameron Director, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTORToday, we take pride in being one of the top NWT cultural tourism destinations. Visitors come from our 33 communities and from many countries worldwide. Our one millionth visitor arrived in April 2012, a major milestone in our history.

Celebrating our one millionth visitor - Starr McLachlan and her daughter Ula.

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The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre has earned respect as a valued member of the northern community. Collections

are not only displayed in our galleries, but exhibits also travel to communities throughout the Northwest Territories. Works

by NWT artists are exhibited alongside travelling exhibits from across Canada. The NWT Archives, with its vast storehouse of

information, is an integral part of our operations. Education staff develop and present a variety of educational programs for all

ages, and prepare educational materials about our heritage for school and student field trips.

Our staff provide technical, logistical and financial support to individuals and organizations involved in cultural activities and the

arts in the Northwest Territories. Staff approve official place names, engage in original research in the field of archaeology and

authorize archaeological research, to assist in preserving and understanding our history.

THE NORTHERN HERITAGE CENTREThe Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre opened in 1979. It was designed to house and display documents and objects that reflect the heritage of the Northwest Territories. Many of these items might otherwise have been lost or destroyed, or sent elsewhere for storage.

“By far the best, most interactive museum.”Visitor Guestbook

The Centre has over 1,000 followers on Facebook.

Over 60,000 archival photos are available online through

the museum's website.

Our website features engaging exhibits, combining modern research and historical documents to bring the past to life online.

Digital resources include 60,000 historical photographs, forming a unique record of northern life from the early 1900s to the

present day. There are almost 100,000 descriptions of documents, audio, and film recordings of northerners and northern

events that make up archival databases that can be searched online. The site, with curriculum links and other features, is a

unique resource for educators and students.

NORTHERN HERITAGE CENTRE ONLINEThe Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre website, pwnhc.ca, is a valuable resource for researchers here in the Northwest Territories, nationally and internationally.

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For thousands of years, hunters have hunted caribou here, and the ice patches contain well-preserved artifacts as well as

ancient biological specimens. Working in partnership with the Tulita Dene Band, archaeologists from the Northern Heritage

Centre have investigated ice patches in the Mackenzie Mountains. The study provides a long-term material record of human

hunting practices, as well as information about the climate and plant life. Traditional knowledge combined with physical,

biological and social sciences are yielding a fascinating picture of the past.

NWT ICE PATCH STUDYPermanent ice patches are places where caribou stay cool and avoid insects on hot summer days. These alpine ice patches form on the north side of the mountains, where the winter snow does not melt entirely through the summer.

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Elders from Kakisa, Jean Marie River and Trout Lake are working together with archaeologists to document archaeological

information and oral histories related to important places in each of their cultural landscapes. This project also involves

hands-on experience in archaeology for community students. The archaeological sites documented range from historic

cabins where community elders used to live, to long-used fishing sites, to sacred places.

ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE DEHCHOThe Northern Heritage Centre is currently partnering with three communities in the Dehcho region on archaeology projects.

The Northern Heritage Centre issued 18 archaeological permits in 2012.

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The village existed for hundreds of years, until the late 1800s. The Kuukpak exhibit features over 300 artifacts uncovered

through archaeological excavations by the Northern Heritage Centre. Inuvialuit elders shared knowledge, stories, and

memories of their ancestors with archaeologists, students, and youth. A resource booklet highlighting artifacts, illustrations,

and Inuvialuktun terminology accompanied the gallery exhibition and was also produced for NWT schools.

KUUKPAK: AN EXHIBITION OF INUVIALUIT ARTIFACTSKuukpak was an ancient Inuvialuit village on the shores of Qangmaliq Bay, where a branch of the Mackenzie River empties into the Beaufort Sea.

“The land gives meaning to our stories. It connects us to our history.”

