George and Charlotte Gibson Day- Saturday, May 19th, 2012

  

Down here at the Museum, we have been practicing our time travel and trying to imagine what it would have been like for George Gibson and his sons to be out on the water of Georgia Strait, cruising through the waves on their eventual way to find their new home on the coast. I hope that the wind wasn't howling like it is right now!

George and Charlotte Gibson Day is the SCMA’s annual event commemorating the arrival of the Gibson family to West Howe Sound in 1886. This year is the 126^th anniversary! To celebrate this historic occasion, we will host an Open House with cake and refreshments, live music, and a slide show on the history of Gibsons. You will have a chance to meet some of the living descendants of the Gibsons and other pioneer families, as well as our new Board of Directors. Come on out to this all-ages event, support your museum, and learn more about our local history!

Check out this great Big Pacific posting about G and C Day 2012 written by the wonderful Laurie McConnell:

George & Charlotte Gibson Day – 126th Anniversary

So why is Gibsons called ‘Gibsons’ when George and Charlotte were ‘Gibson’? These and other thorny questions continue to puzzle me when I ponder the early non-aboriginal days of the Sunshine Coast. (Have we finally learned not to call white folks the first settlers? I hope so.)
Given the 126 years of history, dating back to 1886, and there’s plenty of room for questions about what life was like for the Gibson family (collectively known as ‘the Gibsons’, perhaps?). The perfect place to get answers is The Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives in Gibsons Landing, and the date is Saturday May 19th from 2pm – 4pm.
Refreshments, live music, and a slideshow on the history of Gibsons will all be on offer. Heck, you can even meet living descendants.  This museum is what a community historical resource should be like. Run by younger, historically-engaged people who appreciate the stories and images from hundreds of years before, and know how to present it in the current day so it becomes fresh and interesting all over again to an entirely new generation.

About the Author

Laurie McConnell is a 23 year resident of the Sunshine Coast, who came to the area for a summer internship at a local newspaper, and never left! She has been celebrating the Sunshine Coast and sharing it with the world since 1997 - over a decade of stories, images, and now, multimedia for you to enjoy. 

 

 http://www.bigpacific.com/sunshinecoastmagazine/2012/05/07/george-charlotte-gibson-day-126th-anniversary/

 

 

Help the SCMA get a new bike rack!

We need your help! The Transportation Choices group on the Sunshine Coast has lined up 43 bike racks for installation on the Sunshine Coast, and we would love to have one out front for our bicycling visitors.

 If you head on over to their website linked below, you can rank locations on the coast that need a bike rack, and just remember: bicycling is a heritage activity :)

https://sites.google.com/site/transportationchoicesca/bike-rack-survey

Salish Weaving Workshop was a Success

I just spent a wonderful three days attending the Salish Weaving workshop here at the Museum. It was such a treat to take the time to learn new skills and traditions, to focus on the creative process, and to get to know such interesting people.

Friday evening, we assembled and warped the custom-made looms, finishing up around 9 pm. We spent the next two days weaving, and by 4:30 Sunday afternoon, most of us were sporting our gorgeous, “fresh-off-the-loom” Salish shawls.

Coast Salish Master Weaver Jessica Casey is a gracious and patient teacher. Over the course of the weekend, she not only shared her knowledge and expertise of Coast Salish weaving and traditions but also her funny anecdotes, home-made food, and good company. Many of us were first-time weavers, and she worked with each of us so that by the end of the three days, we had all found our ‘weaving groove’.  

The participants came from various walks of life. We had Kjerstin, a textile conservator at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria who took the workshop as professional development. Visiting from Saskatchewan, Patricia took part while on vacation on the Sunshine Coast. There was Gail, a long-time resident of Roberts Creek, who was the first to call when she heard we were putting this on. Elizabeth, a newcomer to the Coast, is a textile artist and anthropologist; this was her first time weaving.  I, too, had no experience weaving but have always loved textiles and, I’ll admit – fashion. I was excited to make a stylish wool shawl that I could wear to work! Everyone brought great energy, enthusiasm and most importantly, a sense of humor. It felt like a real celebration when one of us completed our shawl and finally pulled it off the loom. Thanks to everyone for such supportive and encouraging energy.

Jessica and I are planning another workshop for sometime in June. This time, we will be using cedar to weave a berry basket.  For more information, please contact the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives.

L to R: Patricia, Elizabeth, Gail, Kjerstin, Jessica, Kimiko

Finished shawl, shuttle, and comb

Patricia's finished shawl....beautiful colour combination!

Gail looks pretty happy with her new shawl!

Kjerstin went home and added a fringe - looks fantastic!

SCMA Visitor Survey Results II

Listen. As we have already ascertained, winning a gift basket is something that universally makes people happy.
Case in point: the winner of the 2011 SCMA Visitor Survey contest, Sheila Kinnear!

Sheila was extremely excited about her gift basket which consisted of 2 SCMA mugs, Rough and Ready Times, Helen McCall Photo-History Album as well as a 2012-2013 Museum Membership. Welcome to the Museum Sheila!

We still want to know your thoughts, ideas, and inspirations about the SCMA! Come on down, become a member and fill out a visitor questionnaire : )

Center for the Future of Museums: Prodding Sacred Cows: The Mission Statement

Center for the Future of Museums: Prodding Sacred Cows: The Mission Statement