My name is Aneeka Sapangalik Anderson and I am from Ottawa, Ontario. I am Inuk on my maternal side, which comes from Panniqtuuq, Nunavut. At McGill, I double majored in Anthropology and Political Science. I also minored in Canadian Ethnic and Racial Studies. Here, I explored and discovered interests in community-based archaeology, critical museology, and Indigenous issues and resiliencies.
I am a 2022 recipient of the Carol and Lloyd Darlington Arts Internship Award. This award allowed me to work at an Indigenous non-profit organization called La Boîte Rouge VIF (herein LBRV) from May through July of 2022. I was introduced to LBRV by Professor Peter Johansen in the Department of Anthropology, who works with LBRV as an archaeologist. Professor Johansen wanted to connect Indigenous students at McGill with the organization and helped organize my internship with them. Through my internship, I was determined and excited to gain work experience in an Indigenous non-profit setting. I also wanted to engage and further the knowledge and understanding I gained in my studies at McGill. Most importantly, I wanted to contribute to projects that matter and are led by Indigenous peoples and communities.
LBRV is a non-profit agency based in Saguenay that works in the field of Indigenous cultural transmission. Composed of a diverse team of creatives, educators, and cultural knowledge holders, LBRV works to create cultural exhibits, websites, interactive applications, research publications, and more—by, for, and with Indigenous communities.
As an intern at BRV, I was able to travel to the Innu community of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, where I assisted with community consultations for an upcoming project. In the community, I met with and listened to Innu community representatives and Elders as they brainstormed ideas for a series of exhibits that will be installed in their schools. The exhibits will honour their control of their educational system and those involved in making this a reality.
Following this, I returned to Saguenay where I assisted with a research project on Indigenous storytellers and the role of storytelling in Indigenous communities in Québec. This involved contacting storytellers and interviewing those who were interested in sharing their experiences and perspectives. After completing the interviews, I began an analysis of the key themes that emerged. This analysis will inform a report that will be written in my absence.
Throughout my internship, I also assisted with a project focused on better integrating Indigenous perspectives into teaching at Québec elementary and secondary schools. In particular, I helped by calling various anglophone schools to present the project and see if they were willing to contribute to our team’s survey of teaching gaps and needs.
Finally, I participated in consultations facilitated by LBRV in Québec, Québec meant to inform an advertisement campaign on Indigenous realities. These consultations engaged Indigenous peoples from across Québec—myself included—on what the campaign should include.
One of the highlights of my internship was visiting Uashat mak Mani-Utenam. I was very fortunate to spend a week listening to the ideas of our co-collaborators, many of whom witnessed and participated in the creation of the Innu-led schools. Some of our time in the community was spent visiting the various schools. We even got to meet with and hear from a group of high school students. This was a very touching experience and one that I learnt a lot from. I also really enjoyed witnessing and participating in LBRV’s collaborative approach to working with Indigenous peoples.
The main challenge I encountered was working almost entirely in French, my second language. At times it was difficult to express myself as clearly as I wanted to, but I tried each day. I built a lot of confidence as I took on this challenge and was always encouraged by my colleagues.
I did not receive academic credit for my internship. However, interning at LBRV was a highlight of my undergraduate experience. As an Inuk, I know the value of Indigenous cultural transmission firsthand. My internship experience at LBRV allowed me to use the knowledge I gained at McGill—and my experiences as an Inuk—to contribute to projects that will help transmit knowledge in other communities.
I received funding for my internship through the Carol and Lloyd Darlington Arts Internship Award. These funds allowed me to have an internship experience without concern for the related expenses (e.g., moving to Saguenay, driving to and from work, taking off work, etc.) Because of this award, I was able to live in Saguenay for nearly the full duration of my internship and have an in-office experience at LBRV. I am extremely grateful to Carol and Lloyd Darlington for their generous support of myself and their other award recipients.