A steppe bison is an extinct species of bison characterized by large horns. While their horns were dramatically larger than the

bison we see near Fort Providence today, their bodies were likely only slightly larger than modern wood bison. Radiocarbon

dates show that the animal died over 11,800 years ago. Steppe bison became extinct in northwest North America approximately

10,000 years ago as the last ice age drew to a close. The bison remains are now safely stored at the Northern Heritage Centre

and further research is planned.

STEPPE BISONIn 2007, Tsiigehtchic resident Shane Van Loon discovered the remains of a steppe bison (Bison priscus) protruding from the permafrost in an eroding cliff near a riverbank in front of the community.

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PWNHC Archaeologist Glen MacKay inspects the find site of the Tsiigehtchic Steppe Bison.

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The Tlicho Music Project has ensured that a significant sample of traditional Dene Music was preserved. To celebrate the 30th

anniversary of the project, the Northern Heritage Centre in partnership with the Tlicho Government, CBC North and Dene

Nation, produced a recording featuring Tlicho drummers performing traditional music recorded by Ronald Wright on New

Year's Eve in Behcho'ko in 1982.

SONGS OF THE TLICHO DRUM DANCEIn 1982, the Northern Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Dene Nation and CBC North, contracted historian Ronald Wright to record Dene music in a variety of communities.

Michel Rabesca provided advice to the project.

The official CD launch at the Tlicho Annual Assembly in Wekweetì

NWT Archives/G-1992-036

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In 2008/09 over 3500 images were given detailed descriptions. To help with this, workshops in Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson

were held in partnership with the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute (GSCI). Elders helped to identify people and places, and

traditional practices such as fish camps, muskrat trapping, and life on the land. The NWT Archives and GCSI worked together

to create a calendar and a travelling exhibit of fish camp photos. A virtual exhibit of James Jerome's photography, available

in English, Gwich'in and French is found on the PWNHC website: pwnhc.ca/exhibits/jerome/index.htm

This successful partnership was featured at the 2012 Association for Canadian Archivists conference in Whitehorse. Members of the

project team highlighted how they worked together to enhance and increase access to this priceless photography collection.

JAMES JEROME PHOTO PROJECTGwich'in photographer James Jerome's negatives and prints were damaged in the house fire that claimed his life. His partner Elisabeth Jansen Hadlari and son Thomas Hadlari donated over 9000 images to the NWT Archives. This collection was a challenge to restore, as many negatives were smoke and heat damaged.

NWT Archives/N-1987-017:0314NWT Archives/James Jerome N-1987-017:1103

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Our exhibits are always changing. At the Northern Heritage Centre, we take pride in showcasing the interesting objects and

artifacts we have in our collections. In addition to creating our own exhibits, we also coordinate visiting exhibits created by

NWT residents and host national travelling exhibitions. From 2006 - 2012, we have helped coordinate nearly 100 exhibits.

Some of our recent exhibits include:

• Staff Picks – Showcasing objects from our collection

• From Foot to Flight – Winter Travel in the North

• Hunters of the Alpine Ice

EXHIBITSThe Northern Heritage Centre develops and hosts exhibits that feature the human and natural history of the Northwest Territories as well as the arts.

Borrowed exhibits include:

• Canadian Wildlife Photography: Canadian Museum of Nature

• Fragments: Art for life's sake, Blake Ward Sculptures

• Across Cultures: Works from the permanent collection

of the Matchbox Gallery, Rankin Inlet, Nunavut

Fragments: Blake Ward Sculptures and Ceramic Art from the Rankin Inlet Matchbox Gallery.

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Visitors to the Northern Heritage Centre are enjoying our new dioramas, which showcase 10 unique

regions in the NWT. To create these dioramas, we worked closely with wildlife experts, elders and

community advisors from across the NWT. Interactive and informative displays encourage visitors

of all ages to learn more about the strong connection northerners have with the land.

• Polar Bear – Watch how they hunts seals and learn about climate change

• Caribou – Listen to Dene caribou stories and see caribou objects from our collection

EXHIBIT RENEWAL“Outstanding exhibits, videos and layout. Very informative” – Visitor Guestbook

Over 35,000 people visit the Centre each year.

