OISE LIBRARY
Hearne’s Journey to the Copper Mine
Samuel Hearne on his journey to the Copper Mine, 1770. Imperial Oil Collection, (Discovers and Explorers) in Canada 1763-1911: a portfolio prepared for teachers of Canadian History. OISE Library, University of Toronto.
My object was found in Discoverers and Explorers in Canada, 1763-1911, at the OISE Library. It was the second portfolio prepared for teachers of Canadian history and was published by Imperial Oil Limited from 1955-58. This portfolio includes drawings and stories of seven explorers including Samuel Hearne (1745-92).[1]
Hearne’s Journey and the Hudson Bay Company
Before 1773 British explorers and traders, mainly from the Hudson’s Bay Company, were active in northern and western Canada. The British established a claim to the Hudson Bay region as early as 1610, the year in which Henry Hudson discovered the great bay that bears his name. After the Hudson’s Bay Company was granted a royal charter in 1670, the British built several forts and posts on the southern and western shores of the bay. Hearne (1745-92) joined the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1766 and was sent by the company in 1768 north in search of a potential copper mine.[2]
I argue that the picture demonstrates the experience of a typical European explorer of the 17th or 18th century. I see that, like many explorers of the time, Mr. Hearne is equipped with a hunting rifle and a facial mask, which helps protect him from the weather. It’s also possible that his big backpack may include a pair of clothes and a tent used as a portable shelter. As far as I can see Mr. Hearne looks young, and that would make him fit for expedition and snow shoeing. I would also argue that Mr. Hearne being the only one holding a rifle is the leader of this group and the other people are the Indigenous people traveling with him.
Hearne’s Journey and its future results
When I look at this object, what came to my mind, is the creation of cultural differences between Aboriginals and settlers. Before European settlers arrived, Aboriginal peoples already had governance structures and legal systems. Aboriginal peoples had to choose: adapt or assimilate to the colonizing culture and system, or fight and resist the settlers to keep what belonged to them. [3]
Contribution of Imperial Oil Limited
Imperial Oil was one of the first companies to take the first step towards supporting and preserving Canadian culture through the lens of the colonizer. The Imperial Oil collection is part of a cultural program which is designed not just for executives and employees, but for the public. From a single, adventurous step in the 1940s to support the production of a Canadian film, the company began a policy of collecting graphic art, historical illustration, painting and sculptures and published them in different years as teaching material for teachers. [4]
In 1952, the Imperial Oil purchased the Jefferys a collection of about 1,000 historical paintings and drawings, and sent the collection on tour to schools across Canada. The collection was donated to the public archives of Canada on the occasion of its 100th anniversary in 1971. Therefore, it had been the company’s intention that the collection is regarded as a public trust to be maintained and made generally available to people in Canada. [5]
BIO
My name is Abebe Mengesha. I was born in Ethiopia and I came to Canada in 2014. This is my first migration experience in my life. I have a Bachelor of Education in History and Master of Arts in Social Anthropology from University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I am very interested in joining Museum Studies at Faculty of Information, University of Toronto because back home, I was working as a curator in an archaeological Museum.
[1] Malcolm,G. Parks. (1955). Explorers and Discoverers in Canada. Canada. Imperial Oil Limited.
[2] https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/about/hbc_history.html.
[3] Browns, J. (2001). Domesticating Doctrines: Aboriginal Peoples After the Royal Commission. McGill Law Journal/Revue de Droit de McGill, vol. 46. Retrieved on December 4,2016 from http://www.lawjournal.mcgill.ca/userfiles/other/4122068-46.3.Borrows.pdf.
[4] http://www.imperialoil.ca/en-ca/company/about.
[5] http://www.cwjefferys.ca/imperial-oil-collection-presentation.
Before European settlers arrived, Aboriginal peoples already had governance structures and legal systems. Aboriginal peoples had to choose: adapt or assimilate to the colonizing culture and system, or fight and resist the settlers to keep what belonged to them.