MakE your HiSToRy CoME alive: DoNaTE! Centre du patrimoine 340 Provencher Boulevard St. Boniface, MB R2H 0G7 Telephone: 204-233-4888 Fax: 204-231-2562 Email: shsb@shsb.mb.ca Website: shsb.mb.ca MANITOBA
audiovisual MaTERial: THE EyES and EaRS of THE archives MESSaGE FRoM THE CHaiR of THE ST. BoNiFaCE HiSToRiCal SoCiETy On behalf of the St. Boniface Historical Society s Centre du patrimoine and myself, I invite you to be part of the future of the largest Francophone and Métis archives centre west of Ottawa. The only one of its kind in Western Canada, the Centre du patrimoine preserves and disseminates archival records collected since 1902, in accordance with the strictest standards and practices. Through its genealogy service, archive management and exhibition projects, the Centre du patrimoine is the living memory of our past. Our immediate goal is to increase our endowment fund to $1.5 million. This will ensure the sustainability of our services and allow our archives, so vital for the history of Western Canada and the entire country, to be kept in their birthplace. Your donation allows us to maintain a quality service for our members, researchers and the public, and to collect and preserve archives given to the Centre by individuals and institutions alike. Without your help to secure needed resources and skills, the Centre s archives will languish. Archives tell our story. Help us make sure they speak for many years to come, to the great benefit of future generations! Michel Lagacé Chair 3
archives: a MiRRoR on THE PaST and a WiNDoW To THE FuTuRE The Centre du patrimoine archives are part of the greatest legacy left to us by past generations. The Centre houses a wealth of materials that tell us about the conflicts, setbacks and triumphs in the history of Manitoba and Canada. Whether it is the epic explorations of La Vérendrye in the 1730s, the Voyageurs role in the fur trade, the struggle led by Louis Riel, Métis history, the battle for Francophone rights and Frenchlanguage education, or the everyday stories of Manitoba Francophones, the Centre du patrimoine is a reflection of our society s evolution and growth. understanding WHERE WE CoME FRoM To SEE WHERE WE are GoiNG Our past marks us. It moulds us through the language, culture and customs we inherit, and leaves its imprint on our dreams and worldview. Even the future, unknown as it may be, is built from what shaped us. The past does not only exist in our memory; it has bequeathed us eloquent remnants in the form of artifacts, texts, documents and images that reflect our culture, values and history. It is these treasures of the past that the Centre du patrimoine collects and preserves for future generations to help illuminate the paths they chart to the future. Without the knowledgeable staff and resources at the SHSB and Centre du patrimoine, whole generations of students would have been unable to do proper research. The Centre du patrimoine is one of French America s gems, and it is up to us to support its fundraising efforts. - Nicole St- Onge, PhD Professor and Director, Institute of Canadian and Aboriginal Studies, University of Ottawa 5
THE CENTRE Du PaTRiMoiNE: outstanding SERviCE Since its inception in 1902, the Société historique de Saint-Boniface (SHSB) has pursued its mandate to acquire, preserve and promote the heritage of Francophones and Métis in Western Canada, Manitoba in particular. In 1998, the SHSB built the Centre du patrimoine to manage its growing archival holdings. With a board of directors elected by its members, the Centre is renowned for its exceptional service as well as for its knowledgeable and professional staff, committed volunteers, and its many partnerships with community associations, museums as well as government and academic institutions. The Centre du patrimoine is designated as a category A archival institution under the Cultural Property Export and Import Act. THE CENTRE Du PaTRiMoiNE: HoME To a one-of-a-kind CollECTioN The Centre houses the history of the Francophones and Métis people of Western Canada. Its facilities draw on the latest architectural concepts for archival buildings. They feature filtered air, and the temperature and relative humidity levels are rigorously controlled by a state-of-the-art heating, ventilation and airconditioning system. Take a virtual tour of the Centre du patrimoine at www.shsb.mb.ca/qui_sommes_nous/centre_du_patrimoine/tournee-video The SHSB s contemporary holdings are invaluable, which is why I have donated material to the archives for many years. These documents, which would otherwise have disappeared, were available when I needed to consult them again. If the history of the past can be written thanks to the wealth of SHSB archives, the history of the present is also being shaped thanks to the invaluable collection of current Franco- Manitoban material. - J.R. Léveillé Writer and donor of archival material 7
