I led the planning and facilitation of a Cultural Interpreter Tour at the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC. The goal was to offer fellow student ambassadors a meaningful opportunity to engage with Indigenous perspectives on cultural belongings, contemporary art, and ongoing repatriation efforts. Working closely with MOA’s Booking Coordinator, I coordinated date and time options, finalized scheduling, created and circulated a participation poll, and ensured ambassadors were informed and prepared. I also organized logistics such as attendance tracking, assigned note-takers, and followed up with MOA after the visit. The tour was led by Jacqueline Morrisseau-Addison (they/she), a Saulteaux and English cultural worker, who brought personal and cultural insights to belongings such as Métis Soup by Judy Chartrand, a collection of Anishinaabe moccasins and bandolier bags, and Robert Houle’s Demasdaswit’s Warrior #15. Each stop explored themes of intergenerational trauma, resilience, art as activism, and the colonial histories behind museum collections. The experience also allowed us to reflect on the language used in naming, the museum’s repatriation efforts, and the importance of community-led interpretation in public cultural institutions.
This project offered hands-on experience in event planning, chttps://hammadjabr.ubcarts.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/4857/2025/04/profile_museum_of_anthropology_moa-770x482_4x.jpgommunication, and cultural protocol. I deepened my understanding of how museums can center Indigenous voices by working with Cultural Interpreters and witnessed how personal storytelling can enrich collective learning. It reinforced the importance of meaningful community engagement in institutional settings and taught me how to navigate coordination with both peers and professional staff to ensure a smooth, respectful, and educational experience.