NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA MUSEUM OF ART AND HISTORY
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On Feb. 21 at the Orillia Museum of Art and History’s (OMAH) history speaker event as part of Black History Month, Oro-Medonte-based actor, producer, director, educator and Order of Canada member Rita Shelton Deverell delivered a very interesting and thought-provoking talk entitled The Future of the Mariposa Idea.
In her talk, Deverell focused on the timely problem of how people today should deal with the involvement of many famous Canadian historical figures in racist or sexist beliefs and actions. Deverell’s talk touched on several controversial historical figures including Edward Cornwallis, Sir John A. Macdonald and Stephen Leacock.
Deverell spoke of the recent removal of a statue of Cornwallis following protests over a bounty placed by Cornwallis on the scalps of Mi’kmaq people in 1749. Deverell pointed out that the decision to remove the statue came only after Halifax City Council repeatedly failed to act on its promises to examine the issue, and suggested that Orillia City Council would do well to listen to stakeholders’ ideas regarding the recent controversy over the Champlain monument.
Deverell then spoke of the recent decision by some schools named after Sir John A. Macdonald to remove our first prime minister’s name due to his involvement in initiating the systematic mistreatment of Indigenous peoples by the Canadian government. Deverell argued that Macdonald’s complicity in such mistreatment is undeniable, but that to erase his name from schools is to deprive students of the opportunity to learn about these negative aspects of our first PM and of our own past.
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Deverell described how she first encountered Stephen Leacock through her husband, Rex Deverell of Orillia, whom she met when they were both studying at Columbia University. Shortly after becoming engaged, Rex read Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town to Rita in order to introduce her to his hometown. It was much later that Deverell learned of the “less-than-progressive” attitudes held by Leacock against visible minorities, women and Indigenous people.
However, Deverell pointed out that Leacock’s Sunshine Sketches portray a community that is tolerant and inclusive to people who are different, albeit in character rather than skin colour. This is what Deverell described as “the Mariposa idea,” and she argued that this idea has advanced with the times; she pointed out that women and Indigenous people, once belittled by the famous author, now receive or are involved in the literary prize that bears his name.
In closing, Deverell argued that humour and the ability to laugh at ourselves are important, but that mainstream Canadians can’t be in denial about the negative aspects of our past. Acknowledging and learning more about the darkest parts of our history, Deverell argued, is the future of the Mariposa idea.
The next History Speaker event will take place March 21 and will feature guest speaker Ursula Soper and her talk Kathinka’s Story: A Pioneer Life in Sparrow Lake. The evening begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission to the event is free although donations are welcome.
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