Manitoba Museum hires new reconciliation adviser

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This article was published 09/07/2024 (770 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Museum has appointed Tabitha Harper as museum adviser on Indigenous relations and reconciliation, a new post created, in part, to acknowledge the role the museum has played in colonization and to demonstrate its commitment to advance decolonization, reconciliation and repatriation in all facets of its work.

Raised in Kinonjeoshtegon First Nation, located on the west shore of Lake Winnipeg 255 kilometres north of Winnipeg, Harper, 27, attended high school in Winnipeg before graduating with a diploma from Red River College Polytechnic’s social innovation and community development program with a major in Indigenous social entrepreneurship.

“I’m truly honoured and thankful to have been selected as the museum adviser on Indigenous relations and reconciliation. Each day that I am here I feel more excited and confident about learning and applying my knowledge as a First Nations woman,” she says.

“However, I can’t help but think of my parents, grandparents, and my ancestors who gave many sacrifices for me to be here today — it’s a balance of grief and gratitude.”

Previously the first Indigenous cultural program instructor for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, in her new position Harper will guide the museum in developing a framework to ensure museum policies and practices uphold the articles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

Her life experience will aid her in building new relationships, as well as strengthening existing ones within the community, she says.

“Moving forward, I will be learning and understanding what the museum’s position is on Indigenous relations and reconciliation and how I can expand Indigenous capacity. More so, I am supporting leadership and the museum as a whole, with grace and guidance towards reconciliation; I look forward to bringing an Indigenous perspective in a good way.”

As a steward of First Nations, Inuit and Métis artifacts, the Manitoba Museum has a profound responsibility to partner with those communities in sharing their stories, which are at the heart of the province’s history, says Dorota Blumczynska, museum CEO.

“While Tabitha brings invaluable knowledge and wisdom to this role, the museum as a whole carries the responsibility to repair relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities,” she says.

“Tabitha has strong relationships with many communities, understands the complex and delicate work required to advance truth and reconciliation, and offers a very solution-focused mindset … She has a wealth of direct community engagement experience, is an exceptional communicator and demonstrated a readiness to both offer her expertise to the museum’s efforts while learning from our colleagues what the museum can in turn offer to others.”

av.kitching@freepress.mb.ca