George and Charlotte Gibson Day 2013

 

George and Charlotte Gibson Day
Saturday, May 25th, 2013

Open House from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Cake Cutting at 1:00 pm

Slide Show at 2:00 pm

George and Charlotte Gibson Day is the SCMA's annual event commemorating the arrival of the Gibson family to West Howe Sound in 1886. To celebrate this historic occasion, we will host an Open House with cake and refreshments and a slide show on the history of Gibsons. You will have a chance to meet some of the living descendants of the Gibson and other pioneer families, as well as our Board of Directors. Come on out to this all-ages event, support your museum, and learn more about our local history!

For more information: Call 604-886-8232; email at scm_a@dccnet.com; go to "News & Events" on our website http://www.sunshinecoastmuseum.ca; or check our blog http://sunshinecoastmuseumandarchives.blogspot.com.
We are also on Facebook and Twitter!

 

Our New Summer Museum Assistant

Hello all, I’m Terri, the museum’s new Summer Assistant.  

 I grew up in Sechelt and so I’m very excited about this opportunity to learn more about our beautiful Coast and its rich heritage.

I’ve just finished my third year at the University of Victoria studying creative writing. It’s always been my dream to be a writer.  Although I don’t know where I’ll end up in life, if it involves writing, I’ll have met my goal.

Over the summer, I’ll be sharing some of my experiences at the museum with you. Join me right here on this blog where I’ll post weekly journal-style updates of my exploits. Ask me questions! Tell me what you want to hear about!

I’ll be here until August 18^th, so come and say hi! It’s much more fun to see me fumble for answers to your questions in person.

Our new summer hours are Tuesday-Sunday, 10:30 – 4:30.

And no, before you ask, I’m not normally this enthusiastic about ironing.  

What's Up at the SCMA?

We have been working hard over the last few years to establish relationships with the Squamish and Sechelt Nations so they can interpret their own histories here at the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives. Back in the fall of 2011, we launched our newly developed collaborative exhibit Kwekwínmut Pieces of the Past. One half of the first floor has been dedicated to the exhibit which features over 70 Squamish stone artifacts , large-scale archival images, maps, interpretive text panels, and an innovative soundscape piece that includes the Squamish Origin legend.  The exhibit was groundbreaking for us in that it marked the beginning of a collaborative relationship with the Squamish Nation based on principles of co-management.

We are now in the midst of making arrangements with the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler to do a year-long exhibit exchange. They will be borrowing our stone artifacts in exchange for pieces from their outgoing exhibit entitled “SnexwÍlth / T’laoz’ The Crafts and Culture of Squamish Canoe Building”. This exhibit showcases canoe building and fishing activities and is a celebration of Squamish and Lil’wat waterways and culture that has sustained their people for generations.

The key piece from this exhibit is a dugout canoe called Stelkaya, or “Striking Wolf”. It was carved by Sessiyám (Ray Natraoro) a member of the Wolf clan. A modern master of the ancient Squamish craft, Sessiyám carved this vessel from a single piece of ancient red cedar as a wedding gift for his wife, Noelle. Carved over a period of two months in 2009, this nexws chá7chu, or hunting canoe, measures 8.5 meters (28 feet) long, 138 centimeters (54.5 inches) across the beam, and weighs approximately 227 kilograms (500 lbs.). It has traveled throughout the Salish Sea and taken part in two Tribal Canoe Journeys. As this goes to press, we are still working out the logistics of transporting and installing the canoe. It really is stunning and I’m crossing my fingers that everything will fall into place! The plan is to have the exhibit ready for launch by June at the latest so come soon if you want to catch the last few weeks of our current exhibit and stay tuned for the launch of the canoe exhibit this June.

I am also pleased to announce that we were successful in our application for the 2013 BC History Digitization Program and can now complete Phase II of our Newspaper Digitization Project. Adding to our online database of 37 years of Coast News newspapers, we plan to complete the Coast News collection (77-82, 88, 90-95) and include the entire run of the Peninsula Times (January 1963 to June 1980). We are aiming to have this second phase available online by November. We have received extremely positive community response to our project and are excited to build upon this success with the second phase.  If you haven’t already, visit sunshinecoastmuseum.ca to access this wealth of free information.

Film Screening: The Manzanar Fishing Club

Join us at the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives for a screening of The Manzanar Fishing Club, a powerful and moving film about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and a courageous few who took back their freedom through fishing.

Although the film is set in California, Japanese Canadians from the Sunshine Coast and beyond faced similar hardships as they were forced to leave their homes and families to live in a number of prison camps across our country.

The Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives will be screening this documentary on Saturday, January 26^th at 2pm. Admission is by donation and seats are limited so come early. (Running Time: 2 hours)

Watch the film's trailer:


 
FILM DESCRIPTION
 
Locked away in the California desert, more than 10,000 Americans of Japanese descent faced an uncertain future at the WWII internment camp at Manzanar. Armed military police, guard towers and barbed wire sent the clear message that they were prisoners in their own country.

The Manzanar Fishing Club is the uplifting tale of those who sought and found moments of freedom by escaping the camp to fish the surrounding waters of the famed Eastern Sierra.

And in the process, they gave new meaning to the old phrase "Gone Fishing". (From DVD cover)

Visit the SCMA Gift Shop for Locally Inspired Gifts

Why bother with the mind-numbing shopping mall experience full of pointless plastic goods when you can visit your local museum and check out locally made and inspired gifts for the holiday season!

We carry a great selection of local wood crafts, books, CDs as well as newly arrived limited edition silk screened Beachcomber T-Shirts to mark the 40th anniversary of the popular show. We also offer gift certificates and charitable donations as gifts!

Why stand in terrible Christmas lines when you can visit our peaceful gift shop with friendly staff and perhaps explore our great little museum when you are done shopping? Really, there is no question...