June 8 will be a historic day as dignitaries from both the Whitecap Dakota First Nation and the Governor General’s Horse Guards will come together at Original Humboldt for the first time in 130 years.
The site located 11 km out of the city was the site of the first Humboldt telegraph station along the Dominion Telegraph line and was also a military camp during the 1885 North West Resistance.
Because of the rich history of the site, Director of the Humboldt and District Museum and Gallery, Jennifer Fitzpatrick, says the focus of the Original Humboldt project was to honour the numerous stories of the land.
“Our task has been to share the stories and as the land is the focus and it allows us to share multiple stories from multiple perspectives.”
The program will include stories about people’s connections to the land, including George and Catherine Weldon who ran the Telegraph Station, Metis people, the military, and Chief Whitecap.
The site currently has storyboards telling the different stories about Original Humboldt and art installations depicting the Weldon house and a red river cart.
With the event will come the unveiling of three new storyboards from members of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation that will become a permanent addition to the site.
Chief Whitecap was held with his family at the Original Humboldt site as a government prisoner following the 1885 fall of Batoche.
Fitzpatrick says the Committee is honoured to have representatives from the Whitecap Dakota First Nation at the ceremony since they were an integral part of the history of Original Humboldt.
A new plaque will also be unveiled at the site in regards to the military presence at Original Humboldt in 1885 of Lt. Colonel George T. Denison in command of the Governor General’s Body Guards and the Royal Canadian Dragoons..
During the height of the resistance, 460 soldiers resided at Original Humboldt and remembering their presence is part of the Horse Guards memorial program, says Fitzpatrick.
The presence at the ceremony of both the Whitecap Dakota First Nation and the Horse Guards demonstrates the committee’s intent of the site which is to tell the numerous stories associated with the land, says Fitzpatrick.
The stories that will be told are by far not all of the stories that could be told of Original Humboldt but that is the great part of this site, says Fitzpatrick, is that there are so many stories to share.
“It’s very multi-faceted and so there are several stories that need to be told. That’s what the event is about.”
In order to make this event happen, the Original Humboldt Committee did receive funding from Department of Canadian Heritage through their Canada 150 program.
Fitzpatrick says they are acknowledging Original Humboldt as part of Canada 150 because of the role it played in the development of Western Canada.
“The land was here prior to 1867 and there were people here prior to that. We respect that history as well. We see it as Canada 150 moving forward.”
Through this event, Fitzpatrick says we are able to acknowledge history, talk about contemporary issues, and respect everyone’s part of the story.
Included in the program is the presence of Her Honour the Honourable Vaughn Solomon Schofield, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan and representatives of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation, the Governor General’s Horse Guards, as well as representation from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments, and an exciting youth component.
The event is free and open to the public. Everyone must be seated in the tent prior to the arrival of Her Honour when the program begins at 1:30 pm.
This article was written with much assistance from Jennifer Fitzpatrick.
