ENCOUNTER WITH THE FIRST NATIONS A MAJOR PERMANENT EXHIBITION ON ABORIGINAL NATIONS AT QUÉBEC'S MUSÉE DE LA CIVILISATION Abenakis, Algonquins, Atikamekw, Crees, Hurons-Wendat, Inuit, Malecites, Micmacs, Innu, Mohawks, Naskapis...What do we really know of the history and culture of the 70 000 aboriginals who live in Québec today? Starting October 21, a new permanent exhibition at the Musée de la civilisation, Nous, les premières nations (Encounter with the First Nations) will present a remarkable encounter with the eleven First Nations who inhabit the Québec territory. In an approach based on emotion, the exhibition goes far beyond the usual folklore and clichés that often conceal the realities of Aboriginal life. It is divided into seven thematic areas which revolve around the issues of identity, of economic interests, of political power, of territory, and of communications. Four educational spaces are also integrated into the exhibition. Eleven Nations, seven themes From the outset the exhibition opens up on themes that are at the very foundation of all the aspirations of Aboriginal people living in Québec, those related to their identity. Who are they? What does this identity mean to them individually? How do they define themselves, both individually and collectively, in today's reality with its references to the past and its projections towards the future. Further on, the exhibition focuses on the issues related to territory and autonomy, seen from the viewpoint of history and through the illustration of the traditional ways of life. As visitors come to the end of their encounter, they are led to a large, convivial area where they can surf on Internet to explore Aboriginal thematic sites, listen to an Algonquian legend or leaf through an Amerindian periodical. Magnificent objects Most of the 500 objects on display in the exhibition are part of the Musée de la civilisation's collections. Many pieces of the museum's magnificent Inuit art collection will be shown throughout the exhibition. At the entrance, the work of Innu artist Diane Robertson (1960-1993) titled Le piège qui s'efface (The fading trap), will welcome visitors. Other objects on display also present a special interest, such as the ceremonial costume of Huron chief Tahourenche (François-Xavier Picard), canoes, Atikamekw and Algonquin crafted bark baskets, hunting and fishing implements of various origins, Huron and Micmac ornamental baskets. A few of the most unusual pieces are part of the collections of the Musée de l'Amérique française, such as shell-beaded wampums and an Iroquoian vase. A splendid 11-meter long rabaska (birch bark canoe) built by the late Cesar Newashish of the Atikamekw nation is also on display. Finally, a great number of Amerindian and Inuit garments are exhibited in the areas dealing All these objects of daily life, some of them common to all the nations while others are specific to one or another, lead us to the discovery of the traditional lifestyle of the eleven nations, each with its own characteristics. The various materials used for their realization - taken from the flora, fauna or mineral world - bear witness to the geographical and historical diversities of the lives of these communities. By learning about the value and the role, at times utilitarian and at times symbolic or legendary, of these objects of their past, one gets a better understanding of the Amerindians of today. While the objects of the exhibitions focus mostly on the traditional aspects of Aboriginal cultures, the iconographic and audiovisual documents deal with their contemporary aspects. Moving audiovisual documents....by Arthur Lamothe Who better than film-maker Arthur Lamothe could have realized the exhibition's audiovisuals? The major part of his more than 30-year film career has been devoted to the exploration of the Amerindian world thematics. Along the years, his knowledge of the human environment and a natural empathy have made of him a privileged and attentive witness of the life of today's Québec Aboriginal communities. While some documents are drawn from his extensive filmography, others have been realized specifically for the exhibition, such as ten interviews with members of the First Nations expressing their perceptions with regard to the issues raised by the exhibition. A resolutely contemporary design The design of the large exhibition hall bears strong evidence of the contemporary character of the exhibition and is the expression of the museum's innovative outlook with regard to Aboriginal issues. The perspectives and horizons are suggestive of the immensity of the territory that has been covered by past and present generations. The overall design suggests a contemporary people, strongly related to the past, but also and mostly identified the present and the future. The exhibition on its whole expresses the contrasts in the lives of these communities, both attached to their oral tradition and connected to Internet, who venerate the word of their elders while pursuing University studies... An essential partnership with the First Nations Throughout the realization of the exhibition, the Musée de la civilisation has worked in close concertation with the eleven First Nations who inhabit the Québec territory. Representatives from each nation have followed every step of the project and an Algonquian museologist is part of the realization team. Québec's First nations, a major permanent exhibition of the Musée de la civilisation, starting October 21, 1998. An exhibition realized in collaboration with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs of Canada, Heritage Canada and the Secrétariat aux affaires autochtones du Québec. Serge Poulin Issued : October 20, 1998.

_{© Musée de la civilisation}