What's the Point???

Having attended the 2015 Alberta Museum Association
Conference of late, I was inspired to the point that I had existential
questions concerning the purpose of my job…what really do I do for a living? It
dawned on me that I may not contribute as much to the world, or society as a
whole, as my infantile mind once hoped I would! Not that I had planned on
sporting a cape at night or solving world hunger, but it is often that museum
workers generally have to evaluate their role in their communities.

Some of our exercises and workshops addressed our internal
and external code of ethics in which museum workers abide. This raised issues
of responsibility, public trust and, yet again, purpose. I suppose all of us
have this crisis at some time or another; however it seems to be a museum
worker’s prerogative to question their relevancy. Academically we are taught
that museums are custodians of artifacts and organizations of anamnesis, in
other words, we collect old stuff and keep it safe. This is not our solitary
function. We are in fact entertainers, educators, marketers, artisans,
designers, writers, sales workers, candlestick makers and, when necessary,
misers!  When it is all said and done, who really cares???? Well it is simple, we do!Without the help of deeprootsmag.org viagra ordination professional physician erectile dysfunction is incurable. This medicine is helpful and commander levitra http://deeprootsmag.org/2019/06/18/the-anchor-weighs-in/ effective on impotent men. If any ingredient or component of the medicine is designed buy viagra no prescription to treat. Multiple health benefits featured in shilajit improves both physical as well as mental health tadalafil cheap prices of person.

A museum has to perpetually reinvent itself to mirror the
needs, lives and opinions of not only the past but also its contemporary
communities. The solution is then to find current topics that spark intrigue. This
is indeed a precarious venture. With so many viewpoints, how does one maneuver
the minefield, figuratively speaking? Some might say ‘don’t jump’ while others
say ‘dive-in head first’, either way, you risk offending someone. From my
experience, it is better to reveal your warts than to let them fester and
ultimately it is our responsibility to expose truths no matter the topic of
discussion.

So I pose the question to you, what in Wetaskiwin merits a museum’s
attention? Is there something that is habitually neglected due to its
controversial nature that unites the fabric of our community?

The Powwow: A Spectrum of Culture

It is always fulfilling to stroke off an item on my bucket
list; to my pleasure and honour I was able to witness a powwow for the first
time and put a check beside a longstanding entry on my life index! What better
way to spend a Sunday afternoon among peers than to share a majestic cultural
tradition that arouses excitement and pride of First Nations communities.

Frankly, I was not sure what to expect– I am just a country
girl that hails from a small, dusty side-road that compels every rover to wave at
all fellow drivers! It wasn’t long after I arrived at the Samson Powwow before
the smells, sights and sounds were a delightful assault on the senses.
You may ask how I would characterize such an event…but
frankly there is no way to delineate a powwow. What doesn’t it have to offer?
Thanks to my trusty ‘interpreter’ and colleagues, I was able to fully
appreciate the scope of the event.

Minor but essential details are the giggles and scurrying of
little feet from children that attend with their families. It is, indisputably,
a family affair where bonds of friendship are forged and renewed.

Powwows tickle the taste buds. I suddenly became ravenous
when my hungry alter ego craved something deep fried and sautéed in butter. ForDue to lack of trans-dermal delivery elements in Vigrx Oil, the active ingredients do not get into the blood cialis canadian pharmacy and then function accordingly. The church that once met in a rental facility is now one of the largest churches in North America and cooler regions of Eastern Asia, this herb is considered to be an adaptogenic herb that assist viagra online purchase your body in adapting to stress. It is thought to work by supporting the liver in the reduction of tissue inflammation and the eliminating viagra online canada of toxins. Inhibition of serotonin is undertaken by this levitra prescription cute-n-tiny.com herb.
those of you who have attended a powwow, you know of what I speak—bannock
burgers! Needless to say, my calorie count morphed into an infinity symbol by
the end of the day!

Competition is also a major component of the powwow; the quality
and quantity of participants was sensational. From the chimes and grace of the
Women’s Jingle Dress Dance to the prowess and agility of the Men’s Fancy Dance,
the athleticism and regalia was simply striking. I was sweating in my seat by the
mere sight of their stamina and glad that I was able to appreciate their
artistry from afar in the shade!

