LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND INCLUSION

 Colour the Canvas | Jingshu Helen Yao

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During the winter of 2020, I worked as a volunteer at Agincourt Community Services Association for their project Recipe for (Climate) Change. The project used video recordings to document senior community members’ knowledge of cooking, food preservation, and gardening, as well as its connection to their personal history. Youth participants then utilized the material to create a series of cooking lessons and a cookbook. 

Most of the senior participants were immigrants with minimum English and I was brought in to be a Chinese translator. While there were second generation Chinese speakers among the youth participants, they either didn’t have or were not comfortable enough using the language abilities required to transcribe full meetings and recipes. During my time spent working with the participants, I realized the challenges of documenting storytelling and oral history in the face of the language barriers, technical difficulties, and the social isolation of COVID 19.

Translation sample for a workshop survey. Courtesy of the author.

I had a background in translation studies as an undergraduate student, but I had only been trained to translate written text in an academic context. Translating unscripted speech was challenging and I often encountered unfamiliar vocabularies when cooking ingredients and techniques were involved. The language barrier was intensified by technical difficulties. It was already difficult to communicate with seniors through zoom call; the process became more challenging when we had to instruct them to turn on cameras, set up their phone or laptop at a correct angle, and start recording. It would have been much easier if we were able to communicate with them face to face, help them set up recordings, and give them direct assistance. However, none of these could have happened due to COVID-19 safety concerns. 

Facing these difficulties, I had to use an extra amount of time to email back and forth with staff members and make multiple phone calls with senior participants. Still, I wasn’t satisfied with my work. Sometimes I failed to translate phrases and sentences during workshops or video calls, which took more time to communicate again later on. The deadline was pushed back once and once again due to these delays. However, the senior participants still expressed their gratitude despite the frustrating communication situation. They mentioned that they often felt isolated and lonely during the pandemic and were grateful to be able to participate in the project. 

Example of a transcription for a cooking video. Courtesy of the author. 

A year ago, I joined the MMSt program without knowing much about the demographic of museum workers. The summer before my admission, the iSchool conducted research on the diversity and inclusion of the faculty. The working group formed by 3 students identified various issues. The adjustments to the curriculum were made and, in many of my first-year courses, the topic of diversity, inclusion, and decolonization in the culture sector was the centre of discussion. 

Compared with the previous cohort, I wasn’t feeling as isolated, but I was still overwhelmed initially. Getting to know the statistics of underrepresentation of the BIPOC community and white dominance in art and culture-related careers was a setback. I almost lost hope in being employed at museums as an international student because a lot of institutions specified that the jobs are funded by YCW or Canada Summer Jobs. I also felt confused when we discussed “the lack of representation in the GLAM sector” and “how to diversify the museum field” in class. These conversations made me feel invisible at times and misplaced at others. I wasn’t sure how to approach these topics as a racialized person since it seemed like a conversation about us, not with us. 

When I thought of diversity and inclusion before, it occurred to me more as recognition and representation, more on a psychological level than a physical level. Working with these senior participants made me realize that language was the key point for their engagement and in this case, the risk of exclusion wasn’t on an emotional but a physical level. 

We always discussed engaging the community, sharing their voice, and making them feel included. However, in reality, how could we approach them if we don’t even speak their language, how could we share their voice if their voice is not accessible to the rest of the community, and what is “inclusion” when only the space is shared but not knowledge and thoughts? Through the time I volunteered as a translator, the participants tended to approach me with any questions, including information about compensation and confidential agreement that I wasn’t capable of answering. Even when the staff members sent out translated information through email, they tend to approach me for confirmation. The simple fact of a familiar tongue made me seem more approachable, thus granting me authority and trust. 

It was with this new understanding that I joined Museum Professionals of Colour, students aimed at addressing the lack of racial diversity and representation within the MMSt program and GLAM sector at large. I’ve long followed their activities and was tempted to reach out several times during my first year. I was held back by my fear of not having an understanding of my role as a racialized museum professional as well as what changes I could possibly bring with my effort. The experience working as a translator didn’t fully address my doubts, but it allowed me to realize that diversity and inclusion is not a conversation about big ideas – but, rather, small tasks that could be exhausting and troublesome. That’s why it requires effort from as many individuals as possible, and I need to be one of them. 

