The Sooke Region Museum will mark its 50th anniversary in 2027. As we look to the future, we are taking time to review the displays, and the stories presented in them. With that, in the years leading up to the 50th anniversary, the interior displays at the museum will be changing. As a museum, we have a responsibility to ensure all histories and stories are shared accurately and equitably. As new understandings to past histories unfold, it is important that we are re-examining pieces to be transparent in our recounting of history.
Currently, we are in the process of reviewing the large mural, painted by Peter Titus, depicting Indigenous peoples playing Lahal (bone game). A few things came out of this process. Originally, we were planning to add interpretation to the mural by including a panel on Lahal, this was to fit with the Heritage Week theme of “Pasttimes in Past Times.” We were going to incorporate our Lahal pieces into the scavenger hunt to tie it all together. In my research into Lahal, I saw images of other Lahal, or bone game pieces that were in other museum collections. I noticed stark differences between our pieces and other pieces. I wanted to ensure that we were displaying actual Lahal pieces, so I reached out to an archeologist to confirm or clarify what the pieces were. From his response, we now know that the pieces we had displayed as Lahal pieces were not. The pieces are concretions, a hard and compact mass formed by minerals, and are found in sedimentary rock or soil. Upon learning this new information, we decided to pull the items from the archeology display. For an archeology display to be accurate, it would not include naturally occurring formations, like concretions.
We added interpretative panels to the mural to assist in contextualizing the piece and showing its relation to the present. Revitalization of Lahal, through annual tournaments in the school district, shows the importance of games and how they bring communities together, strengthening relationships, and provides a sense of personal achievement. In May 2024, the Tri-District Annual Lahal Tournament occurred between the Sooke School District, Saanich School District and the WSANEC School Board, with the most recent tournament concluding in February this year. Playing Lahal, and sharing the history of it, remains an integral part of reaffirming Indigenous identities and practices.
In 2003, Sooke artist Peter Titus painted this mural and referenced Paul Kane’s sketches and paintings. Irish Canadian artist Paul Kane was a prominent artist in the 1840s. It is believed he is one of the first people to document the Canadian Prairies and west coast, having visited Vancouver Island in his expedition. Kane’s work reflected prevailing attitudes held by society at the time, which included the belief that Indigenous peoples were becoming extinct, and therefore, had to be documented. Kane produced sketches on site, which are known to be the most genuine to his observations, whereas his paintings were embellished and combined multiple cultures and locations into one painting. Essential to examining his work is understanding the power dynamic between Kane, an outsider, and his objects of study, Indigenous peoples, and the period in which his pieces were produced.
I write all of this to say that museums, like ours, are not perfect nor do we strive to be. Today, many museums, including ours, are moving away from being an authority on history, to being a place of conversation and education. People trust museums, and we need to continue to earn that trust. We have made errors in the past with historical information, such as the Lahal pieces, and it is important that we acknowledge those errors. In 2027, we hope to present updated displays to represent our community and provide a place that fosters conversations like this one. To do so, we need to hear from you. For the next few months, we are engaging in extensive community conversations through our survey. If you want to help shape the future of the museum, please go to our website to fill out the survey.
