From women's hands: an object biography of the McTavish Collection
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Date
2017
Authors
Fey, Angela
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Abstract
Objects have the power to create a concrete connection to our past - a connection we can hold in our hands. Each object in a family collection is connected to an ancestor and their story. It is these stories that ground us in who we are and where we come from; these stories that create our heritage and identity. The McTavish Collection is made up 159 objects and is housed at the Manitoba Museum. The collection belonged to a prominent fur trade family and has been passed down through five generations of women of mixed Indigenous/European decent. Eighty objects were pulled from the vaults and reunited as a single collection for closer study. An object biography was created using a combination of research techniques and perspectives to piece together a deeper understanding of the life of women of the fur trade era. Through these objects, a story emerged and shone a light on the women who made, collected and used these objects. This is a study of that process and those stories.
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Metis, HBC, Women, Fur trade, Beadwork, Embroidery, McTavish, Christie, Sinclair