ICYMI: UPDATING THE GLASS CASE

Breaking the Glass Case | Alexandra Forand 

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I have been writing Breaking the Glass Case for over a year now, and in this role I’ve written 15 articles, or at least this will be lucky number 15. Most of my articles tend to rely on current events and I thought I would take a moment and look back on a few articles I have written in the past year, provide some updates, and fill you, dear readers, in on some behind the scenes commentary on why I chose to write these articles.

In April and May of 2019, I released a two-part article on the importance, materiality, and future of the Buffalo titled “Buffing up on Buffalo,” and “Bringing Back the Buffalo.” These articles were originally based off a material heritage portfolio for Professor Cara Kmpotich's MSL 2360: Museums and Indigenous Communities, Changing Relationships Changing Practises. Being from the Prairies, it was important for me to integrate my home into the project. At one time, the Prairies were home to millions of buffalo and the Prairie Peoples relied greatly on these animals, but through disease, drought, and over hunting the buffalo population rapidly declined to near extinction. Recently, communities and government have come together to restore these numbers. I discuss a few enumerations attempts in the original articles, but there has been many others this year alone! On January 7, 2020 Zagime Anishinabek First Nation were gifted 22 bison from Peepeekisis Cree Nation. On January 17, 2020, six calves from Grassland National Park in southern Saskatchewan were unveiled in Wanuskewin. Overtime, this heard is expected to about 50 animals.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Wright. 

In March 2019, I wrote an article entitled “ We Need to Talk, or Not: Language in Museums as a Form of Control.” In, what could be considered my favourite article I have written (thus far), I discuss the International Year of Indigenous Language and its importance. Since then, there have been numerous projects and programs that share this spirit.  Dawnis Kennedy and Anna Parenteau created an Ojibway book and board game called “Boogidi,”which translates to fart, and is potentially one of my favourite instances of language sharing! The pair have been working on the book for three years and the card game for two years. Kennedy and Parenteau, say that the book and card game will teach learners of any skill to think quickly in the language and conjugate verbs.

On CBC North, Betsy Longchamp and Mary Shem have launched the first podcast that uses  Woodland Cree, called Wiih'teh. The pair, discuss  how the Woodland Cree language has evolved,  use Woodland Cree words to discuss the weather, seasons, and other stories, and hope the podcast will encourage children and other young people to learn and speak Cree. you can listen to episode 1: Weather here and episode 2: Names here!

This past summer at Poundmaker Cree Nation (SK), Lanny Real Bird taught a multi-day language camp focusing on Plains Sign Language (PSL). PSL is a historical means of communicating between groups who did not speak the same oral language, and it is still used today. The goal of the gathering ways to teach and preserve this important language tool.

"Sun" in Prairie Sign Language. Source. 

In July 2019, I wrote an article entitled “An Argument for Something Else”: Corrective Art History Right Now." In the article, I discussed Corrective Art History, both what it is and why it is important. This year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art exercised Corrective Art history by installing two of Kent Monkman’s painting, Welcoming the Newcomers and Resurgence of the People. These pieces display a broader perspective of history and culture, challenges art history’s colonial narratives, and provokes the audience to acknowledging the shared history.

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About last night: it was brilliantly fun #repinOCADU last night at the opening of Kent Monkman's @kentmonkman new installation “mistikôsiwak (Wooden Boat People),” now on view in The Great Hall of the @metmuseum. Thanks @ocaduniversity for the opportunity. Miss Chief Eagle Testickle represented with their wonderful creation story and told the diverse audience of over 600 people of the Indigenous fight for sovereignty from Colonization and gender discrimination. The Silver Cloud drummers and singers' invocation was moving. I am so honored that I got to be there for this historical occasion. If the Met can recognize that they are on Indigenous lands (Lenape and many others). Thank you @jimsearle for guiding me through the evening including the afterparty. I met so many new amazing people and experienced the power of @hoaxcouture design as everyone was in love with my gharara pants. #MetKentMonkman #MetGreatHall

A post shared by Dori Tunstall (@deandori_ocadu) on Dec 20, 2019 at 4:45am PST

In November 2019, I wrote an article entitled, "Who Cares: Caring for Spiritual Elements of Objects in Museum Collections." This article had been rolling in my head for nearly a year before I actually sat down to write it. In this article I discussed the action taken by museum professionals to care for not only the physical, but the spiritual elements of objects in collections. This year, at the Yale Art Gallery a show called "Place, Nations, Generations, Beings," is taking place until June 20, 2020. The show displays two centuries worth of First Nation artwork, but even before the artwork was installed the three curators, Katherine Nova McCleary (Little Shell Chippewa-Cree), Leah Tamar Shrestinian, and Joseph Zordan (Bad River Ojibwe) give thanks to the artifacts In the show.