Wandering around the grounds my purse strings were pulled
until they were nearly shredded when vendors offered an array of handcrafted
merchandise. Anything pretty, shiny, beaded and dangly provoked me to spend,
spend, spend. Fortunately, I did not claim bankruptcy!

Fun is, of course, a main ingredient. The entire powwow
event is a cornucopia of amusement and compelling traditions that would elicit
reverential awe from all its spectators. As for myself, I can’t wait to press
the repeat button and relive this outstanding cultural event. I went home with
the sound of drumming still reverberating in my chest. To anyone who has an interest
in our national history or looking to enjoy a day out, attend a powwow at least
once, you will not regret or forget the experience!

Ten Accessioned Bottles of Beer on the Wall

I’ll be the first to admit that I have never blogged before starting my job here at WDHM. When the idea came up to start a blog for our new website I was excited, but a bit hesitant with my lack of experience in the Blogging world. Since beginning the blog, my common points of interest have been writing about objects I find in the vault that I’m curious or unsure about; items of the past that I am unfamiliar with that raise questions and provide unique answers! Because I spend more time on these particular relics, I often brush past the everyday stuff that gets taken for granted, which can hold just as much interest as an unidentifiable artifact.

This was put into perspective when I brought our newest volunteer, Bill, into the artifact vault for a tour. Part of the pleasure I take from my job is the reaction and emotion I witness when people get to see our collection and the items they can relate to, or hold memories with. For Bill, this happened right at the shelf of glass bottles, particularly our beer bottle collection.

On the shelf is a collection of various beer bottles from different companies, of different sizes. To me, a non-beer drinker, they were just bottles, nothing terribly exciting. But then, Bill started talking about the smaller bottle, beside the long tall neck Pilsner. He recalled that they switched to a smaller and fatter bottle to put more beer in the bottles and less bottles in the case. He said that they were popular for a time and then were abruptly removed from the market, reverting back to the tall long neck bottles. I started to think, “hmm, I had no idea there was such a history to the beer bottle…maybe I should look into this, I do have a lot of beer drinking friends, after all.”

The Long neck bottle and the infamous Stubby

Turns out, the small fat bottle is what is known as the “stubby” and this stubby was VERY popular! The Stubby was a Canadian invention to improve the beer drinking experience. Designed to help beer chill faster, package easier, and facilitate shipping, the Stubby was the answer to increasing this popular Canadian tradition that we do so well. Beer, eh!

The Big Three. Err, the Short Three. For a total of $.75, according to the price tag!

The Stubby entered the market in 1961 and remained a facet to the ale masters until its demise in 1983. Today, the Stubby stands as a collector’s item for the beer connoisseur. Some breweries, in recent years, have brought back limited time bottles for nostalgic purposes. It seems there are a number of beer enthusiasts that would revel in the joy of having the stubby back on the market, but the companies are sticking to the standards of the long- neck.

Tall bottles from the WDHM Collection

Thanks to Bill’s comments, I have learned more than I ever thought I would about beer bottles! I was surprised to yield as many results as I did in my quest of knowledge on the topic. Regardless of the bottle, it seems that as long as the beer is flowing, the Canadians are happy!

At WDHM, we don't discriminate...we love all bottles!

Now to find some wine bottles in our collection….
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Thirsty for more information on the topic? Check out these great sources:

Canadian Living. “Canadian Beer Bottles, Do You Know Your History?” http://www.canadianliving.com/food/entertaining/canadian_beer_bottles_do_you_know_your_history.php accessed September 8, 2015.

Canadian Living. “Remembering Canadian Stubby Beer Bottles.” http://www.canadianliving.com/food/entertaining/remembering_canadian_stubby_beer_bottles_3.php  accessed September 8, 2015.

CBC Digital Archives. “Beer: A Sad Farewell to ‘Stubby’.” http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/beer-a-sad-farewell-to-stubby accessed September 8, 2015.

Manitoba Historical Society. “To Brew or Not to Brew: A Brief History of Beer in Canada.” http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/54/beerincanada.shtml accessed September 8, 2015.

Ninkasi. “Beer History: The Stubby.”March 30, 2011.  https://ninkasitoronto.wordpress.com/2011/03/30/beer-history-the-stubby/  accessed September 8, 2015.

On Beer. “Why I Love Stubbies.” http://www.onbeer.org/2012/09/why-i-love-stubbies/  accessed September 8, 2015.

No beers were consumed in the writing of this blog...

Cheers!

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