Inuit communities to have input into Arctic gallery at Museum of Nature
'It isn't just snow and ice, and it isn't just iconic animals like polar bears and beluga whales'
The new Canada Goose Arctic Gallery opening next summer at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa is promising more than snow, ice and polar bears — the museum is asking Inuit communities to help curate exhibitions that reflect the complexity of living in the far north.
"We're actually reaching out to northern communities to curate their own perspectives, of current issues, contemporary issues, concepts of the environment, and put that in the gallery," said Ailsa Barry, speaking for the museum.
"We can't be the only story tellers."
'Our bones were taken'
Allowing the Inuit to tell their own stories is a "seismic change" in attitude for museums, according to Natan Obed, Canada's national Inuit leader and president of ITK, the national representational organization for Inuit in Canada.
"Historically Inuit were studied, and we were exhibits within the museums, our bones were taken," said Obed. "Now we get to a play a part in explaining ourselves, and our environment, our land, to the world."
Obed says he hopes the new gallery will dispel stereotypes and simplistic ideas of the north.
"It isn't just snow and ice, and it isn't just iconic animals like polar bears and beluga whales."
Canada Goose, the well-known parka company, paid $1.5 million for the naming rights for the museum's new Arctic Gallery for 10 years.
The new exhibition space will take over the top floor of the building and feature an expansive and interactive overview of the vast northern landscape, its ecosystem and rich social fabric. It will also address the escalating climate change facing the region.
The gallery is slated to open June 21, 2017, as part of the Canada 150 celebrations.
'Can't wait for it to open'
With its dinosaurs and insect collection, the Canadian Museum of Nature is typically crowded with families of young children.
The fact that young people experience the Arctic story from an Inuit perspective, really excites Obed.
"I can't wait for it to open," said Obed. "Children are going to be here everyday... learning about the Arctic through a different lens than previous Canadian children."
