Greetings Chilliwackians! My name is Jane Lemke and I’d like
to formally introduce myself as the new Curator of the Chilliwack Museum and
Archives. I am thrilled to have taken over a wonderfully well-documented and
well-organized collection from the previous Curator, Paul Ferguson. The next
year or so will be quite a learning curve for me as I get to know the
collection and the community of Chilliwack.
Right off the bat, I am beginning research on two new
exhibits to be launched in 2015. One of which will be on display in the
Chambers Gallery at the Museum which focuses on the economic trading of First
Nations baskets during the latter half of the 19th and early 20th
centuries.
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Photograph of a large collection of First Nations woven
baskets. Photos such as this one exist in many museum's collections across the province, highlighting the commodification of First Nations basketry. Chilliwack Archives Photo PP503946
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This fascinating part of our shared cultural history brought about a
trading industry between local First Nations and the European newcomers. First
Nations women often traded baskets for specialty items. For the Spences Bridge
and Nicola people of Lytton and Lower Thompson in 1850, one large burden basket
was exchanged for any of the following:
·
One
secondhand buffalo-skin robe
·
One
secondhand man’s buckskin shirt with fringes
·
One
secondhand woman’s skin dress with fringes
·
One large
dressed buckskin of the best quality
·
One
medium-sized dressed buckskin and half of a doeskin
·
One and
one-half fathoms of flat disk-shaped beads
·
Two and
one-half fathoms of flat disked shaped beads, alternating with large blue glass
beads
·
Ten cakes of
service berries mashed and dried
·
Ten cakes of
soapberries mashed and dried
·
Ten bundles
of bitterroot peeled and dried
·
One Hudson’s
Bay tomahawk or ax
·
One second
hand copper kettle of medium or small size
·
One
secondhand flintlock musket
Stay tuned for more information on our upcoming exhibits!
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