Heather George
Heather is a Curator, Indigenous Histories at the Canadian Museum of History focusing on the social, political and cultural history of Canada's Indigenous Peoples, as well as material culture and its interpretation. Responsible for the development of exhibitions about the international experiences of Indigenous peoples. Planning and conducting substantive research. Collaborating in collections development, support programs and public initiatives. Communicate research results to various audiences through a variety of media. Lead, influence and inform others, in support of corporate priorities.
Heather George, B.A. Hons, (Indigenous Studies; History, Trent University), MA (Public History, University of Western Ontario), OCGC (Museum Management and Curatorship) is a PhD Candidate at the University of Waterloo. As a scholar of Euro-Canadian and Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) descent much of Heather's personal and professional work has been directed at gaining a better understanding of her culture and history. Her research examines the historical and philosophical underpinnings of contemporary museum practice specifically grounded in Haudenosaunee (Six Nations / Iroquois) philosophies of Edge of the Woods and Condolence. She seeks to challenge the colonial basis of cultural preservation methods and museology and better understand how we engage with material culture to heal trauma and engage in cross-cultural dialogues.
Recipient of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020) and the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2019-2022) Heather’s research on Haudenosaunee beadwork and Glengarry Caps was most recently published in the Otsego Alumni Review (2019).