Learn from Where it Belongs, Risk for What it Deserves: Insights and Innovations of Museology by Robert R. Janes
Author:Chung-Wen, Weng (Postgraduate, Graduate Institute of Museum Studies, TNUA)
Disasters are all around us—right in our face and stemming from us. We are witnessing the collision of human society, pushing both human society and natural environments backwards. In light of this, how can museums respond to contemporary issues, collaborate with local communities to address crises, and take proactive steps toward immediate change? This interview with Dr. Robert R. Janes, based in Alberta, Canada, sheds light on these questions. Janes has been dedicated to Indigenous Peoples' rights, climate change issues, and museum activism. The climate crisis is akin to an “elephant in the room”—undeniably present, yet actions to address this issue remain sparse in the museum community. Nonetheless, Janes maintains that while circumstances may seem dire, there is potential for impactful action. Museums, leveraging their expertise and resources, can make a substantial difference.
Currently a Visiting Research Fellow at the School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester in the UK, Janes has also served as Editor-in-Chief of the esteemed Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship. His leadership roles include Director of the Glenbow Museum and the founding Director of the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, both in Canada. Raised in a household where his father, a surgeon, hosted medical colleagues from around the world, Janes developed an early curiosity about foreign cultures. He vividly recalls a humorous incident: during one visit, a Chinese guest presented "thousand-year eggs," and the unexpected appearance and smell upon peeling the shells led Janes and his siblings to burst into laughter. This experience sparked his enduring fascination with multiculturalism and later with archaeology.
Aerial view of the K’á lot’ine hunting camp in Canada’s Northwest Territories. (Courtesy of Dr. Robert R. Janes)
Learning from Hunters: Cooperation and co-creation with the Dene
During his doctoral studies in archaeology, Janes focused on researching the culture and history of the Dene First Nation in Canada’s Northwest Territories. However, he found that the academic training provided theoretical knowledge without any personal experience among Dene People. Seeking a deeper understanding, Janes took a break from graduate studies and relocated with his wife to live among several Dene families in a hunting camp for six months. In the unforgiving and frigid Western Subarctic, the Dene families supported each other to ensure their well-being, , leaving a lasting impression on Janes regarding the importance of generosity. This experience also shaped his belief that effective leadership is rooted in competence, respect and trust rather than hierarchical status. His experiences and learning with the Dene continue to guide his museum practice.
Dr. Robert R. Janes (left) and Francis Baton drying a bear skin at the K’á lot’ine Hunting Camp (Courtesy of Dr. Robert R. Janes)
The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Robert Janes was the founding director. (Courtesy of Dr. Robert R. Janes)
In 1976, Janes assumed the role of founding Director of the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Lacking formal training in museum studies, he humbly described himself as a blank slate. Initially, the museum faced resistance from local Indigenous Communities, who perceived the museum’s approach to collecting cultural artifacts as potentially freezing their traditions in time. Recognizing the need for a new approach to cultural interpretation and preservation, Janes and his colleagues embarked on a reevaluation of the museum's practices. In 1981, they collaborated with Dene Elders and a documentary film team to revive the traditional art of crafting a mooseskin boat, based on oral histories passed down through generations. The three-month endeavor resulted in the creation of a mooseskin boat, now a centerpiece of the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre's permanent exhibitions and a symbol of cultural revitalization.
Dr. Robert R. Janes working with Dene Elders, Johnny and Elizabeth Yakaleya, to identify archaeological artifacts. Mackenzie River Valley, Northwest Territories, Canada. (Courtesy of Dr. Robert R. Janes)
The Mooseskin boat of the Dene People, now a centerpiece of the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. (Courtesy of Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Northwest Territories, Canada)
The Glenbow Museum/Blackfoot Repatriation
Assuming the directorship of the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Canada in 1989, Janes encountered an immediate and unprecedented challenge: shortly after taking office, government subsidies were abruptly cut, plunging the museum into a financial crisis. Faced with the daunting task of navigating bankruptcy, Janes had no choice but to lay off 25 of the museum's 150 staff members. His actions sparked controversy and even led to a death threat against him from a departing employee. Throughout this tumultuous period, Janes remained steadfast in his commitment to the museum's mission, continually questioning “Why” behind each decision made.
Under Janes's leadership, the Glenbow Museum initiated Canada's largest repatriation of Indigenous sacred possessions. Among its significant holdings were medicine bundles integral to the ceremonies of the Blackfoot Confederacy . The museum would temporarily "lend" these bundles to the Confederacy for ceremonies. However, as part of standard collection maintenance, the bundles underwent a process involving freezing to eradicate insects and bacteria before their return to collection storage. For the Blackfoot People, these bundles are sacred and akin to children, embodying spiritual essence. Janes and his colleague Gerald Conaty, the Curator of Ethnology, recognized that the museum's conservation procedures, while considered necessary from a professional standpoint, conflicted deeply with the Blackfoot worldview. Sacred bundles are not merely collections of physical objects – they are living entities that require vigilant care within an Indigenous way of life.
