The Manitoba Museum Repatriates Cultural Belongings to Piapot First Nation

The Manitoba Museum Repatriates Cultural Belongings to Piapot First Nation

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Wednesday September 10, 2025

Treaty No. 4 Territory – Piapot First Nation, Saskatchewan – Sept. 10, 2025 – The Manitoba Museum recently completed its largest repatriation to date, with the return of 19 belongings to Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan, which coincided with the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 4.

The 19 belongings include ceremonial pipes, a drum, an eagle fan, medicine pouches, as well as gifts that Chief Piapot gave as thanks to the minister who conducted his daughter’s marriage ceremony. These came into the Museum’s care through three separate donors, two of whom donated to previous collections/museums that later became part of the Manitoba Museum.

“The return of Chief Piapot’s belongings is very important. The different sacred belongings that he has – the pipes, the leggings, the shirts – all of that brings honour back to our people. When our people see the belongings, they’re proud, they’re honoured, they’re emotional. It’s a great thing. We want to give thanks to the Manitoba Museum for working closely with us, KNT IRS Consulting (Kā-natonahkik-tāpwēwin) in repatriating all of Chief Piapot’s belongings to our nation. It’s going to carry our nation for another hundreds and hundreds of years to come and we give thanks to all who have supported us, here today on the 150th commemoration.” – Chief Mark Fox of the Piapot First Nation

The Manitoba Museum recognizes repatriation as an important institutional responsibility. Repatriation is more than returning objects to communities. It is in support of revitalizing Indigenous self-identity, spirituality and ceremony, languages, art, sovereignty, laws and governance.

“It was such an honour to work with Barb Lavallee from Piapot First Nation on this repatriation, ensuring that we followed the guidance and protocols from the Elders and spiritual leaders and aligned them with the Museum’s policies and procedures. I view repatriation as a very collaborative process, and I’m so grateful for the dedication from Barb and Nadine to finalize this significant repatriation.” – Dr. Amelia Fay, Curator of Anthropology and the HBC Collection at Manitoba Museum

The Manitoba Museum’s repatriation policy was first put in place in 2007. This policy has been continually updated and revised, most recently considering the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and through discussions with the Indigenous Advisory Circle to the Museum.

“We’re honoured and humbled to have been witness to today’s important commemoration with the Piapot First Nation. We hope that the repatriation of Chief Piapot’s belongings to his community will bring present and future generations renewed strength and hope.” – Dorota Blumczyńska, CEO of Manitoba Museum

We welcome all requests for repatriation and approach this work as part of a community-led practice, where we integrate community values and needs throughout the process.

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To honour this important repatriation and to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 4, representatives from the Manitoba Museum, including CEO Dorota Blumczyńska, Curator of Anthropology and the HBC Collection Amelia Fay, and Museum Advisor for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Tabitha Harper, travelled to Piapot First Nation on September 9 to participate in the community’s celebration.

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For further information, please contact:

 

Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
Manitoba Museum
BHayberg@ManitobaMuseum.ca | 204-988-0614

The Sky for September 2025

Posted on by Scott Young

September brings the official beginning of fall in the northern hemisphere, the beginning of school for most students, and an end to summer vacation for many. It’s also one of the best months to stargaze, with cooler temperatures and earlier sunsets bringing the dark that much sooner.

The Solar System for September 2025

Mercury is not visible this month as it passes around the far side of the Sun.

Venus rises about 4 a.m. in early September, but dips lower into the Sun’s glare as the month goes on. On the morning of the 19th the thin crescent moon passes very close, a striking pre-dawn sight worth getting up for. By month’s end it is still low in the east before sunrise.

Mars is too close to the Sun (as seen from Earth) to be visible this month.

Jupiter rises about 2 a.m. in the east on September 1st, shining to the right of the twin stars Castor and Pollux. Jupiter is just beginning its season of visibility for 2025, and it will grow brighter and rise earlier as it approaches its opposition in January 2026.

Saturn rises about 9 p.m. in the east at the beginning of September. It is at opposition on September 21, which means it is opposite the Sun in our sky and thus visible all night. Saturn’s rings are only tilted by a couple of degrees relative to our line of sight, which means they appear very thin and edge-on. The situation gets worse throughout the year, as the rings will nearly disappear from our point of view. They’re still there, but they are so thin that it’s like looking at the edge of a piece of paper. On the plus side, for those with large telescopes, we will be able to see some of Saturn’s moons cast their shadow on the planet as they orbit. Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, casts its shadow on the planet on the nights of September 3-4th and 19-20th this month. The waxing gibbous Moon is nearby on the morning of August 12 (see below).

