Please see below the project summaries for heritage work funded in 2023 via the HCIP (Heritage Community Investment Program) Research & Planning stream, which provides funding up to $5,000 to individuals and organizations to complete preliminary research or planning towards a larger heritage project.
Sara Awatta – Stories of Black Women Leaders and Community Builders in Edmonton
Pre-project activities to define the scope and objectives and build strong partnerships with community organizations through which the organizers can recruit skilled documentarians to support the project. This includes training, development of materials, project plan and timeline, milestones, and deliverables and the technical infrastructure to support the online archive toward long-term sustainability.
Kyler Chittick – Sex and Sin in the City of Champions: A History of Moral Regulation in Edmonton
A historical account of sexual and moral regulation in Edmonton, exploring how colonial constructs of gender and sexuality shaped the city’s history, including the city’s pivotal role in the development of obscenity law in Canada. The study also connects these legal developments to a broader context of homophobia, shedding light on the impact on 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.
Cheryl Croucher – Our Spirit Survived: Archiving Interviews Related to the Edmonton Indian Residential School
Preparing to archive a collection of oral history interviews related to the history of the Edmonton Indian Residential School. The interviews were recorded in 2013 as part of a project initiated by The Nechi Institute. In late 2021, the Nechi Institute granted permission to archive the oral histories according to the wishes of the interviewees and assigned copyright to the researcher so they could publish the manuscript on the history of the EIRS as told by the people who were interviewed and the historical documents which were reviewed. The interview materials include the signed consents of the participants.
Ground Zero Productions – A Working History of Edmonton Chinese Community 1890 – 1960
Books, newspapers and City Directories for Edmonton show that, historically, although much of the city’s Chinese population was affiliated with Chinese restaurants, grocery stores and laundries, many in this group were employed in non-Chinese establishments or owned businesses in other fields (hotels, healthcare, aviation and gardening to name but a few). This project will research and document the diverse labour history of Edmonton Chinese people from 1890 to 1960.
Erina Harris – Traditional Indigenous Toys of Edmonton and Area
Research for a book on the history of children’s toys and the socio-political implications of toys and play. The focus is on Indigenous toys from amiswâciwâskahikan (Edmonton) and Treaty 6.
Saint Jackson – Prayers in Peril Research
In partnership with the Edmonton Queer History Project (EQHP), this research project will compile and document Edmonton’s history of queer Muslims, particularly Black queer Muslims. Interviews with individuals and research archival data will help develop source material for the theatre work Prayers in Peril, supported by Common Ground Arts Society. The resulting research will be made publicly available as a historical archive.
Taghreed Saadeh Meqdadi – I Am Arab Canadian – Research
This research seeks to uncover the history of Arab communities in Edmonton, focusing on some of the first Arab people to settle here. There is a significant gap in the official history of Arabs in Edmonton, while the stories, pictures, and documents that do exist are at risk of being lost as the older generation who hold much of this knowledge are passing on. This work will be shared with the City of Edmonton Archives.
Philippine Arts Council Alberta – Echoes of Identity: Tracing Filipino Cultural Landscapes in Edmonton
Gathering and documenting existing information on the cultural assets of Filipinos in Edmonton as reflecting their heritage, traditions, and contributions to the local community. The plan is to collect data on migration stories and Filipino diaspora and to catalogue culturally relevant heritage assets (events, locations, arts, etc..) in Edmonton.
Jeannette Sinclair – Stories & Story Mapping of Our People: amiswâciwâskahikan Connections
Inspired by the personal experience of the researcher, this project focuses on Indigenous people who do not possess First Nation ‘Band’ membership and the barriers they face in accessing historical records and ancestral stories. The project will begin the process of genealogical research, recording and documenting lived experiences, preserving historical and cultural knowledge, sharing stories (in our own words), and contributing to the collective knowledge of Indigenous people in Edmonton and the Treaty 6 & Treaty 8 territories. The goal is to increase community connection and access to heritage resources.
A complete listing of 2023 HCIP recipients is available here. Contact grants@edmontonheritage.ca with any questions.