Revelstoke Museum and Archives opened a new exhibit on Nov.7.
Reclaimed Voices starts with the premise that Revelstoke鈥檚 history was largely told and documented from the British male settler perspective, and that an inherent bias existed in the recording and telling of stories of the community. People who fell outside of the ethnicity, gender, or class of the dominant group were either overlooked, or had their stories presented in a skewed manner.
The new exhibit seeks to correct this view, and features a variety of voices.
Women鈥檚 Voices features the stories of several remarkable women from Revelstoke and the surrounding district. Alice Jowett was a miner and hotel keeper in Trout Lake, B.C. who broke gender norms and became one of the most successful miners in the region. Anna Gunnarsen was a competitive ski-racer who won races in B.C. and Alberta well into her 40s. Elsie Mackinnon came to Revelstoke in 1902 as the first matron of the new Queen Victoria Cottage Hospital. She trained in the USA, and had considerable nursing experience across Canada before taking her new post.
Women鈥檚 Voices also looks at the role that Revelstoke women had in the fight for women鈥檚 voting rights, and delves into the lives of working women. A panel titled Uncovering Lost Names discusses how women鈥檚 first names were not used in public. Instead, they were identified by their husband鈥檚 name. A photograph showing 15 members of the Returned Soldiers鈥� Welcoming Committee in 1917 features a bright pink magnet on each woman with her husband鈥檚 name. Remove the magnet, and it reveals the actual first name and family name of each woman. Mrs. Charles Holten is revealed to be Lyda Silcott, and Mrs. Thomas Bradshaw is Alma Miller. Only one of the 15 women could not be properly named.
A panel about Adeline Louie Barr tells the story of this remarkable Sinixt woman. In 1894, she was with her husband Jim at Galena Bay checking their trap lines. An altercation with a white settler led to Jim鈥檚 death, and Adeline was forced to remain in Revelstoke for several months until the trial of the shooter. The settler was acquitted, and Adeline returned to her family on the Colville Reservation. She married twice more, and lived in Washington State until her death in 1978 at the age of 106.
Revelstoke had a significant Japanese Canadian population in the early 1900s but they were a largely hidden community. Japanese Canadian Voices brings their stories to light and follows the history of the community from before, during, and after the Second World War. After Canada declared war on Japan in 1941, the entire Japanese Canadian population was forcibly uprooted from the west coast, and forced into internment camps, work camps, and communities away from the coast. Up to 60 families were forcibly uprooted to Revelstoke. After the war, despite some opposition, several families opened businesses in Revelstoke and became active community members.
Children鈥檚 Voices features a few stories of children鈥檚 lives in Revelstoke, including the fact that some children were forced to work at a young age to help support their families, while others had more privileged lives. A photo essay gives a glimpse into the lives of some of the local children.
A video viewing station offers visitors an opportunity to explore some more contemporary stories. Two Revelstoke residents give their perspectives on living with disabilities, and another person talks about his experience as a gay man living in Revelstoke. An interview with Revelstoke ski-jumping legend Isabel Coursier gives a view into her life and career. LaRae Wiley talks about her great grandmother Adeline, and a song by the late singer/songwriter Darrel Delaronde gives a poignant telling of the story of Adeline.
Visitors to the exhibit have the opportunity to share their own story on a converted desktop rotary phone. Everyone has a story, and the museum is hoping to gather even more.
Reclaimed Voices was made possible by funding from the Province of British Columbia through the 150 Time Immemorial Grant Program, along with funding from Revelstoke Community Foundation and Revelstoke Credit Union.
For more information, visit the Reclaimed Voices page on the Revelstoke Museum and Archives website:
