Dr. Joe Moysiuk spent some time in the field this summer looking for fossils. Join us in this video for an “unboxing” of one of the fabulous specimens that he found!
Learn more about Palaeontology research being done at the Museum, here.
Manitoba’s native prairies are endangered because most of them have been cultivated for annual crop production. As a result, some of the rarest species of plants in the province are found in the prairies. The Manitoba Museum helps to document where the rarest plants grow by conducting careful surveys of the prairies that remain. Some of the rare plants are tiny and can only be seen by pawing through the thick grasses. This summer, I was able to visit two areas in the southwest to examine the native vegetation there: Sioux Valley Dakota Nation and the Nature Conservancy of Manitoba’s Jackson Pipestone Prairie and Wetlands.
Fig. 1. Dr. Robson conducted surveys along the Assiniboine River Valley at Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.
Fig. 2. The rare Lacy Tansy-aster (Xanthisma spinulosa) has distinctive grey-green foliage with tiny spines on the leaf edges.
At Sioux Valley, I was able to tour several areas with intact prairie and wetlands with Kevin Tacan and Jennifer McIvor. During the field work, we found several rare plant “hotspots”, that contained multiple species of provincially rare plants. In total, 25 rare plant species were encountered, with one hotspot containing a whopping 12 species within a very small area. Although the plant species encountered are rare in Manitoba, they are more common in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and none of them were legally protected.
The Jackson Pipestone site is a new Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) preserve with both intact prairie and wetlands. Although the site was purchased to help protect the rare birds that nest there, including the Burrowing Owl, I discovered several rare plants growing on the prairie as well.
Fig. 3. One of the rare plants found this year was Yellow Buckwheat (Eriogonum flavum) a species that grows on dry, upper valley slopes.
Fig. 4. Grassy bank and creek vegetation at the Jackson Pipestone Prairie and Wetlands preserve.
The upper banks of the creek that runs through the site contained several of the same rare plants located at Sioux Valley, including Yellow Buckwheat and Broom Snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae). However, there were also two unique plants that were found at the preserve: Rocky Mountain Beeplant (Cleome serrulata) and Whorled Milkwort (Polygala verticillata). Both of these species are a bit unusual as they are among the few native annual plant species in the province. It is believed that rare annuals on the prairies were adapted to the disturbances created by wildfires, or the grazing and wallowing activities of Bison and other large herbivores.
Rocky Mountain Beeplant has beautiful spikes of pink flowers that are attractive to a wide variety of pollinators. It is quite a tall plant (hip level), and therefore, not easy to miss. In contrast, I almost missed seeing the nationally rare Whorled Milkwort due to its small stature. It is a short plant, about 10 cm tall, that was completely covered up by the tall grasses at the site. I discovered it only because I got down on my knees to search for some rare plants that form mats on the ground. Whorled Milkwort has tiny spikes of whitish-pink flowers, and narrow leaves arranged in whorls of four. It is a close relative of the more common perennial plant, Seneca Snakeroot (Polygala senega).
Fig. 5. Broom Snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) was found at both prairie sites visited in 2024.
Fig. 6. A small population of the rare Rocky Mountain Beeplant (Cleome serrulata) was found at the Jackson Pipestone Prairie and Wetlands.
Fig. 7. The nationally rare Whorled Milkwort (Polygala verticillata) is hard to find amongst the dense prairie grasses, due to its small size.
One of the goals of my research this summer was to provide the landowners at both of these sites with a better understanding of the plant diversity that is present, to aid in species conservation. It’s hard to protect species when you don’t even know they are there!
By Tabitha Harper, Museum Advisor on Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, & Amelia Fay, Curator of Anthropology and HBC Museum Collections
As we approach the annual National Day for Truth & Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, folks maybe be curious about their role in Truth & Reconciliation. Many Indigenous leaders and community members have urged that truth needs to come before reconciliation, followed by action to create meaningful impact. Museums have a uniquely important role in changing past narratives and practices to move forward with ReconciliACTION.
Although museums carry a lot of colonial baggage, the Manitoba Museum staff (past and present) have been working hard to make the Museum a safe space to learn about history. In-person visitors to the Museum can choose from various programs and exhibits to engage with difficult histories, we also have resources available on our website and YouTube channel that you can view from home.
The Orange Shirt Day Reflection Wall encourages you to share your thoughts and make a commitment to reconciliation. © Manitoba Museum
The digital kiosk in our Prairies Gallery Schoolhouse exhibit provides opportunities for learning and reflection about the truth of residential schools. © Manitoba Museum
Not sure where to begin? Below are a few topics that I think are a great starting place, no matter where you are in your reconciliation learning journey.
During Orange Shirt Days, daily powwow demonstrations by Beautiful Cloud Company provides the opportunity to learn about the resilience of Indigenous culture. © Manitoba Museum
For many non-Indigenous readers, learning more about these topics might bring up a lot of feelings and make you uncomfortable, and that’s okay. The important thing is to not dismiss information that challenges what you knew about Canadian history, but instead sit with the discomfort and think about why you might feel this way. Moving forward, I recommend looking at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s website for ‘ReconciliACTION Plans’ (nctr.ca/reconciliaction-plans) to create your own action plan.
Join us for a time of learning, reflection, and response.
Three days of free admission to all areas September 28 – 30. No tickets required.
The Criddle family had a wide variety of interests and talents, which some of them pursued as careers and others as hobbies. While patriarch Percy Criddle wasn’t a visual artist, some of his family members were very skilled artists.
In this video with Collections Technician Cortney Pachet, we’ll take a look at some of the work done by three artists within the family: Percy’s mother, Mary Ann, his son, Norman, and his granddaughter, Ann.
We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Grand Chief Cathy Merrick, and offer our sincerest condolences to her husband, children, grandchildren, her home community of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, and all her relations. Grand Chief Merrick offered wise counsel, immense knowledge, and warm kindness to everyone who had the honour of being in her presence. Grand Chief Merrick was a courageous warrior, a truth teller, and an advocate who never wavered in her calls for justice for Indigenous peoples.
When she was first elected in 2022, Grand Chief Merrick met with us at the Manitoba Museum to ensure we understood how to be true allies to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. She generously offered her guidance and support to the changes we would make and returned to sit in circle with us many times as we undertook the work of fulfilling our promises.
“Grand Chief Merrick was direct in her words about where the Museum needed to do better, she was clear about our unique responsibilities, and thoughtful in her expectations. She was also hopeful. When we last saw each other, she left me knowing the monumental tasks that were ahead of us, and that she believed we would do the work needed, that she had faith in us. To me that is who Grand Chief Merrick was, an incredible leader who demanded the world be better while dedicating every moment of her own life to making it so.” – Dorota Blumczyńska, CEO
The Manitoba Museum Board of Governors and staff grieve the loss of Grand Chief Cathy Merrick, our province’s greatest Matriarch, our most resolute Warrior, and beloved Kukum to generations.
Have you ever heard of the killdeer? This bird has a clever way of keeping predators away from its nest of eggs. Learn how in this video with Learning & Engagement Producer Erin!
