The Lambton Heritage Museum is having a little fun while helping to promote a new exhibit which will talk about the lands of the Chippewa and Stony Point Nation.

It’s launched a Name the Bear contest to name the black bear which has been spotted roaming around Lambton County in the last month.

Dana Thorne, the curator of the Lambton Heritage Museum, says there have been some very thoughtful suggestions so far.

“The black bear came to our area at an emotionally difficult time as people across Canada struggle with the discoveries of unmarked graves at former residential school sites,” said Thorne in a news release. “Some of the contest participants have reflected that the mukwa is a spirit bear that has come to our area to promote healing and
give people strength.”

The contest coincides with the opening of a summer exhibit called Nnigiiwemin / We Are Going Home. Co-curated by Summer Bressette and Monica Virtue, this exhibition explores the relationship between colonialism and the loss of land by the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation.

The Name the Bear contest winner will get a personal tour of the exhibit as a prize. The contest closes July 23.