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The Community Display area is a venue for short-term exhibits on a proposed theme. We invite community

groups and individuals to work with our staff to create their displays. Past exhibits include:

• Made in China: Chinese Community Display

• Folk on the Rocks' 30th Anniversary

• NWT Student Heritage Fair Projects

• Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation

• Healing Through Art

• UNDERGROUND: The life of a Yellowknife gold miner (NWT Mining Heritage Society)

COMMUNITY DISPLAYSDo you have an idea for a community display?

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Working together with the Northwest Territories school system, the Northern Heritage Centre caters to NWT classrooms

through a rich offering of school-based services in English and French. Visiting students and teachers can choose from a

variety of educational programs that may take them paddling with the voyageurs, or help them slip into the skin of a beaver,

the mouth of a whale or even back to the time of the legendary Dene hero Yamoria. Artifacts, edukits and travelling exhibits

can be shipped to any community in the Northwest Territories. Online resources available to teachers and students include

exhibits, databases, teaching manuals and curricula links.

Other outreach and public program services include cultural camps, Amazing Family Sundays, evening presentations and

hosting special events such as the NWT Heritage Fair.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACHEach year over 2500 students and teachers participate in school programs offered by the PWNHC.

“What an amazing place: four hours passed like 15 minutes!”Visitor Guestbook

Dave Brosha photographs.

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Recent exhibits of works by Northwest Territories artists include: • Aurora Arts Society Annual Artsweek displays • A Walk in the Boreal Forest: Sheila Hodgkinson paintings • Yamoria and His Beaver Wife: Paintings by Archie Beaulieu • People and Place - The Light That Fills The World, photographs by Dave Brosha and Arthur Boutilier • Architecture of Temporality - Photographs by Nathalie Lavoie • Seasons of Beauty - Photographs by René Fumoleau • Frozen Eyes - Open Minds - Works by students and members of the Frozen Eyes Photographic Society

SHOWCASE FOR NORTHWEST TERRITORIES ARTISTSEvery year, the Northern Heritage Centre hosts and assists with the presentation of temporary exhibits developed by Northwest Territories artists, youth and organizations.

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2012 NWT Arts Council: Winnie Cadieux, Vivianne Edgi-Manuel, Leela Gilday, Margaret Nazon, Barb Tsetso.

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“ I have begun to expand my career to an international level thanks to support from the NWT Arts Council.” – Carmen Braden

The Arts Council makes recommendations to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on financial awards for

creative artistic projects in visual, literary and performing arts, and on issues and policies associated with NWT arts and

artists. Since its inception in August 1985, the Arts Council has supported over 1,000 Northern artists, arts organizations,

and festivals as they pursue creative activities in all disciplines. The Centre frequently hosts exhibits and events created by

northern artists supported by the NWT Arts Council.

NWT ARTS COUNCILThe Northern Heritage Centre works closely with the NWT Arts Council, providing both financial and administrative assistance.

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The NWT Archives holdings document the rich and complex history of the Territory, including the oral traditions and histories

of the NWT's Aboriginal peoples, the constitutional development of the NWT, activities of the Government of the Northwest

Territories, the fur trade, aviation industry, and development of the mining industry.

The Northern Heritage Centre is dedicated to keeping history alive for both NWT residents and visitors through careful

preservation and promotion of these holdings. The treasures of the Northern Heritage Centre are a significant source for

scholars and educators, students, history buffs and academics. They also provide the people of the Northwest Territories with

a valuable context for understanding who they are today and who they will be in the future.

TREASURES OF THE NORTHERN HERITAGE CENTREThere are many precious items of great beauty and historical significance in the collections of the Northern Heritage Centre.

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The Museum cares for 217,300 objects from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

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Fox Moth Display, Aviation Gallery.

The Museum cares for 217,300 objects from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

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Mailbox, Yellowknife.

Axe, Meridian Lake.

