SIOUX LOOKOUT — The Sioux Lookout Public Library wants to start conversations within the community using show-and-tell.
About 20 people attended the library’s first show-and-tell night event on Wednesday evening, said library CEO Shawn Bethke, who added everyone had a fantastic time.
“Presenters thrilled the crowd with the stories behind their treasures,” he said.
Among the mix of items presented were traditional Indigenous regalia, including handcrafted jingle dresses used in Pow Wow dances, an owl skeleton, and a rare Canadian coin collection.
Another presenter brought an embroidered arts and crafts style coat from England, which is about 140 years old. The presenter wore the coat at her wedding.
A research archaeologist shared a collection of historic artifacts, said Bethke, that were discovered in the Lac Seul area, including tools and spear points dating back at least 8,000 years to help demonstrate the area was far more than a remote outpost.
“Artifacts indicate the Lac Seul area was a thriving commercial area providing a hub for the trade of goods from as far west as Alberta, south to the U.S., east to Upper Canada, and to the far North,” Bethke said the presenter shared.
Bethke said he got the idea for the program from a Twitter post he saw which suggested bringing back the show and tell idea after an elderly patron brought his coin collection to share.
“It just sparked an idea for me — the show and tell from when you’re in school and everything,” he said. “There’s probably a lot of people around in your community that have collections, curiosities, things they picked up around the world. That they don’t have anyone to really [share them with]. So I thought that the library would be a great place to run a program like that.”
Bethke said he’s looking forward to see what’s in the community that’s hidden away.
“I think it’s going to be exciting for people to find out. It’s like that show, the Antiques Roadshow. You never know what you’re going to see or find, or how valuable it’s going to be. I think it’s exciting for people to come and see the mystery of it,” he said.
“It’s a chance to community members to connect, to talk about things. It used to be the way people would socialize, you know, someone goes on vacation, they bring back their slides.”
But like in school, while it’s exciting to share, some people can be shy to get up front.
“I think there’s been a little bit of reticence, we had huge interest but not everybody wants to get up and be the first to present when you do a new thing,” Bethke said.
Based on the response, Bethke said the library will hold another show and tell event in the near future.
“We’re hoping this turns into a regular library program. We’re hoping that sparks other people to come out, and want to share their materials too,” he said. “We’re in a small town, so people are going to know who was there and what was presented. I think world is going to get around that it’s a fun time.”