Uranus is in the morning sky a few degrees below the famous Pleaides star cluster (also known as the Seven Sisters). It is too faint to easily see without binoculars, and even a telescope shows it as a faint dot that looks just like the other faint stars. A detailed star-charting app like Stellarium is required to track it down.

Neptune is in the same binocular field of view as Saturn for the entire month, but since it is even farther than Uranus it is invisible without optical aid. Neptune requires good binoculars or a small telescope to even spot, and a large telescope to make it out as anything more than a faint dot. Again, a detailed star chart like those produced by Stellarium is required to tell which tiny “dot” is Neptune.

Of the five known dwarf planets, only (1) Ceres is close enough to be seen in binoculars or a small telescope. In September, Ceres is approaching its brightest for the year on October 2, below and to the left of Saturn and Neptune. You should be able to spot it in binoculars as a faint “star” that slowly changes its position each night.

Sky Calendar for August 2025

All times are given in the local time for Manitoba: Central Daylight Time (UTC-5). However, most of these events are visible across Canada at the same local time without adjusting for time zones.

If there’s a little box to the left of the date, you can click on it to see a star map of that event! All images are created using Stellarium, the free planetarium software.

Wednesday, September 3, 2025: Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, casts its shadow on the planet’s cloudtops between 00:12 am CDT and 4:11 am CDT.

Sunday, September 7, 2025: The Full Moon rises to the right of Saturn this evening, and slowly approaches the ringed planet throughout the night. There is a lunar eclipse during this full moon, but the eclipse is not visible from North America.

Monday, September 8, 2025: The just-past full Moon rises to the left of Saturn this evening.

Saturday, September 13, 2025: Mercury reaches superior conjunction – passing around the far side of the Sun from our point of view on Earth.

Sunday, September 14, 2025:  Last Quarter Moon

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 (morning sky): The crescent Moon is near Jupiter and the bright stars Castor and Pollux this morning.

Sunday, September 21, 2025:  New Moon. Also today, the ringed planet Saturn reaches opposition, rising at sunset and being visible all night long.

Monday, September 29, 2025:  First Quarter Moon

 

 

People stare up at the northern lights above them.

Summer Meteor Showers

Outside of the regular events listed above, there are other things we see in the sky that can’t always be predicted in advance.

Aurora borealis, the northern lights, are becoming a more common sight again as the Sun goes through the maximum of its 11-year cycle of activity. Particles from the Sun interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and the high upper atmosphere to create glowing curtains of light around the north (and south) magnetic poles of the planet. Manitoba is well-positioned relative to the north magnetic pole to see these displays often, but they still can’t be forecast very far in advance. A site like Space Weather can provide updates on solar activity and aurora forecasts for the next 48 hours. The best way to see the aurora is to spend a lot of time out under the stars, so that you are there when they occur.,

Random meteors (also known as falling or shooting stars) occur every clear night at the rate of about 5-10 per hour. Most people don’t see them because of light pollution from cities, or because they don’t watch the sky uninterrupted for an hour straight. They happen so quickly that a single glance down at your phone or exposure to light can make you miss one.

Satellites are becoming extremely common sights in the hours after sunset and before dawn. Appearing as a moving star that takes a few minutes to cross the sky, they appear seemingly out of nowhere. These range from the International Space Station and Chinese space station Tianhe, which have people living on them full-time, to remote sensing and spy satellites, to burnt-out rocket parts and dead satellites. These can be predicted in advance (or identified after the fact) using a site like Heavens Above by selecting your location.

Scott Young

Scott Young

Planetarium Astronomer

Scott is the Planetarium Astronomer at the Manitoba Museum, developing astronomy and science programs. He has been an informal science educator for more than thirty years, working in the planetarium and science centre field both at The Manitoba Museum and also at the Alice G. Wallace Planetarium in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Scott is an active amateur astronomer and a past-President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Manitoba Stories: In the Sky

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Science Communicator (Bilingual French-English)

Posted on by Rebecca Watson

The Manitoba Museum, a not-for-profit institution, is Manitoba’s largest heritage centre and number one paid tourist attraction with over 300,000 on-site visitors annually, including 80,000 students. We uniquely combine human and natural history themes, multidimensional interpretation, science, and astronomy education with quality school and community programs, special events and exhibits. We are pleased to announce a PERMANENT PART-TIME bilingual Science Communicator opportunity in our Learning & Engagement Division beginning in September 2025.