Ship's Compass from M.S. AklavikAwl, Fort Simpson.

Fiddle, Deline.

Copper Knife Blade, Jaciar Lake.

Antler Comb, Kuukpak.

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From the late 1800s until the 1950s, the Shútagot'ine [Mountain Dene] travelled in large moose hide boats. The Elders of Tulita were concerned about the loss of knowledge and skills required to build a moose hide boat. In a partnership with the National Film Board and the Northern Heritage Centre, the Last Mooseskin Boat project was completed in 1982 at the headwaters of the Keele River. This boat is on permanent display.

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Spruce root basket, Mackenzie Valley. Safe box, Fort McPherson.

Surveying transit, Con Mine.

Pipe bowl, Winter Lake. Wooden snow goggles, Banks Island. Stroud and moose hide boots, Aklavik.

Jam tin, location unknown.

Knife blade, Artillery Lake.

Velvet pouch.

Knife, Western Arctic.

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Jam tin, location unknown.

Knife blade, Artillery Lake.

Velvet pouch.

Knife, Western Arctic.

Birchbark basket, Trout Lake.

Caribou skin drum, Yellowknife.

Mail bag, Colville Lake.

Moose hide jacket, Fort Simpson.

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Handwritten note from 1925. NWT Archives/John Hornby Historical Collection/N-2004-030: 1-11929 Winnipeg Free Press article. NWT Archives/Harold Wilson/N-2001-001: 0145Tuktoyaktuk gals and puppies, 1956. NWT Archives/Bern Will Brown/N-2001-002: 6325

1940s restaurant menu. NWT Archives/Wildcat Cafe/N-1979-508

Indore Gold Miners, 1950s. NWT Archives/Henry Busse/N-1979-052: 2015

Checkers game in Detah, 1974. NWT Archives/Rene Fumoleau/N-1995-002: 2579

The NWT Archives preserves some 350,000 photos, maps and rare books.

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Handwritten note from 1925. NWT Archives/John Hornby Historical Collection/N-2004-030: 1-11929 Winnipeg Free Press article. NWT Archives/Harold Wilson/N-2001-001: 0145

George Kodakin, Deline, 1966. NWT Archives/Rene Fumoleau/N-1995-002: 0771

Page from 1920s journal. NWT Archives/Norman Robinson/N-2002-005: 0191

PWA Vickers Stranraer aircraft, 1956. NWT Archives/Henry Busse/N-1979-052: 3723

Circa 1820s Map. NWT Archives/Discoveries of Ross, Parry & Franklin/N-1992-046

'Radium King' passengers. NWT Archives/Henry Busse/N-1979-052: 0611

Checkers game in Detah, 1974. NWT Archives/Rene Fumoleau/N-1995-002: 2579

The NWT Archives preserves some 350,000 photos, maps and rare books.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERSAboriginal Tourism Advisory Council

Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada

Aurora Arts Society

Canada Council for the Arts

Canadian Conservation Institute

Canadian Council of Archives

Canadian Museums Association Canadian Public Art Funders

CBC North

Dene Nation

Department of Canadian Heritage

Fort Simpson Heritage Centre Society

Fort Simpson Historical Society

Geographical Names Board of Canada

Government of Nunavut

Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute

Hay River Museum Society

Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre

Inuvialuit Regional Corporation

Jean Marie River First Nation

Ka'a'gee Tu First Nation

Łutsel K'e Dene Band

Native Communications Society

Norman Wells Historical Centre

Northwest Territory Métis Nation

Northern Arts and Cultural Centre

Northern Frontier Regional Visitor Centre

Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre

Northwest Territories Archives Council

NorthWords NWT NWT Arts Council

NWT Literacy Council

NWT Mining Heritage Society

Open Sky Creative Society

Parks Canada

Sambaa K'e Dene Band

Tlicho Community Services Agency

Tlicho Government

Tulita Dene Band

Western Arctic Moving Pictures

Yamozha Kue Society