A sample of media reports highlighting RHCA events & activities
The Rural History and Culture Association (RHCA) of Saskatchewan was formally established in 2006, but activities related its program had been in place since 2002. The RHCA was a grassroots, non-partisan, non-profit organization that championed, organized, facilitated and promoted historical re-enactments, commemorations, celebrations, performances and developed print, multi-media and on-line resources that encourage interest in, and support for, the study of history. The RHCA was dissolved in June 2010 because its most active member, Mike Fedyk, moved out of Saskatchewan due to personal reasons. During its existence, the RHCA initiated 12 historical re-enactments, community festivals, concerts and other events in 11 communities and published one book. RHCA events attracted over 10,000 people and raised over $30,000 for Saskatchewan heritage and community groups.
Philosophy
The philosophy of the RHCA was based on the belief that history is about telling stories that provide the meanings that are central to all forms of human identity. As such history should not be restricted to experts with formalized training but should be an activity open to, and pursued by, everyone. The ability to independently interpret history, without interference from any authority, is a fundamental aspect of a free society and is essential to democracy.
Objectives
- To facilitate historic storytelling.
- To promote generational succession within historical institutions and organizations.
- To support grassroots and community ownership and control of historic resources.
- To promote active citizenship and democratic participation.
- To increase appreciation for the value of historic identity.
- To use the new media in communications and historic storytelling.
Partners
As an organization, the RHCA did not seek out formal members and did not sell memberships to either individuals or groups. The RHCA approach was to build partnerships with existing grassroots, community organizations. Some of the groups it partnered with included:
- Lemberg Sowing Our Spirit Foundation
- Lemberg Culture Shock Drama Group
- Mossbank and District Museum
- Mossbank Economic Development Office
- Kindersley and District Plains Museum
- Watrous Arts Council
- Saskatchewan History and Folklore Society
- Prince Albert Historical Society
- Wood Mountain Historical Society
- McCord and District Museum
- Prairie Wind and Silver Sage (Friends of Grasslands National Park)
- Grand Coteau Heritage and Cultural Centre
- Eastend Historical and Cultural Museum
- Fort Walsh National Historical Site of Canada
- Burning Sun Productions
Through these partnerships RHCA events have been supported by numerous agencies and corporations including:
- Canadian Heritage (through Building Communities Through Culture & Heritage Program)
- SaskCulture (through Multicultural Initiatives Fund & SaskFestivals Grant)
- RCMP Heritage Centre
- Building Pride Program (Saskatchewan Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport)
- Saskatchewan Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport
- Motherwell Homestead National Historic Site of Canada
- SaskEnergy Share the Warmth Foundation
- Western Development Museums
- Conexus Credit Union
- Benchmark Public Relations and Benchmark Publishing
- SaskTel
- Diefenbaker Canada Centre
- Saskatchewan Arts Board
- Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation
Media Coverage and Public Attention
RHCA events were very successful in attracting public attention and media coverage. Over 10,000 people attended RHCA events between 2006 and 2010 and many more were reached through extensive media coverage. Some highlights include:
Media events held in Regina, Yorkton and Saskatoon in 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2009 attracted audiences as large as 100 people and resulted in extensive print, radio and television coverage. This included stories and pictures in the Leader Post and Star Phoenix and evening stories on the CTV, CBC and Global TV News. The videos to the right feature news stories run by CTV news on James Gardiner VS the Ku Klux Klan in 2008 and Celebrate the NWMP Trail in 2009.
The RHCA has received front page coverage in the Leader Post, the Star Phoenix, the Moose Jaw Times Herald, the Prince Albert Daily Herald and the Assiniboia Times. CTV News Reporters based in Regina, Yorkton and Prince Albert have all covered RHCA events.
CBC Radio produced a documentary on James Gardiner VS the Ku Klux Klan, which was broadcast nationally on their program Sunday Edition.
Stories on RHCA events have been featured in a number of local newspapers including: the Melville Advance, the Gravelbourg Tribune and Moose Jaw This Week; other periodicals including The Beaver: Canada’s History Magazine, Prairies North, SaskCulture Connections, SaskCulture Heritage Advocate; and on-line blogs including Christopher Moore’s Canadian History and the Canada Heritage Foundation’s Heritage News.
Prior to dissolution in June 2010, the RHCA website registered over 28,000 individual visitors and 45,000 total visits. Videos on the RHCA Youtube site, which went on-line April 2008, registered over 27,000 views as of June 30, 2010. The RHCA Youtube video John Diefenbaker – Famous Speeches registered over 4100 views over two years (averaging 200 views per month) and was frequently No. 1 in both Google Video Searches and a Youtube searches for “John Diefenbaker.”