Make a date with the past

Page 17

Visiting the museum and art gallery at the Woodland Cultural Centre is like going on a journey through time.

Your journey begins at a prehistoric village of the Neutral people, the name given by 17th century explorers to the independent tribes of Iroquoian people who weren't involved in disputes between the Huron and Five Nations Iroquois. From there, you travel through the fur trade, then through to the establishment of the Six Nations Confederacy. The journey continues through the centuries, through the First and Second World Wars, up until present day.

Along the way, you'll see a replicated longhouse, and artifacts such as pottery and bead work, explained Janis Monture, executive director of the cultural centre. The centre, located at 184 Mohawk St. in Brantford, Ont., gets its support from four area First Nations-the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, the Wahta Mohawks, the Six Nations Council and the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte-and the museum focuses on the Eastern Woodland cultures.

Further on, museum exhibits examining the 19th and 20th centuries look at the effects of racial discrimination, Monture said.

"As well as some of the people who rose above some of the discrimination at the time, like poetess E. Pauline Johnson and Tom Longboat."

The connection between the area's Mohawk communities and iron working is also examined in the exhibit.

"It talks about what it meant to the men in our community," Monture said.

The last museum exhibit looks at the movement of pan-Indianism across the country, examining how different Aboriginal groups have begun to adopt aspects of each other's cultures, and provides a segue between the museum space and the art gallery.

The gallery is one of the features that makes the cultural centre unique, Monture explained, because it provides a showcase for contemporary First Nation art.

"You won't usually get to see these artists unless you go to some of the bigger galleries, like the National Gallery of Canada or even the Art Gallery of Ontario," she said.

Through the gallery, the cultural centre is able to celebrate and recognize members of the community who have made great artistic achievements.

Until July 10, the gallery is featuring the contemporary art exhibit First Nation Art, featuring the work of artists with First Nation ancestry from across Canada and the United States.

On July 17, a new exhibit will open. Images in Stone: The Art of Joe Jacobs, will feature works by the renowned sculptor from Six Nations of the Grand River. Jacobs' artistic achievements and work to preserve Iroquois culture through his art were recently recognized when he was named this year's winner of a National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the arts and culture category.

The exhibit, which will run until Sept. 18, will feature works by Jacobs that are part of the cultural centre's collection, as well as some on loan specifically for the exhibit.

Another new exhibit, Knock on Wood, will open on July 18 and run until Sept. 18.

"It's artifacts that have been created from trees and bushes, and shows how they've always been used as a medium for both spiritual and artistic creations and necessities of life," Monture said of the exhibit, which will feature both ancient artifacts and more contemporary works.

"You'll see some of the artistic elements, but you'll also see more of the traditional artifacts... wooden bowls, as well a canes... some of them are created today, so they have a little more artistic influence."

Visitors to the cultural centre over the summer will also have a chance to take in performances by the Kanata Native Dance Theatre, which will be performing Iroquoian social dances. The performances will take place June 21, 22, 24 and 30, July 15, 20 and 29, and Aug. 3, 12, 17, 26 and 31. All performances will begin at 1:30 p.m. Admission to the performances is free with a paid museum admission.

In September, the cultural centre ill host an exhibit with links to the centre's past. In its previous incarnation, the building that now houses the centre was home to the Mohawk Institute residential school, which operated from 1828 until 1969.

Where are the Children? Healing the Legacy of the Residential Schools, an exhibit of photographs chronicling the residential school experience, will open at the centre on Sept. 25 and run until Jan. 8, 2006.

The Woodland Cultural Centre's museum and art gallery are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Admission to the centre is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for youth six to 16, and free for children under six.

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Entrepreneur-Jeremy Thompson, 30, Business-Lube-X Fast Oil Change, Launch-May 2003, Location-Medicine Hat, Alta.

Jeremy Thompson is a former professional hockey player, who once played for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League. Now he's traded hockey sticks for dipsticks as owner of a Lube-X. In April, the Metis Nation of Alberta, Region III, presented Thompson with the Metis Youth Entrepreneurial Leadership Award. He is also a member of board of directors of the Saamis Employment and Training Association.

Windspeaker: Why did you start your own business?

Jeremy Thompson: After I finished playing hockey, I was just running. I was doing jobs that weren't really paying much and I was working way more than I wanted to, so it was a good opportunity when this came up, to do it. If I was going to work 10, 12 hours a day, I'd rather work for myself.

Windspeaker: Any formal business training?

Thompson: I do have some college education. I did take some business courses at Medicine Hat College and the University of Lethbridge.

Windspeaker: What are your business short-term goals?

Thompson: The short-term goals, well, you know, we want to improve business. I'd like to break the half-a-million mark this year for sales. And just give a great service and be involved in te community here.

Windspeaker: Long term?

Thompson: Long-term, eventually open up more stores, maybe a second one in Medicine Hat or one in the outlying areas. I have an idea of maybe when they build the ring road in Calgary, putting a store in the Tsuu T'ina business park.

Windspeaker: What has been your greatest business success so far?

Thompson: Just the turn-around we've had at this location.

We took a store that was struggling and doubled the business in less than two years. This was my first foray into business, so I have to say what we've done here, and just creating a better customer base and adding to our sales.

Windspeaker: What was the biggest hurdle you've faced so far in operating your own business?

Jeremy Thompson: The biggest hurdle I'd have to say is staffing. Right now we're in an economy here that there's more jobs than there is labor, so it's been very tough to get good people and keep good people. And I've used different organizations. I've used Saamis Employment and Training. I try to hire Aboriginals every chance I get but it's tough to find anybody.

Windspeaker: What has been the biggest surprise for you in getting your business up and running?

Thompson: I guess just the initial turn-around. I managed the store for a year before I bought it, and we kind of struggled along and then after I bought it, it seemed like within six months we just shot off. We tried some different things. We did some different advertising; we came up with our own little image for the store, kind of a little different than our corporate image, which really helped. Just how the business has taken off.

Windspeaker: If you could start all over again with your business, what would you do differently?

Thompson: Yes, I'd probably do my advertising differently than how I originally did it. We spent a lot of money in advertising. We didn't find the right niche until about a year later. And that was a lot of money I think we wasted.

Windspeaker: What i the greatest reward of running your own business?

Thompson: When you're successful, the good feeling you get. Plus I'm able to volunteer with three or four different organizations. I can coach my daughter's soccer team. Just being able to be more at home with family. My family is part of the business too. We work together.

When you're successful, it's really good. The lows are bad, but the highs are good. You've got to take them both in stride, but I think being in business for myself. I wouldn't be able to do the things I've been able to do the last two years if I was working for someone else.

Windspeaker: What one piece of advice would you give to other young Aboriginal entrepreneurs or would-be entrepreneurs?

Thompson: Definitely the first piece of advice would be, if they're going to go into business, would be to get a good business plan. Don't set your goals too high, because they can be tough to reach. And to use every tool available to you for financing and business planning. And if you have a good business plan going in, you should be successful.