 In the curator catalogue they write to the artwork, "thank you, for allowing us to visit with you, hold you, and speak to you. Thank you for teaching us." 

I greatly enjoyed writing these articles, and I am so very happy that I have the opportunity to go back, update them with new content, and supplement them with my thought process. If you have any other updates, I want to know! Please leave me a link in the comments or via twitter, my handle is @ally_but_online. 

LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY WITHIN THE MUSEUM

Not Your Average Cistory | Amelia Smith

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When I started researching into transgender history, I was frequently tripping over the language used in the articles I would find. The term “transsexual” kept coming up. As a transgender woman that came of age in the mid to late 2010s, transsexual was out of vogue, frequently with negative connotations. It was not until I read Susan Stryker’s “Transgender History” that I discovered that this has not always been the case.

Transgender language evolved quickly. Even the terms used as recently as a decade ago have been abandoned by the community, and so many are unaware of this phenomenon. Phrases like “transgendered” are viewed with skepticism, representing an ignorance of transgender issues from those that use it nowadays. But if you walk over to Church St and Wellesley St, you will find a large mural that includes the phrase in the heart of Toronto’s Gay Village.

The mural at Church and Wellesley. Note the use of "transgendered" in the top left. Photo courtesy of Amelia Smith.

This presents a problem for museums wishing to talk about transgender history. How do we grapple with this changing language in exhibitions in which even the community is frequently not aware of? Do we use the language viewers are familiar with and apply labels to those that did not choose them or do we keep the original language, fearing a negative response from the community we are hoping to serve?

As I am sure many of us are aware, when it comes to label writing, we need to be very precise with our wording. In order to keep the visitor’s attention, the labels need to be short and direct. Unfortunately, this does not lend itself to in depth discussions of complex topics, such as the evolution of language. As such, simply explaining the issue in a label may not be the best option.

Additionally, many queer historians consider it problematic to apply labels to those that did not choose them for themselves. Without definite proof, it often becomes inserting modern understandings upon a past that might not have shared them. Identity is so incredibly personal, and to say that we know better than someone else about their identity is arrogant and elitist. Altering how they identify goes against so much of what the transgender community and the LGBT as a whole has fought for.

This practice of not applying labels to people from previous generations has also long been the target of ridicule by members of the LGBT as well. Photo courtesy of Amelia Smith.

But, the work should be made for the transgender community as it exists today. As I spoke about in my previous article, transgender people have long been overlooked in museums. Using language that the community deems to be offensive, even if it has a place within the historical context, presents the danger of angering that same community.

I wish I could say that there is an easy solution to this issue, but I do not believe there to be. Each position has its pros and cons. The difficulties that surround presenting an evolving language that is often overlooked cannot be solved so simply and must be significantly considered when writing about transgender history.

CULTURAL HERITAGE QUIZ: PART 2

Heritage Moments | Selin Kahramanoglu

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Ready to test your knowledge?

This month's post will focus on the varying levels of significance associated with cultural heritage. Now, we could easily write a whole book series on this subject, but I want to give you a light-read for the summer. So... here is another quiz to get you thinking about it!

As mentioned in the last post, this quiz is a little challenging because the significance given to a cultural heritage item will be different for everyone. Often, museum professionals and archivists (my other love) are faced with the problem of limited storage space and resources. As much as we'd like to, we can't keep everything! This quiz will hopefully give you an idea as to why some cultural heritage is worth keeping over others.

An image depicting Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colours. Source.

For the following items, decide whether we should SAVE or TOSS each example of tangible or intangible cultural heritage. Remember: Cultural heritage can be material or immaterial, and it represents the legacy of a group of people, which has been preserved for future generations.

1. Oral History of Lake Saint Anne: A Métis story about the healing properties and spiritual energy associated with the waters.
2. "The Entombment": An unfinished painting by Michelangelo, depicting the burial of Jesus Christ after the crucifixion.
3. "Purple Rain" Cassette Tape: A 1984 song by Prince.
4. Two thousand pieces of pumice stone: These tiny 3 cm x 3 cm pieces of volcanic debris are from Pompeii.
5. Mapuche Language: Spoken primarily in parts of Chile and Argentina, there are approximately 100,000 speakers in the world.

