A special Red River cart

St. Vital

At the St. Vital Museum, we treasure all of our galleries and artifacts. For good reason, as we have so much variety and so many unique displays. We have a 1939 firetruck that runs, an actual jail cell, an amazing music gallery featuring gold and platinum records donated by Jim Kale of the Guess Who, displays honouring sports legends such as Jennifer Jones, Jonathan Toews and Dancing Gabe – I could go on and on.

On Valentine’s Day, we unveiled another cherished treasure, our newly restored Red River cart which is a replica of the original carts built in the 1800s.

Approximately 100 people attended the ribbon-cutting/unveiling, including our MP, Ginette Lavack; five MLAs including Jamie Moses, Renee Cable, Robert Loiselle, Tylor Blashko, and Billie Cross; two city councillors, Markus Chambers and Brian Mayes; and four Louis Riel School Division trustees, Irene Nordheim, Ian Walker, Peter Bjornson, and Chris Sigurdson. We were grateful to have all of them attend in support of our event at the museum – and what a positive event it was.

The Red River cart is an all-wood vehicle and is a powerful symbol of Métis nationhood, entrepreneurship, and independence. Drawn by horses or oxen, these durable carts were also very versatile. They could be converted into rafts and also served as mobile, defensive shelters. Made typically from oak, birch, or pine, they used no metal nails, screws, or bolts, making them reparable on the trail. They were used throughout the 19th century and were essential to the fur trade, buffalo hunts, and transporting goods such as pemmican throughout the Red River Colony and northern plains.

During this restoration project, we learned that our specific cart has travelled to Batoche, Sask., and back and is one of two carts known to still exist that have made that journey. The new cart gallery has increased lighting, flashy new signs and audio-video that tells the story the journey to Batoche and back.

This is marks our first audio-video installation at the museum and will hopefully be the start of much more. Working with students from LRSD’s arts and tech program, we hope to have more videos in the near future.

To say Feb. 14 was a fun day at the museum is an understatement. Our guests all enjoyed hot chocolate, heart-shaped cookies and bannock. The museum was spotless and shined, thanks to our wonderful volunteers.

Speaking of which, if you have an interest in history, can invest some time and would like to join a fun group of volunteers, we could use you at the museum. Just fill out a form on-line and we will arrange a date to meet you.

The St. Vital Museum will treasure and be the guardian of this authentic Red River cart for a long time to come.