Annual Corn Roast and Metis Harvest Celebration

Location: Riel House National Historic site – 330 River Road, Winnipeg, MB

Date: Sunday, September 4, 2011

Time: 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Website: Riel House National Historic Site of Canada

Come celebrate the end of summer with us! See the house one last time before winter sets in. Visit and chat with our volunteer artisans. Participate in our music jam, led by local musicians. Be sure to bring your dancing shoes as our guides lead you in a whirl of square dances!

New this year, Riel House is going as green as its shutters! Bring your own mug for iced tea or coffee and enjoy homegrown corn-on-the-cob and bannock on reusable plates!

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6th Annual Selkirk Settlers Parade

Location: Waterfront Drive – proceeding at The Forks National Historic Site down to the Thistle Monument

Date: Saturday, September 10, 2011

Time: 1:00pm

Come celebrate Manitoba’s heritage.  Watch and enjoy as costumed interpreters, massed bagpipe bands and guests parade from The Forks National Historic Site down Waterfront Drive.  The parade will end at The Thistle Monument on Waterfront Drive with speeches from dignitaries.

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Culture Days

Location: Le Musée de St. Boniface Museum – 494 avenue Taché, Winnipeg, MB

Date: Saturday, October 1, 2011

Time: Noon – 5:00pm

Website: Le Musée de St. Boniface Museum

Located at a historic Grey Nuns Convent within walking distance of The Forks National Historic Site, costumed interpreters will be on hand to demonstrate crafts and life from a bygone era.

TO ALL MEMBERS

Cuthbert Grant Day at Grant’s Old Mill was much the same as last year – lots going on – a fine day (after a humid, misty start in the morning). Set up on the hill as we were, the afternoon breezes were most welcome.

Turnout was good – 21. Bill’s carpentry displays – Mike & Dorothy McInnes with agricultural tools – Debbie and Enno figuring out whether the quern ground best clockwise or counter-clockwise – my spinning wheel – Barry’s musket – Erle with his fur and musket, assisted by Tiffany – Emily with her farm animals – the ladies with their embroidery (Zaley, Kaley, Debbie, Vanessa (our newbie), – Louis as Sgt. John Pugh – Genevieve being the mother – and the children – Christopher McInnes, Darion, Xavier and Oceane Woods and Emily Young. Joe T came out in civvies with his camera and as always we will look forward to some of his talented photography on the website soon. Without Joe, there would be no official record of MLHS at many events!!

We have been “told” by our good hosts at Grant’s Old Mill to mark the date for next year.

Ever in the Past….

Judy McPherson
Chair
Manitoba Living History Society
2012 – Bicentennial – Selkirk Settlers

Click on the “Play” button to view the slideshow.  Click elsewhere on the picture to access larger versions of the picture.

The following are photos of the Manitoba Living History Society during Canada Day 2011.

Click on the “Play” button to view the slideshow.  Click elsewhere on the image to access larger versions of the photo.

The following are photos taken at the Selkirk Settler / Regency Picnic held by the Manitoba Living History Society on June 26, 2011 in Assiniboine Park.

Click on the “Play” button to start the slideshow.  Click elsewhere on the photo to access the larger resolution image.

The Manitoba Highland Gathering at Selkirk (June 18th) was a very good event for us and quite successful.  Barry and I camped out beside our display area and it rained all night, causing worried sleep!!!  However, by morning, there were just lifting clouds and humidity.  The day became sunny and very warm and PERFECT!!

There were lots of activities of interest on site from the Heavy Games to sheep shearing as well as the pipe and drum and dancing competitions and huge line-ups for Scottish food.

We took the MLHS marquee which is a great focus and attracts the public.  Bill also brought his fly so we took up quite a bit of ground space.  Demonstrations included – Andrew – clerk; Judy – spinning wheel; Fran – drop spindle & wool display; Bill – carpentry tools; Barry – muskets; Olivia and Freyja – children/grandchildren; Barb – chickens, children, ox cart, children, fiddle; – Erle – bannock, jam, buffalo hide; Zaley – embroidery hoop work; Ed & Carol, Enno, and Nancy, Sarah and Kaley – variety of demos including turns at the quern.  Judy and Barry went off to the canoe/kayak race start place, and read a short speech and Barry fired his musket to start the race.

