Experience National Aboriginal History Month at the Canadian Museum of History

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

For immediate release

Experience National Aboriginal History Month
at the Canadian Museum of History

Gatineau, Quebec, June 1, 2015 — Experience the cultures of the First Peoples of Canada during National Aboriginal History Month at the Canadian Museum of History. Make June your month to connect with the songs and stories, art and life, history and present-day reality of the peoples who have inhabited this land for thousands of years.

On the weekend of June 13 and 14, lend an ear to Aboriginal storytellers Daniel Richer and Jo Maple as they share the legends of their ancestors. Richer will recount the Legends of the Forest from the Abenaki tradition, and Maple will regale listeners with sagas from his Métis and Algonquin forebears. Their interactive stories will engage all audiences, especially families and children ages 3 to 15.

On Tuesday, June 16, celebrate traditional and modern Aboriginal music in the Grand Hall, with drummers, dancers and young Anishinaabe violist Melody McKiver. Between performances, they’ll explain the significance of their music and dances, offering visitors a glimpse into the vibrant artistic traditions of the First Peoples of Canada.

Aboriginal Storytelling with Daniel Richer
Saturday, June 13
10 a.m. (English) and 11 a.m. (French)
River View Salon

Aboriginal Storytelling with Jo Maple
Sunday, June 14
11 a.m. (English) and 1 p.m. (French)
River View Salon

Aboriginal Music Celebration
Tuesday, June 16
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Grand Hall

National Aboriginal History Month is also an ideal time to visit the Canadian Museum of History’s exhibitions of First Nations cultures. Admire the magnificent totem poles in the soaring Grand Hall, alongside Haida artist Bill Reid’s well-known sculpture, The Spirit of Haida Gwaii and — in the pond outside — the acclaimed sculpture ‘namaxsala (To Travel in a Boat Together) by Kwakwaka’wakw artist Mary Anne Barkhouse. Your journey of discovery continues in the First Peoples of the Northwest Coast exhibition, where six wooden dwellings house historic and modern artifacts, including wooden masks, blankets, ornate headdresses and giant potlach ladles.

Leaving the Grand Hall, marvel at the brightly coloured ceiling mural Morning Star, which illustrates the history of our land from the Dene Suline perspective of artist Alex Janvier. Finally, take time to peruse the First Peoples Hall, where more than two thousand artifacts provide a glimpse into the history and culture of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples across Canada, from earliest origins to the present day.

More information is available at historymuseum.ca or by calling 819-776-7000 or 1-800-555-5621.

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