This fonds consists of materials created or collected by Gisela Mendel throughout her time in British Columbia, particularly during her tenure as the Museum's first curator (1969-1981). It is divided into three series:
Series 1: Photographs - approx. 330 photographs, negatives, and slides taken by Gisela Mendel, showing the local area, flora and fauna, Museum displays, Kitamaat Village and its residents, traditional Haisla cultural activities, etc.
Series 2: Kitimat Flora Collection - 12 boxes of pressed and dried flora from the local area, with associated information.
Series 3: Logbooks and scrapbooks - logbooks from Clague and Squirrel Mountains (1957-1969), accounts of Mendel family outings (1963-1968), scrapbook/photo album from Stikine road trip (1999), textual material and photos on regional hiking rails from binder on assembled by Gisela.
Series 4: Maps - 23 regional maps collected and annotated by Gisela.
ca. 10.5 cm textual material (logbooks, scrapbooks)
23 maps
History / Biographical
Gisela Heimbach Mendel was the first curator of the Kitimat Museum and Archives (then known as the Kitimat Centennial Museum). She was born in Germany in 1922 and worked as a pharmacist in East Prussia when the Russians invaded. She fled the Russians and immigrated to Canada in 1952 with her husband, Hans, and their children. Unhappy with the geography of Southern Ontario - in her words, she was a "mountain woman" - she chose Kitimat as her home.
In her earliest years in Kitimat (beginning 1956), Gisela collected botanical specimens for the Royal BC Museum in Victoria. She served as the first curator of the Kitimat Centennial Museum from the building's opening in 1969 until her retirement in 1981, when she and Hans moved to Smithers. Gisela was responsible for not only showcasing local art and history, but building a strong and varied permanent collection of artifacts and archival items upon which future curators could build.
As she was working in a relatively young community, town history was not considered a priority so much as regional history, natural history and Haisla First Nations cultural traditions, which Gisela documented with great intensity. One of her projects was creating an ethno-botanical dictionary with the help of Haisla elders, identifying the Haisla names and traditional uses for various plants. In 1972, the Northern Sentinel reported that each weekend Gisela made the rounds of her secret botanical hunting grounds to replace the display of floral specimens in her exhibits. She was a tremendous record-keeper and journalist, had a great life of the outdoors, and developed many close friendships in Kitimat and Kitamaat Village. Her thirst for information was incredible, and the Museum and the community benefitted immensely from her passion for gathering and recording knowledge. In the 1990s she received the Award of Merit from the BC Museums Association in recognition of her work. She passed away in 2008.
Custodial History
Materials in this fonds were created by Gisela Mendel during her time as Museum Curator, or donated by her, her family members, or other community members following her retirement.
Scope and Content
This fonds consists of materials created or collected by Gisela Mendel throughout her time in British Columbia, particularly during her tenure as the Museum's first curator (1969-1981). It is divided into three series:
Series 1: Photographs - approx. 330 photographs, negatives, and slides taken by Gisela Mendel, showing the local area, flora and fauna, Museum displays, Kitamaat Village and its residents, traditional Haisla cultural activities, etc.
Series 2: Kitimat Flora Collection - 12 boxes of pressed and dried flora from the local area, with associated information.
Series 3: Logbooks and scrapbooks - logbooks from Clague and Squirrel Mountains (1957-1969), accounts of Mendel family outings (1963-1968), scrapbook/photo album from Stikine road trip (1999), textual material and photos on regional hiking rails from binder on assembled by Gisela.
Series 4: Maps - 23 regional maps collected and annotated by Gisela.
3 letters to the Kitimat Chinese Canadian Association written in both Chinese and English.
June 4, 1985 - Association registration notice, Event Highlights (garage sale, Chinese food stand), Recreational Activities (outdoor picnic, Mah-Jong fun tournament, fishing tournament, call for member suggestions for hobbies and group activities), Member News (Mr. and Mrs. Kam Ping Chan baby birth annoucement, Mr. Andrew Lee car accident notice, Mr. and Mrs. Kam Wah Lee car accident notice). Back of letter includes member list for the association.
January 15, 1986 - Chinese New Year potluck party notice for feb 15. Includes info on entry, activities, expenses, and receipts.
New Year letter written by the association president Amy Mung thanking the members for their support and contributions, member totals, and encouraging members to get involved and support functions. Back of letter has 1985 report attached.
The Kitimat Chinese Association was founded in 1985. Their purpose was to connect all Chinese Canadians in Kitimat, with the local people too. They encouraged the members involved in the community to show and share Chinese culture with the people in Kitimat. Like activities in Multicultural Day, Canada Day, Canada Cancer Society's Relay of Life, etc. Every year they had three gatherings, summer picnic, Christmas and Chinese New Year. The association disbanded in December 2008 as most of the members got older and retired.
Custodial History
Donated by Huey-lin Wu
Scope and Content
3 letters to the Kitimat Chinese Canadian Association written in both Chinese and English.
June 4, 1985 - Association registration notice, Event Highlights (garage sale, Chinese food stand), Recreational Activities (outdoor picnic, Mah-Jong fun tournament, fishing tournament, call for member suggestions for hobbies and group activities), Member News (Mr. and Mrs. Kam Ping Chan baby birth annoucement, Mr. Andrew Lee car accident notice, Mr. and Mrs. Kam Wah Lee car accident notice). Back of letter includes member list for the association.
January 15, 1986 - Chinese New Year potluck party notice for feb 15. Includes info on entry, activities, expenses, and receipts.
New Year letter written by the association president Amy Mung thanking the members for their support and contributions, member totals, and encouraging members to get involved and support functions. Back of letter has 1985 report attached.