We had good help setting up and taking down the marquee.  Yahoo!!  25 members in attendance.  THANKS ALL!!!

Ever in the Past….

Judy McPherson

Chair

Manitoba Living History Society

2012 – Bicentennial – Selkirk Settlers

The first two events of our season have been completed – each very very different from the other.

A VISIT WITH THE PEOPLE OF RED RIVER – in partnership with the St. Boniface Museum, held Wednesday last, was a great success.  We had an over-full house of students – 180 each in the morning and afternoon.  This taxed our people in terms of expertise, especially since Fran decided to go on a Baltic cruise instead of doing “Sheep and Wool”, and we have not been able to get someone to take on the “Military Drill” station, both of which are important and very popular.  On the up side, we had several of our members who have never run a station before, do so with great success.  Maryse and Carol ran the “Voyageur Challenge” game which the kids enjoyed.  Enno and Andrew ran the “Voyageur Contract” station, teaching the kids how to blob ink on a contract.  Several others who hadn’t participated before were assistants on some of the stations.  Another highlight this year was “The Doctor” – Alex Borger.  He dug bullets out of a body (pig’s knuckle), showed the effect of a bullet lodged in wood, did his usual amputations and wiped blood from the scene.  The kids loved it!!

But most of all – this year ran smoothly under the leadership of Claire Sparling who took over 90% of the organization of this day.  All I had to do was say “yes Claire, that’s fine”.

Philippe Mailhot spoke to all of us with warm welcome and expressing his appreciation of this continuing partnership with the Museum.

Looking ahead – we need understudies who would be willing to take on most of the responsibility of some of the stations – Sheep & Wool,  Aboriginal Bracelet and Agriculture.  Plus we really need a sergeant!!!!  Give this some thought……

Saturday was RIVERWALK HIGHLAND FESTIVAL at the Forks.  For us, this was very low key – merely a presence.  We put up both a fly and a tent since rain threatened – but never materialized, making it a pleasant day for the dozen of us who attended either morning or afternoon.  The pipes were a pleasant background.  There were not that many visitors to the site, but those who were there visited us and we talked about MLHS and about next year’s bicentennial.  We could do this again next year, with the same low key approach.

Ever in the Past….

Judy McPherson

Chair

Manitoba Living History Society

2012 – Bicentennial – Selkirk Settlers

Written as part of a three volume series – A Visit With The People Of Red River – A Young Person’s Guide And Resource Book – has received rave reviews from all those who have seen it. Its target audience has been students in the middle years, but much to our pleasure and amazement it has attracted a significant adult audience who feel that with the upcoming bicentennial of the arrival of the Selkirk Settlers, they, like their children, need something tangible and readable for the home. Included are the following topics:

PART 1 – THE PEOPLE OF RED RIVER

- People you might meet at The Forks
- Farming in the Early Years
- Natural Disasters
- Fishing
- Hearth and Home
- Occupations
- Young People in the Community
- Neighbors in the Settlement
- The Swiss Soldier-Settlers
- Edged Weapons
- Firelocks
- The Great Guns
- Maps and Travel

PART 2- CLOTHING AND SHELTER

- Dressing the People of Red River
- A Pictorial Visit to The Forks

PART 3 – PROJECTS

- Things you can Make
- Games and Amusements
- Identification Games
- SIlhouettes
- Can You Build Your Own Fort?

PART 4 – GLOSSARY, SUGGESTED READINGS AND WEBSITES

This book is coil bound and printed in black and white to reduce your cost to $20.00. School divisions and institutions who order in bulk can request a modest discount.

Language: English

Paperback: 174 pages, black & white

Dimensions: 8.5″ x 11″

ISBN: 978-0-9813420-0-9

Order your copy now by contacting Barry or Judy - click here -