"Back In Pioneer Times" (Or, Semantics and the Past)

"I'm not a pilgrim! That was centuries ago!"

Jean Piaget explains, in his theory of cognitive development, that children are first able to distinguish the present from the past during the preoperational stage (ages 2-7 years old), and one past from another during the concrete operational stage (ages 7-11 years old). Knowledge of such development and learning theories are crucial for any museum education department, as well as for any adult who thinks that the past is just one amorphous blob and that "it's all the same anyway". Young museum visitors and students are able to discern various periods in time, and can associate with each differently - so help them out by being specific, and getting it right.

Much in the same way that "Upper Canada" and "Canada West" indicate certain geographical areas within specific periods of time, so to do the terms listed below. They are not all interchangeable, and should only really be used where appropriate. Oversimplifying for the sake of time or argument tends to rob historical groups of their accomplishments (for better or worse). It may also serve to confuse or mislead the person or group you're talking to - dangerous territory if you're dealing with students attempting to mentally map out a timeline.

Pioneer: A person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area
Settler: A person who settles in an area, typically one with no or few previous inhabitants.
Puritan: A member of a group of English Protestants of the late 16th and 17th centuries who regarded the Reformation of the Church of England under Elizabeth as incomplete and sought to simplify and regulate forms of worship.
Pilgrim: A member of a group of English Puritans fleeing religious persecution who sailed in the Mayflower (etc) and founded the colony of Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620.
Voyageur: (especially in Canada) A boatman employed by the fur companies in transporting goods and passengers to and from trading posts.
Colonial: Relating to the period of the British colonies in America before independence (1776).

To add to this, Victorians (1838-1901) for example, are not Puritans, Pilgrims, or Voyageurs, but can be pioneers or settlers depending on the place and the time. In Canada it's easy to visualize settlement as moving westward. Vancouver did not become an incorporated city until 1886 versus many Ontario towns which were founded in the early and mid-19th century, and by extension many Quebec and east coast settlements founded in the 17th and 18th centuries. So despite the 19th century being quite recent, many Victorians were the first to settle and establish many areas in the west.

As a former British colony, and as a member of the Commonwealth, we (Canadians) often denote specific periods of time in our history according to the reigning monarch. The Tudor period runs from 1485-1603; The Georgian period is often considered to span 1714-1830, and the Edwardian period from 1901-1914.

Sources
Simply Psychology 2012, "Jean Piaget"

Further Reading
TheFreeDictionary.com
The Commonwealth 2015, "Member countries"

Cover Girl

A few weeks ago I found out that I made the cover of the 2015 Black Creek Pioneer Village Guidebook, and I'll be honest, I was quite excited. It's fun to think that my smiley profile and berlin work might help encourage people to learn more about history in Ontario. (Berlin work is a style of needlepoint which incorporated the bright new colours of yarn being developed from aniline dyes. Stitching into canvas meant that the pieces were also more durable and could be shown off by the lady who stitched them. The pattern and colours I was using came from a pattern created in 1852, and was for the top of an ottoman - we turned it into a cushion instead for the gift shop.)

I'm (not so secretly) proud of my hair that day.

Visiting an historical village is an excellent way to gain knowledge and understanding of a previous era, or, of another culture. You are allowed the opportunity to walk through buildings decorated and filled with consumer goods/tools/furnishings/foods etc. and talk with interpreters on the importance of those items, and how they were used. You often get to see interpreters and skilled tradespeople at work. Blacksmiths, printers, tinsmiths, and millers are eager to show you how things were done in a particular period. Not only that, you also get to see what the women were up to: baking, running households, spinning wool, doing needlework, or overseeing the Inn. These examples of course come from Black Creek, which represents an 1860s rural village, but variations can be applied to other sites.

What I think visitors have to be aware of before they visit any historical village, is how it came into being, when, and what the interpretive method/goals of the institution are. To use Black Creek as an example, I'll answer these questions and demonstrate their importance.

The 1860s "village" is an assemblage of buildings relocated there from throughout Southern Ontario. Their movement to the site just north of Toronto was spurred on by the rise (and excitement) of historical awareness and funding during Canada's Centennial (1967), as well as an availability of undevelopable land (Hurricane Hazel did not hesitate to show in 1954 that the area was in a massive floodplain). Classic nostalgia for a pre-war era informed the village's creators and their inclusion, placement, and interpretation of buildings. The Victorians are, after all, the originators of the nuclear family, and the cementers of gender-roles. Black Creek Pioneer Village is lucky to have so many original buildings - other sites that interpret older periods of history must rely on reconstructions. No rural village would be complete without the farm, and Black Creek's farm buildings are the only ones that are original to the site (ie. never been moved). That being said, farms were generally hundreds of acres large, and wouldn't have had so many neighbours, so close. Here's a map of the village to give you a better idea.

The finished product: A 22" square pillow that sold in the
Black Creek Pioneer Village gift shop, 2012.

Knowing these things brings out a more critical eye in the visitor. Black Creek isn't so much of a village as it is an (amazing!) outdoor museum with a collection of historic buildings and artefacts. The interpreters and their demonstrations help to create a story which often ends up nostalgizing the lives of those from the past - which is ok for a family outing on a Sunday afternoon so long as you realize there's more to the story.

Thinking of my time as a costumed interpreter reminds me of the many and varied interactions I've had with visitors. My favourite visitor of all time was an American gentleman who asked "what Confederation was all about anyway". My historic heart leapt. For the next 20 minutes we chatted about the formation of Canada in the kitchen of a house built before Confederation was even an idea. One of my proudest accomplishments was finishing this piece of berlin work in under three months using only daylight or oil lamps for light. The awkward always follows the good, however, so I would be remiss if I didn't include the following: Remember that interpreters and historic site staff are not automatons, or props, or seals. They go home at the end of the day, have feelings, get hot wearing seven layers of clothing in July, and want to teach rather than simply entertain. They are people. Best of all, they're well educated people (who are often volunteers) that are there for you! They want to answer your questions, teach you something new, dispel myths, and inspire you to learn more. As you venture out this spring/summer to historic villages and sites in your area, or beyond, remember to acknowledge the interpreters that bring that site to life. If you ask nicely, they might even pose for your own photos.

Sources
The Canadian Encyclopedia Online, "Confederation"
Black Creek Pioneer Village, Homepage

Further Reading
American Needlepoint Guild 2000, "Berlin Work"

Sheep Facts

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