Ft. St. James, B.C.- A new exhibit opens this morning at the Ft. St. James Historic Site.

 

The exhibit “Strangers and Swan’s Down” tells the story of the first contacts and new connections made between the fur traders and indigenous people at Fort St James, which became the headquarters of the “New Caledonia” trade district in the 19th century. The multi-media displays also draw new attention to the story of the presence and contributions of the Métis people on the Pacific slope.

 

The exhibit has been in the works for nearly a year, and involved Métis and Nak’azdli community stakeholders working closely with Parks Canada project managers, historians, exhibit designers and carpenters.

 

 The new exhibit includes a new fish tank with freshwater species representative of Stuart Lake, a family history wall depicting the story of fur trader A.C. Murray and his wife Mary Bird, new display cases filled with artifacts dating from pre-contact days to the 20th century, a dress-up component featuring historical costumes, and resource corner of books and photos on Fort St. James history.

 

The official opening of the exhibit is slated for 10:30 this morning  at the Visitor’s Centre and coincides with celebrations of Metis Culture Day at the site. The events scheduled for today include special music, dancing, Red River Cart races, crafting demonstrations and interpretive plays.