THE archives - a PRiCElESS TREaSuRE Anyone researching the history of Manitoba and the development of Francophones and Métis in Western Canada will find everything they need at their fingertips at the Centre du patrimoine. The unique holdings document the presence of Francophones in Western Canada since the time of La Vérendrye s explorations. The sizable collection of on-site material includes: More than 1,000 pages of writing by Louis Riel Archives of several religious congregations Private collections donated by Réal Bérard and Étienne Gaboury Francophone family collections A number of databases, including one with close to 250,000 names for genealogical research purposes Audio and visual records An extensive collection of French-language newspapers. The Centre du patrimoine is so much more than a research facility. It is a place where people can learn more about themselves and their community. It is therefore a critical hub for anyone who values heritage and the contribution of the French-Canadians and Métis. - Russell Fayant, Faculty, Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program (SUNTEP), Regina The Centre du patrimoine and its wealth of resources are priceless for the people of Manitoba and beyond. - Sherry Farrell Racette, Researcher, Canadian Journeys gallery, Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) 9
FiNDiNG our RooTS The Centre du patrimoine offers a French- Canadian and Métis genealogy research service. Headed by genealogist Janet La France, the Centre du patrimoine s service handles an average of 50 to 80 genealogical search requests per month. In addition to requests for proof of Métis ancestry, Janet La France says that many people seek her services out of curiosity or to leave something to their family. Roughly 75% are requests for proof of Métis ancestry over six or seven generations, while the remainder are family book orders, says Janet La France. We can go as far back as the 1600s when ancestors came from Quebec, or the end of the 1700s for Métis. The Centre du patrimoine specializes in French-Canadian and Métis genealogy and is very popular due to the fact that it offers the certified genealogical proof required to obtain a Métis card from the Manitoba Metis Federation. Cameron Longo was in search of his identity when he used the Centre du patrimoine s genealogical services. While Longo is of Aboriginal descent, he was adopted by a white family and wondered where he belonged. I decided I wanted to write a book about my First Nations and Métis roots. I had no genealogical data about my reserve, but I found a great deal of information through the Centre du patrimoine, he says. It s like a puzzle I can now put together, he adds. Cameron longo and Janet la France 11
ExHiBiTioNS: archival SHoWCaSES Exhibition Images du Nord : perspectives d artistes [Northern images: artists perspectives] 2007 Exhibition Moi et mes livres [Me and my books] 2009 The Centre du patrimoine regularly prepares exhibitions for visitors, including travelling exhibitions. Period photographs, letters, newspaper headlines and other valuable items are thus available to everyone. It is a way for the Centre du patrimoine to make its extensive archival collection accessible to a wider audience. Artistic creation that draws on archives touches all disciplines, including literature, theatre and architecture. The archives in turn are enriched by such creative endeavours. What s more, the interest generated by artistic creation within the framework of their archival dissemination mandate has prompted several Archives to create an artist-in-residence program. - Annie Langlois, Exhibition curator Centre du patrimoine Exhibition L Artmulaire [Mulaire s art] 2010 Exhibition histoireshistoire : Instantanés de la société francomanitobaine [stories and history: snapshots of Franco- Manitoban society] 2012 Exhibition for the La Liberté Centennial 13
The extensive and critical work done by the Centre du patrimoine would not be possible without YOUR help. The SHSB is therefore asking for your assistance in securing the future of the Centre du patrimoine and its mandate. By contributing to the Centre du patrimoine fund administered by Francofonds, you are helping preserve and promote an invaluable resource for anyone interested in knowing more about Manitoba, the presence of Francophones and Métis in Western Canada, historical figures such as Noël Ritchot, Louis Riel, Alexandre Taché and Adélard Langevin, or the religious and community institutions that shaped Western Canada and the entire nation. Your donation also provides a perpetual funding stream for our Centre. HoW To DoNaTE Visit the SHSB website and click on the Donate button at the bottom of the www.shsb.mb.ca webpage. You can also contact Francofonds at 204-237-5852. Your donation entitles you to a tax credit. The SHSB is a charitable organization recognized by the Government of Canada and will provided a tax receipt. Registration number 10759 9748 RR0001 SPRING 2015 WHy DoNaTE? Because each year we: Respond to some 650 researcher requests. Provide researchers with access to roughly 1,000 archival records. Receive some 12 metres of documents dating from the 19th to the 21st century. Process about 15 metres of documents to make them easily accessible to researchers. Digitize hundreds of documents and make them available online. Offer 20 tours of the Centre du patrimoine. In addition to supporting our regular activities, your donation will help us make available all of the many collections received since the Centre opened in 1998. Before being donated to the Centre, important collections were amassed over more than a century and so we process many more documents than we receive each year. WHaT are THE CoSTS involved? $1,798 a day to open the Centre du patrimoine to the public for a day s research. $1,475 to process one (1) metre of documents. $500 to describe, digitize and post 100 documents of all kinds (photographs, texts, posters, etc.). $310 a year to store and preserve one (1) metre of archives. 15