Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Alumni News

Congratulations to alumnus Alan Long (Interdisciplinary MA, theatre and history), who has just been named the general manager of the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Compnay. Over the last decadeIn the last ten years, he has worked in various positions for Persephone Theatre, Rosthern Station Arts Centre and Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

All Things Voyageur

An interview with Robert Englebert will be aired on French CBC programme, Téléjournal Ouest, on February 21st between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

In the interview, Robert discusses the recent launch of The Voyageur Database Project, a database of 35,000 fur trade voyageur contracts signed in front of Montreal notaries between 1714 and 1830 (http://shsb.mb.ca/en/Voyageurs_database). This is, to date, the largest collection of data regarding the contracts signed by men of the Montreal fur trade. The information collected from the contracts includes: family names, parishes of origin, hiring company, length of contract, destination(s), advances and wages, supplies, conditions of hire, the name of the notary, date of signing, and miscellaneous notes. This project was a component of the Métis National Council's National Research Initiative.

Robert Englebert in front of a poster display for the project
 
Over six years, working with Dr. Nicole St-Onge (Ottawa), Robert helped to build the database from the ground up as the project manager in charge of a dedicated team of students during his PhD. Although he left the project when he took up his position in our department, he continued as assistant director of the project, which included using the database for research and promoting the project.

The Voyageur Database is a valuable new research tool. For example, Métis and French-Canadian genealogists or labour and social historians can trace families across time and distance. The database is an important source of information on a largely illiterate group of people, who is otherwise difficult to document.

Congratulations, Robert, on the launch of this exciting new project! We look forward to your T.V. appearance.

Friday, February 04, 2011

Where's Waiser?

Bill Waiser and his wife, Marley Waiser (National Water Research Institute of Environment Canada), are spending February and March as visiting scholars at the Center for Canadian Studies at Duke University. Bill will bringing Saskatchewan to an international audience this month when he gives a talk at the Center on "A Tale of Two Futures: Saskatchewan in 1905 and 2005".


For more information on their activities as visiting scholars, see: http://jhfc.duke.edu/canadianstudies/newsletter.html.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

HUSA Clothing Sale and Movie!
The History Undergraduate Students' Association will be selling clothing again this year.  Zip-up jackets are going for $90 and hoodies for $55. Both bear the University of Saskatchewan logo, as well as the Department of History. You can place your orders at the HUSA booth, which will be set up at the top of the Arts ramp on February 15, 16 and 17 from 11a.m. to 2p.m.  If you are unable to get your order in at the booth, just email Kristina at kar152@mail.usask.ca!

In the not-too-distant future, HUSA will be hosting a movie night.  The subject? Spies! World War II! French Resistance! The movie? Carve Her Name with Pride. Professor Pam Jordan will be introducing the movie.  
When: February 8
Time: 5 p.m.
Place: Arts 146