- 12 Mar, 2021
- 0 Comments
- 1 Min Read
Literature and Philology
ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION
In the meantime, with the establishment of a museum still only a concept, community
members were determined to find a project that would help share the stories of the
Membertou community and Mi’kmaw culture. They recognized that, even without a
community museum, they needed to collect the information while they could.
Membertou leadership decided to invest in a community research project and created
the Membertou Research Department, which engaged in a variety of projects.
Proposals were submitted to Canadian Heritage and funding was acquired to support
the “Elders Oral Knowledge Project.” Historical documents and information were
collected that told of the shared history of the Membertou community, its people, Membertou Museum B by Mary Beth Doucette 3
events, and experiences. Audio and video recordings of interviews with Elders were
collected and their old photographs were digitally copied and preserved.
Gradually, this information was profiled in community reports, displayed in the Veterans
Memorial Building, and featured on websites in ways that respected and honoured the
role of the people and the past experiences of Membertou. The Elders who were
interviewed felt like they had a place in the community and that they were valued, and
for that reason they wanted to share their stories. Still, there was no dedicated public
space where this material could be displayed in a more permanent manner.