MBC and FNUniv archives getting digital facelift
- | January 15, 2020
Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and First Nations University will receive federal government grants to digitize some of their archival holdings.
Library and Archives Canada (LAC) will provide $2.3 million to support 31 projects by First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation organizations through a program first announced last year. The Government of Canada’s “Listen, Hear Our Voices” initiative will support Indigenous communities seeking to preserve and make accessible their existing audio and video heritage for future generations.
“As we continue our work with Indigenous partners on the path toward reconciliation, initiatives such as this illustrate our government’s ongoing commitment to support Indigenous communities in preserving First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures and languages for future generations,” Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said in a news release.
FNUniv and MBC were the two Saskatchewan institutions chosen for the grants.
FNUniv in Regina will receive $100,000 for their “Sharing Our Legacy” project and MBC will receive $37,260 to digitize and archive its collection.
Besides helping Indigenous organizations to digitize their existing culture and language recordings, the federal program is intended to build the skills, knowledge and resources organizations need to carry out this work in their communities.
“As an institution, we are inspired by the work that Indigenous organizations continue to do to preserve Indigenous cultures and languages,” said Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada. “I would like to thank all applicants and congratulate the recipients of the Listen, Hear Our Voices funding initiative. I look forward to seeing the progress on this very important work.”
The grant recipients were chosen by an external Indigenous review committee consisting of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation representatives from across Canada.
For a complete list including funding recipients, project titles and funding amounts, visit the Listen, Hear Our Voices (Contribution funding recipients 2019–2020) web page (see link below).
Listen, Hear Our Voices (Contribution funding recipients 2019–2020):
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/aboriginal-heritage/initiatives/listen/Pages/default.aspx