A picture of the LaFayette family about 1926 - came in 1906, first to Regina and then moved to homestead near Rosetown in 1911. (Submitted/ Carol Lafayette-Boyd)

By Nigel Maxwell

Tracing our roots

New heritage project aims to share stories of African Canadians living in rural Sask.

Nov 6, 2021 | 8:00 AM

The stories of individuals with African ancestry, who settled in rural Saskatchewan, is the focus of a new project being launched by an artist and storyteller from British Columbia.

Shayna Jones received funding last year and told paNOW the seeds for the project were planted in light of all the social upheaval that surrounded the murder of George Floyd, and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement.

“And being alone as I am quite ethnically and culturally in my small town, it really got me reflecting on how I inhabit not only my skin colour but how I inhabit my heritage and my ancestry while living as a cultural island out here,” she said.

Before long those questions led to more questions.

“And it got me curious of other individuals of African ancestry, other black individuals, who also live in rural areas across Canada; and their reflections and their sense of connection to their heritage or lack there of to the land where they live and the communities they live in while often being one of the lone black faces around,” Jones said.

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The Shiloh Baptist Church was designated a Saskatchewan Heritage property in 2018. (Submitted/ Carol Lafayette-Boyd)

Jones is currently in the process of connecting with individuals and families, and hopes to have a collection of stories gathered by next June which will then be used as part of an exhibit at the Saskatchewan African Canadian Heritage Museum in Regina, as well as a live performance at the Royal Saskatchewan museum.

“There is such a rich history of black community in Saskatchewan that I had no idea about until I started to ask questions and begin to meet people,” she said.

Carol Lafayette-Boyd is the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan African Canadian Heritage Museum, and citing her own family’s experience, said some of the province’s earliest settlers have African ancestry.

“They came in 1906 from Iowa, searching for a better life, because of the racism and discrimination and harassment that was going in the states,” she explained.

Lafeyette-Boyd said one of their earliest settler examples is Dr. Alfred Schmidt Shad from Ontario who started out as a teacher in the Kinistino area, before becoming a doctor in Melfort. Following him a number of families settled in Northern Saskatchewan and in the Maidstone area. Lafayette-Boyd said she is excited about the work Jones is doing, adding her hopes to learn about more families not currently featured in the museum.

“it’s kind of exciting to see the people of african descent have had an impact on the rural areas,” she said

Any families wishing to contact Jones, can do so through her website.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell