The Peopling of PEC

Wellington museum exhibit examines arrivals through time

The County has a long history of migration and immigration. Prior to European arrival, this place was home to Indigenous people, whether seasonal or year-round. The Loyalist settlement perhaps saw the first major wave of European immigrants, followed by Irish settlers, Dutch settlers and more besides. A solo curation at the Wellington Museum by Codie Goodman, outdoor and virtual programming assistant with County Museums, takes a look at the lives of some of the people who have called the County home through the ages. Instead of looking at the pioneers and major families, however, she takes on a more inclusive perspective. The exhibit is part of her Master’s thesis and is an extension of the work she did as an undergrad where she considered the survival of small-scale heritage. She wanted to focus on diversity and inclusion when it came to heritage stories, and started looking at the experiences of the more marginalized elements of the community. She came across the story of Jane, an Irish immigrant who worked as a servant at Macaulay House in the 1800s. Goodman became curious about the lives of other servants and domestic workers, and this led to the exhibit at the Wellington Museum. “It talks about the history of immigration and migration in Prince Edward County through the years. It’s multi-layered and is meant to touch on the concept of locality and community-building and challenge the question of what it means to be a local. It is meant to advocate for cohesiveness and togetherness and to find similarities in all of us,” she said. “This went from a spark to a flame—from Jane the servant to the totality of immigration and migration of folks who have come here.”

Codie Goodman shows an Indigenous grinding stone, one component of the Peopling of PEC exhibit at the Wellington Museum.

The exhibit is organized on a reverse timeline, with the most recent arrival of people, such as those who have recently come from other communities, or the arrival of Syrian refugees, or the seasonal flux of migrant workers, and goes back through time to the European settlers and farther back to the Indigenous presence. She interviewed a wide swath of current residents, seeking out their stories by appealing through social media, or through family histories and archival materials for those folks who have been here for several generations. To make it accessible, all of the written material in the exhibit is translated into the native language of the story teller. The story about Syrian refugees is written in Arabic, that of migrant workers is written in Spanish, and the Indigenous story is written in Kanyen’kéha, the language of the Mohawk people. Accompanying the displays are video stories. There is also an interactive component. Visitors are encouraged to mark their journey to the County on a map of the world.

The Wellington museum has been transformed back to the tradition look of a Quaker Meeting House, which was the original purpose of the building. The cannery exhibit has been moved to Ameliasburgh, and the interior space has been lightened and opened up to provide an airy and welcoming space. It is also fully accessible, with the main entrance being changed to the back door from the heritage garden. The exhibit runs until the end of August, although Goodman will only be here until June 26. She is taking the position of manager and head curator of a museum in Pictou, Nova Scotia. The museum bug definitely runs in her family. “My great-grandfather was on one of the very first museum boards in the County and volunteered at Macaulay House all the time. I love my hometown and I’m passionate about it. I’ve been working with the museums for four years now. The County is a special place in my heart and I’ve always wanted to know as much about it as I can,” she said.

There are a number of events going on at other County museums. There will be a craft show and artisan market at the Ameliasburgh museum on June 12. There will be a fundraising concert at Macaulay Heritage Park on June 18, with the proceeds going to aid in Ukraine, and on June 26 there will be a festival celebrating multiculturalism and diversity. Mariners Museum is now open, and Rose House museum is expected to reopen soon. Later this year, two artist residencies are planned for the Wellington Museum.