Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach is working to better represent Indigenous perspectives into the Mennonite story that’s highlighted at the museum.

Staff and board members met recently with members of the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

Gary Dyck, executive director at MHV, says it was a special time to connect and discover their similarities and differences.

While most of the visiting happened inside the museum, there was a quick tour of the grounds.

Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba including elders Florence Paynter and Harry Bone. (photo submitted)

“They kept making the connections. ‘Oh, this is like our culture.’ And ‘Oh, this is something that we also had to face, not always being understood as a people and be appreciated.’ And different things like that,” says Dyck. “It was very special; how much we have in common.”

Now, he’s looking for more stories to share at the museum.

“I’m wondering if there’s something out in the community, where someone in their family... they’ve been passing down a story that they know, of how their ancestors or original settlers from their family connected with Indigenous people. We’d love to hear that.”

Dyck also says the museum will continue to explore ways of honouring the land on which the museum is located. He says land acknowledgment needs to happen in a meaningful way.