MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver Announces $350,000 Lead Gift from BMO to Support its Indigenous Programs
NORTH VANCOUVER, BC, June 22, 2021 /CNW/ - MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver today announced a gift from BMO in support of its Indigenous programs. Together with the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, MONOVA will create meaningful relationships between the community museum and archives and these Nations. The goal of this work will be to implement the museum-related recommendations in the final report of the national Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
"An important part of strengthening our cultures and Nations requires that the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Səl̓ílwətaɬ Peoples tell the story of our past, how it's understood, described, documented, managed and communicated. This support from BMO represents another positive step towards reconciliation between the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Səl̓ílwətaɬ, and North Shore communities." -- Chief Janice George and Carleen Thomas, Co-Chairs of the Indigenous Voices Advisory Committee, MONOVA
BMO Financial Group's lead gift has already supported the recruitment of Cultural Programmers and a Practices Advisor from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation, and a Young Canada Works Indigenous Curatorial Assistant from the Səl̓ílwətaɬ Nation.
MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver is using this gift to develop:
- School programs, to provide students and teachers with unique knowledge about the Peoples of the North Shore.
- Public programs, developed in partnership with Səl̓ílwətaɬ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (introducing knowledge, skills and language sharing, and other traditional cultural expressions).
- Storytelling and workshops by cultural interpreters, community advisors and elders.
- Learning experiences, created by artists that will provide opportunities for students and museum drop-in programs for families and children, adults, specialized audiences and local communities.
"BMO is honoured to support MONOVA and the critical work being done to educate and inspire visitors with programs that share Indigenous perspectives through knowledge, stories, art and traditions of the Peoples of the North Shore," said Paul Seipp, Head of Business Banking, Western Canada.
BMO is committed to progress for Indigenous communities across three pillars that reflect their response to the Truth & Reconciliation Commission calls to action for corporate Canada: em-ployment, education and economic empowerment. An Indigenous Advisory Council comprised of First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders nationwide guides and advises BMO in relation to these three areas of focus.
"Sharing stories is at the heart of what we do at MONOVA," added Wesley A. Wenhardt, Museum Director. "Support from organizations like BMO is crucial to allow MONOVA to deliver important public and educational programs in collaboration with our Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Səl̓ílwətaɬ partners, whose ancestors have lived here for countless generations."
About MONOVA: Museum of Vancouver
MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver, operated by the North Vancouver Museum and Archives, is a shared partner agency of the City and District of North Vancouver.
MONOVA operates both the Museum of North Vancouver opening in Lower Lonsdale in 2021 and the Archives of North Vancouver located in Lynn Valley. In addition to the two physical visitor centres, MONOVA supports several other online/offsite experiences for the public to engage with and learn about the past, present and future stories of North Vancouver.
North Vancouver's stories live here.
SOURCE MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver
Media Contacts: Stephen Irving, MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver, [email protected], 778-883-5775; Kelly Hechler, BMO (Toronto), [email protected], 416-867-3996
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