Janes, Glenbow’s Board of Directors, and staff recognized that the most fitting approach to preserving these cultural possessions was to return them to the people who possess the knowledge of their care, meaning and use. Through extensive consultations with the Blackfoot Confederacy, he embarked on a decade-long process resulting in the returning of over 250 sacred possessions to the Blackfoot communities.
Alberta government officials and representatives of the Blackfoot Confederacy participate in the signing ceremony for the repatriation agreement. Robert R. Janes is pictured second from the right, alongside Gerald Conaty on the far right. (Image courtesy of Dr. Robert R. Janes)
Despite strong opposition and disapproval of the repatriation by provincial government staff, the repatriation efforts under Janes's leadership forged profound relationships with local Indigenous communities. In addition, Glenbow staff involved 18 Blackfoot Elders in curating the permanent exhibition "Niitsitapiisini: Our Way of Life." All of these efforts resonated deeply, leading to Janes and Conaty being honored with traditional Blackfoot names.
Robert R. Janes’ naming ceremony where he was given a traditional Blackfoot name. Kainai First Nation, Alberta, Canada. (Courtesy of Dr. Robert R. Janes)
Uniting Against Climate Trauma: The Coalition of Museums for Climate Justice
Climate change has triggered numerous catastrophes, causing Janes to assert that the climate crisis has escalated into "climate trauma," posing irretrievable damage to contemporary civilization as multiple crises interweave. He stressed that not only science museums should address climate trauma, but that all museums should face the crisis and strive for climate justice. Taking proactive measures, Janes collaborated with Canadian museum colleagues to co-found The Coalition of Museums for Climate Justice in 2016. This coalition aims to establish environmental and sustainability-focused curatorial guidelines and consultation platforms.
The new permanent exhibition "We Have the Power" at the Qualicum Beach Museum introduces electricity and ecological conservation knowledge, aiming to empower visitors with the understanding that everyone can make a meaningful impact on the environment. (Courtesy of Qualicum Beach Historical & Museum Society, British Columbia, Canada.)
Inspired by the work of Robert R. Janes and The Coalition of Museums for Climate Justice, in 2023, the Qualicum Beach Museum developed a new permanent exhibition about power, energy and climate change through a local perspective. The exhibition is aptly located in an historic powerhouse, as it reflects on power and energy in the past, present and future. The exhibition is rooted in place and centers Indigenous Ecological Knowledge as well as local ecosystems, framed as “climate heroes” deserving public’s respect and protection. Drawing from the work of Janes and the Coalition, the Qualicum Beach Museum staff developed principles and guidelines for the exhibition. The curators aimed for the exhibit to be as environmentally friendly as possible by minimizing plastics, using locally sourced materials, and eliminating climate control that consumes a lot of energy. In addition, they aimed to create a community space of ongoing learning about the climate crisis. For example, the panels can be temporarily stored to make way for speakers, educational activities, and temporary exhibits.
Lifeboats in the Currents: Steering the Future of Museums
In our interviews and correspondence, Janes consistently provides humble yet detailed responses, reflecting his dedication to continuous learning and thoughtful reflection. This year, Janes has sounded a clarion call with his latest book, "Museum and Societal Collapse: The Museum as a Lifeboat," aiming to provoke museum practitioners, academics, students, and researchers to reconsider the role of museums. He emphasizes that museums must not remain isolated but should actively confront contemporary crises, uphold social responsibility, and mobilize community collaboration to serve as a lifeboat in navigating societal challenges.
"We are at a watershed moment in determining the future of museums," says Janes. Despite the necessity for museums to rely on commercial activities for sustainable operation, he emphasizes the importance of not being unduly influenced by market pressures and revenue generation. Janes believes that rethinking museum visions and missions, driven by values and principles, can lead to significant transformations. He concludes by sincerely urging the global museum community to slow down and reflect on the fundamental questions of why museums exist, for whom they exist, and the core ideas they uphold. This introspection, he suggests, is crucial for identifying contemporary values and beliefs that are essential in shaping the museum's mission and meaning in the 21st century.
資訊來源
- The Mooseskin Boat Project — Northwest Territories Timeline
- We Have the Power — The Coalition of Museums for Climate Justice Blog
“Museum and Societal Collapse: The Museum as a Lifeboat” Purchase Links