Please scroll to the bottom of this article for the audio recording of the full interview with Jenni Museka, Committee Member and TM-SPHA Secretary.

The Turtle Mountain Souris Plains Heritage Association (TM-SPHA) is holding its annual history seminar this week Thursday in Deloraine and the invitation is extended to anyone interested in the local history of the southwest corner of the province !

TM-SPHA Secretary Jenni Museka has used the past few weeks to organize the event which has reverted to an in-person seminar after Covid hit the ‘pause’ button two years ago and forced a virtual conference l ‘last year.

“It’s quite exciting because it brings together local historians and people from southwestern Manitoba, and some even from the United States,” Museka shares, “coming together to talk history, talk about the region, and talk of all there is to offer. it goes beyond what we actually see.

The organization has shared local history through a variety of mediums, including their Vantage Points 5-book series, radio broadcast and social media platforms, podcasts and filmmaking, and even geocaching.

Museka has received calls and emails from many people asking for more information about the full day event. “I think we could even have a history teacher bring his history lesson for part of the day, which is pretty exciting! It warms my heart because it’s not just a certain generation, it’s for everyone, and we want everyone to feel like they can come.

Canadian women’s hockey icon Ashton Bell would have been a wonderful addition to the speaker list, as the Deloraine hockey gold medalist is part of Canadian history in the making! The 2022 Winter Olympics were held in Beijing, China last month, and the Canadian women’s hockey team won the gold medal from the United States with a 3-2 win. The stories of this experience would have been historic, to say the least! However, having Bell share her story was hard to come by for this week’s seminar.

Museka says their group is always eager to hear new stories about the area. “We are always open to ideas! If anyone has a story or stories to share, we love hearing them and being able to work with you.

“We hope to learn more about the schools and really present the history, because it’s one thing to learn history in Canada, but it’s another thing to learn the history of your own region and how our cities and our region have become what they are,” she adds.

Registration is not required and those interested can enjoy the whole day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or even parts of the day. The historic seminar will take place at the Mountview Center in Deloraine, followed by the TM-SPHA Annual General Meeting. A lunch will be offered thanks to a welcome donation from the participants.

For more information on the TM-SPHA History Seminar, visit https://vantagepoints.ca/