Here we go! Answers will follow!

Source.

Oral History of Lake Saint Anne: SAVE

The whole purpose of oral histories is to keep telling them to the next generation! We cannot discard an example of intangible heritage that is closely linked to the present-day functions of a culture. Storytelling that is representative of a culture's ideologies and practices can be preserved by talking in-person, or by audio-visual recordings, and should be considered a priority. This is particularly important for indigenous groups, but intangible heritage is generally valuable for every culture.

Source.

"The Entombment": SAVE

Now, if an artwork is incomplete and we cannot communicate with the owner, there are all kinds of debates about whether the piece should be sold or displayed at all. However, unfinished work by a famous artist, such as Michelangelo, now that's definitely a keeper. For art historians, it is rare and fascinating to study the creative process of a well-known painter. To add, it is rumored that Michelangelo stopped working on this painting, because he was commissioned to start his best known work, the "David" sculpture. The context of the cultural heritage item is important!

Source.

"Purple Rain": TOSS

I'm not saying that Prince's music is bad. I'm saying that cassette tapes are not worth keeping. In this technological era, music is digitally preserved. If an archive chooses to keep a cassette tape, this means that they also need a cassette player, and they need to keep it in good condition for a long, long, time. How many cassette tapes should they keep? For how long? There will be a time when these formats are no longer accessible, so we should update these records to their latest versions, before discarding the old ones. 

Source.

Pumice Stones: TOSS

Do you know how many pumice stones exist from the eruption of Vesuvius? Many. I don't have space in my storage closet for all of those rocks. Not only that, but pumice stones are created all the time, and are not unique to just Naples. (You can even buy them at the drug store.) It's true that the ancient site of Pompeii is historically significant, which is why I suggest the local museums keeps a couple of stones from that particular event, if any. No more than that! It's interesting to preserve a piece of history, and perhaps new information can be discovered about the artifact in the future. Most importantly, this piece of natural heritage needs to stay at it's site of origin, preferably in situ.

Source.

Mapuche Language: SAVE

Real talk: The sad truth is that you don't always have the power to save cultural heritage. The amount of money your institution may have, the number of resources, or the level of expertise of your staff does not matter. Much like oral histories and ceremonies, languages are difficult to preserve because it depends on the participation of the public. You cannot keep having Mapuche speakers, if no one is willing to learn the language. We cannot force people to see the value in preserving cultural heritage. The best we can do is educate others on why it is important to keep, work as a team, and try to save it for as long as possible.

Source.

That's it for this month's post! Deciding to save or toss cultural heritage is never easy, because we hope to keep it all. Everyone has their own opinions on what is important to preserve. To help facilitate our choice, we assess the needs of the public, the item's importance to future generations, and our available resources for preservation. See you next time for our final quiz!

Further Reading

- "Lake Saint Anne" as told by Marge Friedel, a Métis Elder from Edmonton

- University of Saskatchewan Indigenous Studies Portal for oral histories

- More examples of unfinished artwork

- The Guardian's list of endangered languages in the world

WE NEED TO TALK, OR NOT: LANGUAGE IN MUSEUMS AS A FORM OF CONTROL

Breaking the Glass Case | Alexandra Forand

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Did you know 2019 is International Year of Indigenous Languages? Language and words are powerful, potent, and markers of culture and identity. Words are a constant in museums and galleries, but we might not realise it. When I visit a museum or gallery I view the art and artifacts, but I read the information alongside. I read the label to gain knowledge about the object, such as who made it or what it’s made of, almost like I’m using the label to justify why the object is in the museum or gallery. I bet it is safe to say that we read in museums and galleries more than we look at the thing we came to see. One gallery experience made me reflect on this practise, not because the pieces of art were so dazzling (which they were) or because the message was inspiring (which it was), but because I could not read the labels.

The Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Source. 

The exhibition was Li Salay (Michif for “The Sun”) at the Art Gallery of Alberta and featured Metis artists. This exhibition explored the idea that the sun is often partially visible due to ordinary events such as cloud cover, or unnatural events, such as an eclipse. Metis peoples’ identity has become naturally obscured, and these contemporary artists shine a light on this incompleteness.

