Dear Paul,

I am far from saying any such thing. Jobs must and should be opened to all, on equal
basis and without discrimination.  My intervention was aimed at the fact that some
museums have as their mission to "translate" a culture, a local community, an
"identity" in a way that is intelligible to the "outside".  The native museum project
I was involved with was such a museum. Its essence was that of a political/cultural
affirmation tool, an institution that had to convey a culture, in all its forms and
diversity, to a general public that did not partake in that culture (to re-direct the
political spin, as you so artfully define it).  In such a case (I guess one could say
in the case of a living culture), I believe it is essential that representatives of
that culture lead the project and define the discourse that will be produced.  Such is
also the case, to a certain extent, in bigger museums, where some collections relate
to a specific culture: an "insider's view is capital in the understanding of the
objects held by the museums, both individually and as groups of artifacts.  That, in
no way, means that natives should be blocked from accessing any job available, given
that they have the proper competence, nor does it mean non-natives shouldn't get a job
in a native museum, given the same.  On the contrary.  In a previous intervention, I
believe I touched the topic of diversity and its importance in dynamic, useful
historical interpretation.

Wow...  Not an easy topic, is it?  No matter which way you turn, there's never a solid
rule one can use to determine a proper course of action.  Believe me, thoughout my
career, I've been told very often I couldn't do this or that because I was this
instead of that.  I've been told I couldn't write a Ph.D. thesis on the 19th-century
Montréal anglophone élite and their museums because I wasn't a Montréal anglo; I've
been told I couldn't be guest-curator of a major exhibit on the centennial of X-Rays
in 1995 because I wasn't a physicist - just a solid historian with a twist for history
of science.  And so on.  It has been my experience that one oftens delivers his best
work when one observes and develops a topic from a new point of view.  In both
instances, I ended up doing the job, but I made it a point of consulting people who
were what I wasn't.  It ended up being profitable for all parties involved.  I guess
I'm just a strong partisan of diversity.

Hervé Gagnon
Director-Curator
Colby-Curtis Museum
Stanstead (Québec)
Canada

Paul Apodaca a écrit:

> I am greatly encouraged by Herve Gagnon's experiences. I agree that the
> museum is suppposed to offer the possibility for transformance and
> transcendence.  If the staff cannot have that experience then how could a
> visitor? Re-directing the political spin on history is what each
> generation does as well as each culture or historical group. To make the
> stance that "all things being equal someone from the cultural group will
> get the job" work, will someone please explain how that affects non-Whites
> applying to work in areas like European literature, or Greek art, or
> teaching English.  Are you truly saying that if I, as an American Indian,
> apply for a job working with non-American Indian, European,  objects or
> information that, despite my education or experience or talent, "all
> things being equal" the job will go to a White?  Are you really saying
> this to all of us in the profession? This is the professional stance of
> museology at the millenium?
>
> Best,
>
> Paul Apodaca
>
> On Thu, 27 Aug 1998, Hervé Gagnon wrote:
>
> > About three years ago, my last contract as a museology consultant got me
> > involved in a Native Museum project.  Basically, a Montagnais native community
> > in Québec was planning to double the size of its museum and needed a consultant
> > to help with developing a permanent exhibition scenario.  Being a white male, I
> > had to stand aside and observe and dialogue in order to understand a culture
> > which I was expected to help explain to the general public (widely white, as I
> > am). I quickly came to realise that the natives I was working with understood
> > the museum as a political tool (another topic in itself!!) and expected it to
> > convey their own understanding of themselves (from the traditional way of life
> > to the current social and political situation, not to mention the loss of
> > identity, etc.).  All staff members were natives, all were well qualified,
> > extremely creative and showed an openmindedness I rarely encountered elswhere.
> > The museum project became a reality and is now displaying traditional artifacts
> > with a rather politically-oriented view of history, which, I find, offers some
> > kind of counter-balance with traditionally accepted views.  I honestly do not
> > feel we could have attained this level of representativeness had the museum not
> > been led by natives and understood as a stepping stone for natives.  Of course,
> > my views were taken into account along the process.  But the strangest thing
> > happened: I was stunned to realise, at one point, that I was siding with
> > natives, approving territorial and political demands that I had resented in the
> > past, and developing a strong feeling that a strong explaination of traditional
> > native culture was long overdue.
> >
> > In other words: museums need an identity and, depending on their mission, they
> > must find this identity among the people they represent.  In this particular
> > case, the museum was to serve as a window on a community which felt the need to
> > explain itself calmly and in a positive manner.  And yes, it is possible to
> > learn and identify with another culture.  As long as you keep your mind open.
> > There is no birthright to historical and sociological interpretation, nor is
> > there a right to get a position in museum just because you happen to be of the
> > right group. But I agree with Julia Moore: all being equal, and depending on the
> > institution's mission, a member of the group being focused on / collected /
> > presented by a museum should have priority.
> >
> > Hervé Gagnon, Ph.D.
> > Director-Curator
> > Colby-Curtis Museum
> > Stanstead (Québec)
> > Canada
> >
> >
> >
> > Ross Weeks a écrit:
> >
> > > I feel this is a dialogue that ought not to end anytime soon.
> > >
> > > As one born in upstate New York, the biggest handicap I'm experiencing in my
> > > present position is my lack of understanding (appreciation might be a better
> > > word) for the Southern Cause 145 years ago.   I know the history, but I
> > > don't sense and never will, the emotional reflexes of those whose forebears
> > > fought for a cause "they" saw as noble and inspired by the Almighty.  So it
> > > is that I am unable to espouse "the cause" as some wish I would do.
> > >
> > > And though I've learned to create long overdue change in Southern museums
> > > ever so slowly (holding in check my Yankee impatience), there is always the
> > > price we pay for not being "of the bonds of the true South," as one
> > > resigning Board member wrote some years ago.
> > >
> > > In working with the power people in museums (the ones usually out there
> > > behind the scenes) I've had to put my conscience in my back pocket in order
> > > to listen through exasperated slurs aimed at one minority or another --
> > > exasperated because the power people know they're losing it.
> > >
> > > These power people are not unique to the South by any means.  In doing MAP
> > > assessments, I've found they are most everywhere.  Essentially, they find
> > > some way to control.
> > >
> > > To get to the point, I fully agree with Ms. Moore as quoted below, based
> > > 100% on experience in several settings:
> > >
> > > >Yes, but given a choice between a person of that cultural background and
> > > >one who is not, all else being equal, the person of that culture will
> > > >get the job.  You may have wanted to say that nobody should
> > > >automatically be DISqualified based on LACK of the desired cultural
> > > >background:  that would be discriminatory.  A job description would
> > > >NEVER state outright that the successful candidate would be Jewish,
> > > >African-American, Latino or whatever.
> > >
> > > >Julia Moore
> > > >Director of Exhibitions and Artist Services
> > > >Indianapolis Art Center
> >