Over the last several years, Fort Whoop Up National Historic Site has been active in engaging the Blackfoot community, particularly the Blood and the Peigan tribes that are close to Lethbridge, to develop a mutually beneficial relationship based on traditional practices.
Today, the Blackfoot Confederacy presence has returned full circle: society members and Elders hold ceremonies at the Fort; full trading has resumed with traditional and ceremonial supplies in stock at fair prices at the museum store; Blackfoot staff and board members are an integral part of our staffing and governance; and Elders are regularly engaged in providing interpretation to visitors in a Blackfoot lodge setting.
The Alberta Museums Association's Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) works towards incorporating community engagement into the programs & services of the AMA and the general practices of the Alberta museum community. CEI supports museums by demonstrating the importance of community collaborations as a viable path toward sustainability. This blog provides tools & resources to support museums in creating & maintaining meaningful connections with communities.