Reporting to the Manager of School and Public Programs, the Science Communicator delivers interpretive programs on themes related to the Science Gallery and Planetarium and assists in other public program events for the general public and organized groups. The incumbent must exercise initiative and independent judgment in working with the Museum’s various audiences while maintaining an energetic and lively approach.  They must be able to work with minimal supervision and be available for weekend and evening work.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated knowledge of the general sciences and scientific principles, skills in public speaking and theatrical program delivery, as well as experience working with the public and children.  Knowledge of astronomy is an asset. Fluency in both official languages (French/English) is required for this position. The detailed job description is below.

Applications will be accepted until September 10, 2025, or until the position is filled. Interested applicants may forward a résumé and cover letter to:

Manager of Volunteer & Employee Relations
The Manitoba Museum
190 Rupert Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3B 0N2
Fax:  (204) 942-3679
Email: HR@ManitobaMuseum.ca

 

The Manitoba Museum is committed to inclusion and employment equity and welcomes diversity in the workplace. The Manitoba Museum recognizes the importance of building a workforce reflective of the visitors it serves. Therefore, the Manitoba Museum supports equitable employment practices and promotes representation of designated groups (women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities).

Employment Equity is a factor in selection for this position. Consideration will be given to Indigenous people, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities. All applicants are encouraged to self-identify if they are members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities) in their application.

 This document is available in other formats and accommodations will be provided throughout the selection process upon request. Contact Human Resources at 204-956-2830 if you have an accommodation request.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those being considered for interviews will be contacted. We are not able to acknowledge receipt of applications submitted via Fax or mail.

Job Description:

Pay Group: 3

 

General

Reporting to the Manager of School and Public Programs, the Science Communicator delivers interpretive programs on themes related to the Science Gallery and Planetarium and assists in other public program events for the general public and organized groups. The incumbent must exercise initiative and independent judgment in working with the Museum’s various audiences while maintaining an energetic and lively approach. They must be able to work with minimal supervision and be available for weekend and evening work. Fluency in both official languages is required for this position.

Typical Duties:

  1. Deliver interpretive programs for the institution’s school and general public audience.
  2. Learn pertinent information on departmental programs, permanent galleries, and temporary exhibits as required.
  3. Perform Planetarium shows in the theatre including setting up technical equipment and all controls during performance of programs.
  4. Assist in training and support of part-time staff and volunteers.
  5. Perform all ongoing functions related to program operation including: setting up furniture, equipment, specimens, artifacts, and other materials; operating A/V equipment; storing program materials.
  6. Handle program materials according to institution safety procedures.
  7. Other duties as reasonably assigned.

Minimum Required Qualifications:

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

  1. Demonstrated skills in public speaking and program delivery.
  2. Ability to communicate effectively including the talent to present programs and demonstrations efficiently and enthusiastically to a wide range of age and interest groups.
  3. Capability to sense the dramatic nature of a presentation and respond to it appropriately during a performance.
  4. Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to interact effectively with staff, volunteers, and the general public.
  5. Knowledge of Physical and/or Astronomy Science.
  6. Ability to perform basic research.
  7. Ability to work in an organized manner, both independently and in a team environment.
  8. Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines.
  9. Fluency in both official languages is required.

 

Education, Training and Experience

  1. Grade XII education, and
  2. At least one year of experience working with and presenting to the public, or
  3. Equivalent combination of education and experience.

This is a permanent part-time position commencing as soon as possible in September 2025. Fluency in both official languages is required. The incumbent will report to the Manager of School and Public Programs. The salary range is $19.58 to $24.78 per hour. Availability Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm, weekend and occasional evening shifts is essential. Applications will be received until Wednesday, September 10, 2025, or until the position is filled.

Please submit your resume including cover letter to:

 

Manager of Volunteer & Employee Relations
The Manitoba Museum
190 Rupert Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0N2
HR@ManitobaMuseum.ca

 

The Manitoba Museum is committed to inclusion and employment equity and welcomes diversity in the workplace. The Manitoba Museum recognizes the importance of building a workforce reflective of the visitors it serves. Therefore, the Manitoba Museum supports equitable employment practices and promotes representation of designated groups (women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities).

Employment Equity is a factor in selection for this position. Consideration will be given to Indigenous people, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities. All applicants are encouraged to self-identify if they are members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities) in their application.

 This document is available in other formats and accommodations will be provided throughout the selection process upon request. Contact Human Resources at 204-956-2830 if you have an accommodation request.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those being considered for interviews will be contacted. We are not able to acknowledge receipt of applications submitted via Fax or mail.