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"Li Salay" will expose you to a diversity of languages, both visual and verbal. To celebrate the languages of “Li Salay”, we are sharing details of the artists’ works through their own words. Keep your eyes open for weekly posts! . . #yeg #yegarts #yegdt #youraga #indigenousart #Métisart #Métisartists #canadianart #canadianartists #sun

A post shared by Art Gallery of Alberta (@youraga) on Jun 30, 2018 at 5:15pm PDT

The curators of the exhibition, Amy Malbeuf and Jessie Ray Short, chose to display the labels in the language of the artist. For instance, Lori Blondeau (a Cree/Salteaux/Metis artist and scholar) had her label written in Cree and English. That being said, Blondeau was an exception, since most of the artists had their label written in their mother tongue only. Just as the sun and Metis identity are partially obscured, so was the exhibition, to me, a non-speaker.

Just saw Li Salay at the Art Gallery of Alberta. Super stoked to see the exhibits were all (save one) presented in the Indigenous language of the artist! There were booklets with translations if you wanted them. pic.twitter.com/705Fj8K1SA

— âpihtawikosisân (@apihtawikosisan) August 9, 2018

More institutions are incorporating Indigenous languages in their didactics, but why? The Art Gallery of Canada (AGO) has chosen to display trilingual (English, French and Anishnaabemowin or Inuktitut, depending on the artist’s heritage) didactics throughout the J.S. McLean’s Center for Indigenous and Canadian Art in recognition that the institution was built on Mississauga Anishinaabe territory. Other institutions, such as the Manitoba Museum, utilize Indigenous languages because it is important for audiences to experience the language by seeing it, even if they cannot understand it.

The Self gallery in the J.S. McLean Centre for Indigenous and Canadian Art at the AGO. Photo curtesy of Alexandra Forand. 

If we return to Li Salay, this was not the reason the labels were written in Indigenous languages. It can be argued that up until now, Metis art has been interpreted on Western terms, obscuring the true meaning of the work. Describing the art in the artist's mother tongue re-centres the Metis experience and works to obscure Western influence.

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Our Curatorial and Preparatory teams are busy putting the final touches on “Li Salay”, which opens May 26. We are excited and proud to present this groundbreaking exhibition guest curated by Amy Malbeuf and Jessie Ray Short. As the first cross-country survey of contemporary Métis art to be presented at a large public art museum, “Li Salay” opens a space for Métis art practices to be recognized and defined on their own terms. Image credit: Katherine Boyer, Rug, 2016. Found fabric, String, Yarn, Seed beads. Collection of the Artist. . . #yeg #yegarts #Métisart #canadianart #yegdt #youraga

A post shared by Art Gallery of Alberta (@youraga) on May 10, 2018 at 10:06am PDT

The labels written in Indigenous languages was a way for the artist to share their art with me, but not their story. You see they do not owe me their story and they do not have to justify their art to me. I, as an outsider, am only privy to partial information, to a half-story, to none of the power. It was not my place to interpret the art based on a Western understanding, but to enjoy this art as it was, perfectly partially obscured.

Did you get a chance to see Li Salay? Or have yo seen an exhibition with non-traditional didactic panels? Let me know! Please do not hesitate to contact me at allyforand@gmail.com or if Twitter and Instagram is more your speed my handle on both is @Ally_but_online.

DEMYSTIFYING THE CANADIAN HISTORY HALL: PART TWO

MUSEUM MYSTERIES

BY: SERENA YPELAAR 

Welcome back to the "Demystifying the Canadian History Hall" series, in which I attempt to unpack the extensive new content in the Canadian Museum of History. For Part Two, I'm looking at how language brings important Indigenous histories - which museums have routinely minimized or glossed over - to the forefront. 

The first gallery in the new Canadian History Hall speaks for itself: an Anishinabe creation story, passed on orally, is another example of how language (and its presentation) speaks volumes in an exhibition.
Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar 

As an avid writer myself, I love how the written word can convey so much, especially in the nuances of word choice. 

If you visited the old Canada Hall when it was open, you may remember that the immersive walk-through of Canada's history began with European contact in approximately 1000 CE. We understand now that this is an inaccurate representation of Canadian history, as Indigenous peoples lived on the land thousands of years before. The new Canadian History Hall has tried to illustrate this knowledge in the form of comprehensive new galleries.

