Who gets what from the North's collections?
Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services
NNSL (Sep 28/98) - "Information is knowledge and knowledge is power."
With these words, Nunavut's assistant deputy minister of culture, language, elders and youth, George Qulaut, aptly sums up the importance of some of the work currently -- and quietly -- under way at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre and in Nunavut.
The task at hand?
Making the tough call as to what the final location -- NWT or Nunavut -- will be for the roughly 100,000 artifacts in the North's historical collections.
The artifacts include grave-markers from the final resting place of some of Sir John Franklin's men, pieces of Soviet satellite Cosmos 954, which blazed across the North into history books more than two decades ago, priceless art collections and archival documents.
"Whenever an elder passes away, the Inuit say part of our culture goes with it," Qulaut says. "People (in Nunavut) don't have the bucks to go to Yellowknife to see (their) artifacts."
He says it is essential to the future of the new territory the right call be made about the Nunavut historical collections which will soon reside in Iqaluit or another Nunavut location.
While dividing history may seem simple on the surface, the situations that arise are making things anything but easy.
"If you have a donor who gave 100 items, what if 50 of them are related to Nunavut and 50 from the NWT," says Joanne Bird, curator of collections at the heritage centre. "What do you do? Split the collection up?"
Historical integrity
Another example Bird uses are medical collections. What should be done with medical artifacts and material gathered from a doctor's career spent throughout the North? If it is split, the collection loses its historical integrity.
The feelings of donors, who often don't live in the North, also have to be considered, Bird says.
"Donors do have an interest in where their objects finally end up," she says.
There is also the issue of items which really don't belong in either the east or the west. In fact, they hardly belong in the North at all.For example, what should be done with the fine collection of 19th century calvary swords currently at the Prince of Wales? They can't be thrown out.
Who should get them? The NWT or Nunavut?
Because of questions and scenarios just like these, a committee with representatives from the NWT Archives, the collection section at the heritage centre and Nunavut's government have begun the delicate task of making the decisions.
First, however, the rules have to be drawn up.
"You don't divide it, you share it," Dr. Chuck Arnold, director of culture, language and heritage at the heritage centre says in describing the guiding principle both sides are following.
First, they must agree on a set of parameters and guidelines which will dictate how the collections will be reviewed. The whole matter of definitions comes next.
"What does it mean when we say things from Nunavut? Things from the West? Things that originate in Nunavut? Things of Nunavut?" Bird asks.
Nunavut museum planned
"After we understand our definitions, both sides need to put down what their interests are in the collection."
Currently, the two groups are still coming up with their definitions. Once reports are written, they'll be shared and the task will continue.
"It's a very long-term thing," Qulaut says.
"...We'd like to see sharing together and be able to show things together (as the final goal)."
Plans for a museum facility for Nunavut are now in the discussion stage.
As to the rest, it will just take time. This shouldn't surprise anyone, after all, we're talking about history.
