Lindsay Sorell started work as a researcher in the Indigenous History Room at the Historical Museum on June 15. (Dawson Thompson/paNOW Staff)

By Dawson Thompson

Sharing and Learning

New Indigenous History Researcher hired at Historical Museum

Jun 30, 2021 | 2:00 PM

Over the next year the Prince Albert Historical Society will be improving and expanding on the Indigenous History Room at the Historical Museum.

The expansion started with a recent hire of a full-time Indigenous Project Researcher, Lindsay Sorell.

The position was made possible through an $80,000 grant received by the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund.

“I’m extremely honored to be put into this position and to be able to assist as the researcher. It’s really meaningful to me,” Sorell told paNOW.

Lindsay is Metis, and is the sixth generation from her family to live in the Prince Albert area. She did her masters in Edmonton, and is looking forward to bringing her knowledge back to the community where her family is from.

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“I’m just really passionate about Indigenous history and getting connected with elders and knowledge keepers,” Sorell said. “I’m so excited to have moved back to Prince Albert and be able to put my education to work in the community.”

The museum is in the works of creating a new Indigenous History exhibition. It will include iPad’s with stories from elders and will be open in the spring. (Dawson Thompson/paNOW Staff)

The museum is in the works on creating a new exhibition for the Indigenous History Room. The exhibition will be open to the public in the spring.

“It’s going to be all about Indigenous history of Prince Albert since pre-contact up to about 1906. We are hoping for it be focused on audio history. It will be interactive with iPad’s, oral stories will be able to be told from elders straight to the viewer,” Sorell explained.

For people who are looking to learn more about Indigenous history, Lindsay will be the person to talk to.

“I really believe museums can be used as a space for healing for people, especially with having a knowledge keeper and elder driven exhibition,” Sorell said. “It allows Indigenous stories to be told.

“Empowering Indigenous peoples to tell their stories and tell the truth about what has happened is really important for healing and bringing people together.”

Joanna Wreakes of the historical society says the hiring of Sorell will be a benefit to the community as they will have more stories to tell.

“The historical society is super grateful for the grant, which has enabled us to higher Lindsay. The more work we do, and with Lindsay being here, is so instrumental in bringing that room to life and telling the story of Prince Albert’s history and about all of the people who lived since before it was even a city,” Wreakes said.

The museum is located on River Street East. Lindsay began work June 15.

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Dawson.thompson@pattisonmedia.com

On twitter: @dawsonthompson8