So how has the new Hall confronted a history that was previously underrepresented? In my last post I touched briefly upon Indigenous inclusion in the exhibition content itself. I also noticed that many of the new interpretive panels discuss Indigenous history in a way that debunks some common misconceptions about Indigenous peoples. 

Let's look at some interpretive panels now, and consider what their language teaches us about Indigenous Canadian history.

"Indigenous Nations" section panel in the Early Canada gallery.
Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar. (click to enlarge)

Indigenous traditions are not a thing of the past, and Indigenous nations are distinct from one another

In this section panel (right), the museum asserts that by 500 years ago, Indigenous nations had "productive economies and complex social structures". The panel also clarifies that some groups moved seasonally, while others lived in permanent communities. This information is important since Indigenous nations are not homogeneous - each is distinct and carries its own history. 

The panel also declares that Indigenous societies were "thriving" and that "many of the traditions established centuries ago continue today", explaining that while Indigenous traditions go back centuries, they have endured throughout Canadian history (despite colonizers' efforts to destroy them). 

I want to acknowledge that speaking about Indigenous peoples rather than having individuals who identify as Indigenous share their own perspectives can be troublesome. There are issues inherent with speaking of cultural groups in this detached way, running the risk of marginalization. However, I don't wish to overlook the fact that the Canadian Museum of History underwent extensive consultations while creating this exhibition, including the appointment of an Aboriginal Advisory Council. In fact, one could argue that the museum has done the right thing here, as they aren't attempting to speak on behalf of Indigenous peoples - they are speaking from their vantage point as a museum. 

The names we often use to refer to Indigenous peoples were in fact imposed by colonial powers 

Terminology guide in the Canadian History Hall.
Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar. (click to enlarge)

In elementary school I heard the terms Huron, Iroquois, and Ojibwa, but less often the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Anishinabe respectively - even though this is what the aforementioned Indigenous nations called themselves. European colonists' names for Indigenous nations seem to have prevailed over time; but museums, and many similar organizations, are finally beginning to re-adopt the Indigenous names, as outlined in this panel (left). 

I appreciated the clear definitions of these terms; in stating that their panels "use Indigenous names, but will sometimes also provide the familiar European name as a reference", the museum employs a transparent and ethical voice in the exhibition (of which I'm sure the late Cheryl Meszaros would have approved). Here, the museum shares its deeper awareness of Indigenous rights and how our own perceptions and assumptions have been shaped by colonialism.

Indigenous peoples were not passive victims, but actively fought for their rights in the face of injustice

Panel in the Colonial Canada gallery. Photo courtesy of
Serena Ypelaar. (click to enlarge)

The effects of colonialism are much clearer in the new Canadian History Hall than they were in the old Canada Hall. As seen in another panel (right), the museum acknowledges that "the rapid settlement of English-speaking immigrants came at great cost to First Nations". The relationship between colonizers and Indigenous peoples who were being forced off their land is evident here, with clearer language. 

However, I wouldn't necessarily call this panel "blunt". Not to delve too deeply into grammar here, but the panel uses "treaties" as the subject without specifying who enacted such treaties (European settlers). This makes the sentence a bit more vague in terms of culpability.

Regardless, the panel ends strongly, with the acknowledgement that "First Peoples experienced these new policies and attitudes differently ... communities persisted in spite of restrictions." You may have started to recognize a common theme in the panel content: Indigenous peoples fought to retain their lands and customs, as affirmed by the active language that characterizes them. 

Indigenous peoples have been oppressed by the Government of Canada and remain bound by restrictive legal systems 

The themes of hardship and resilience illustrated in the Canadian History Hall continue to manifest in the experiences of many Indigenous peoples today. Though we as Canadians are now learning more about our shameful history and the lasting legacies of colonization, harmful legislation such as the Indian Act (1876) still allows the government to control aspects of Indigenous life, from "Indian status" to land ownership to education. 

This panel directly addresses the devastation of residential schools.
Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar. (click to enlarge)

Openly confronting our colonial history (as in the above panel) is a first step toward reconciliation, and hopefully this understanding is something that visitors will take with them beyond their visit. I'll leave you with this last panel from one of the final galleries in the Canadian History Hall, a testament to the lasting legacies of our history. 

This panel from the Modern Canada gallery both clarifies terminology and
subtly demonstrates the ongoing ramifications of the Indian Act.