The Yukon Historical & Museums Association (YHMA) honoured five recipients of the annual Heritage Awards at a ceremony in February
The Yukon Historical & Museums Association (YHMA) honoured five recipients of the annual Heritage Awards at a public awards ceremony on Feb. 19, 2024. This year, instead of granting an Annual Heritage Award, YHMA honoured two recipients with History Maker Awards, while also presenting the Helen Couch Volunteer of the Year Award; the Innovation, Education, and Community Engagement Award; and the Heritage Conservation Project of the Year Award. Guest speaker Gùdia (Mary Jane Johnson) delivered a talk titled Kwadą̄ y dän yeshäw shàwthan k’e (Will You Be a Good Ancestor?), before the ceremony, and a reception was held afterwards.
“It was a really great event; we had one of our largest turnouts ever, I would say,” said YHMA executive director Lianne Maitland. “It was a really good crowd and we had a lot of supporters there for the different recipients, as well as our regulars who come out every year. It’s always nice to see the different groups that come out, depending on who’s getting the awards, and it’s a wonderful opportunity for people to see what’s happening and be there to support their friends or family.”
The History Maker Award was granted to both Ruth Armson for her work preserving the stories of individual Yukoners; and to the late Jack Layman for his artistic endeavours and the mark they have left on the Yukon. Harris Cox received the Helen Couch Volunteer of the Year Award for his work with the Yukon Transportation Museum (YTM); while this year’s Innovation, Education, and Community Engagement Award was awarded to Shot in the Dark Media for their 2023 film Signal Fire, a documentary taking themes and ideas from an academic paper called “Towards reconciliation: 10 Calls to Action to natural scientists working in Canada.” The Yukon Film Society (YFS) was honoured with the Heritage Conservation Project of the Year Award for their conservation of the Yukon Theatre’s historic neon sign.
Harris Cox’s passion for volunteering has been present since the earliest parts of his life. Coming from a family who always volunteered for various organizations, he still recognizes the importance of work done by volunteers everywhere, saying that volunteering is the “backbone of Canada.”
“I never thought I would be recognized or honoured for it,” Cox said. “I just turned around and they honoured me for Volunteer of the Year, because of what I’ve given them and done for them.”
The goal of the YFS conservation project was to repaint the Yukon Theatre signage in its original 1954 colours and restore its neon colours. The project followed the Standard and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada.
“The Film Society is thankful for the support of the community, audiences across the Yukon, Telefilm Canada, local businesses and the Yukon government in their enthusiasm in seeing this iconic mid-century building return to being an important community space to gather and experience storytelling and movies in a cinema setting,” said YFS artistic director Andrew Connors. “Being recognized for the work we’ve put into the Yukon Theatre, so far, goes a long way to our determination and energy to continue striving for the dream to make it a beautiful space for cinema and performing arts in downtown Whitehorse.”
With Signal Fire, Shot in the Dark Media worked with the authors of “Towards reconciliation: 10 Calls to Action to natural scientists working in Canada,” to explore and demonstrate the need for mutual respect between researchers and Indigenous communities.
“Getting this award was a huge honour for me and the whole team,” said Shot in the Dark Media producer, Kelly Milner. “I loved the process of working with the authors to define their vision and then working with our story team, camera operators, animators and designers—to find a way to bring it to life. Reconciliation requires a lot of effort, and our intention was to find a place for people to start. I’m glad our final product resonates with people, and we’re excited to share it with everyone.”
Maitland emphasizes the idea that anyone and everyone can be part of heritage and said it’s important to recognize all facets of what makes a community, like the Yukon, so rich in culture.
“Heritage is for everyone,” she said. “We’re all part of the territory and we’re all contributing to heritage as we go about our lives, and it’s important to recognize that everybody can play a role in this sector.”
To learn more about the YMHA and Yukon Heritage Awards, including how to submit a nomination, visit heritageyukon.ca.
