Discovering Aboriginal Heritage - First Nations History Comes Alive in Alberta
Alberta is home to 43 First Nations in three treaty areas – their cultures are distinct and diverse. Travellers can explore 10,000 years of First Nations life at ancient sites and museums around the province; paddle the same waterways of original Métis fur trappers; discover ancient petroglyphs and rock art, learn to make hand drums or sleep in a teepee next to North America’s best-preserved buffalo jump.
A perfect place to start a journey into Alberta’s rich aboriginal culture: two recently opened, Aboriginal-operated sites, each within an easy drive of one of the province’s major gateways.
Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park
Located just 100 kilometres east of Calgary, the Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park officially opened its doors to the public on July 19, 2007. It is the largest First Nations-owned and operated interpretive centre in Canada.
The park introduces First Nations history, spirituality and culture to visitors from around the globe. Unique for its scope and vision, the facility opens the door to the sacred and fascinating traditions of the Blackfoot people in this educational complex.
A traditional meeting place of the Blackfoot people for thousands of years, Blackfoot Crossing was also the site of the signing of the 1877 Treaty – also known as Treaty 7 – between the Blackfoot confederacy made up of the Siksika, Peigan, Blood, Tsuu T’ina and Stoney peoples and the Canadian and British governments.
The $25 million historical park is unique for many reasons. The park has been developed to share Blackfoot traditions, history and culture, offering an intimate glimpse of the Blackfoot people that cannot be found anywhere else.
The heart of the historical park is its 5,760-square-metre Interpretive Centre, which includes a $3 million exhibit on Blackfoot history and tradition. Pictures, artifacts and displays showcase thousands of years of Blackfoot culture.
The park also offers on-site tipi camping, perfect for anyone who wants to add an exotic element to their Alberta vacation. Visitors can experience the culture first-hand as they stay overnight in a traditional aboriginal tipi on a site where First Nations people have lived for thousands of years.
The tipi village also includes a restaurant, where visitors have a chance to sample traditional Blackfoot foods like bannock (fried bread), berry soup and mint tea.
The historical park features a performance centre where visitors can view traditional and contemporary dances and presentations. The talents of many Aboriginal artisans from across Canada are on display in the on-site retail centre, where visitors can browse and purchase sculpture, art, jewelry, and crafts as keepsakes from their vacation.
The site of the Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park has a sacred and significant history. It’s the burial site of one of the signers of the 1877 treaty, Chief Crowfoot. It also includes an ancient Mandan Earth Lodge, believed to have been built in the 1700s, which was the home of some of the area’s earliest residents.
Situated on the largest riparian ecosystem left anywhere in the world, the Park offers eco-tours for those interested in learning more about the unique topography during their vacation.
Métis Crossing
Canada’s Métis citizens – the mixed-blood offspring of European pioneers and the region’s First Nations inhabitants – were until recently considered the nation’s “forgotten people”. The official opening of Métis Crossing on the Victoria District National Historic Site, near Smoky Lake heralded a long-overdue acknowledgement of the culture, history, language and accomplishments of this unique Aboriginal group.
The festivities at Métis Crossing reflect the richness of Métis history in Alberta. This interactive cultural and interpretive site is situated at an historic North Saskatchewan River crossing near the town of Smoky Lake. The facility is about an hour and a half east of Edmonton.
The first of its kind in Canada, Métis Crossing is situated on 207 hectares where traders and First Nations gathered for centuries to trade and ply their wares. There are many interpretive activities designed to inform and entertain. Munch on bannock, the traditional unleavened bread, learn how to weave a colorful sash, watch animal hides being tanned, check out the technical skills required to erect a trapper’s tent or learn about the history and culture on self-guided or guided tours.
These are just two of Alberta’s wide variety of Aboriginal experiences and attractions. Other Alberta sites rich with First Nations history and culture include:
• Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump: This UNESCO World Heritage Site 18 kilometres northwest of Fort McLeod in southern Alberta is the site of the world’s oldest, largest and best preserved buffalo jump.
• Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park: Sacred to the Blackfoot people, this landscape 32 kilometres east of Milk River is home to the largest collection of aboriginal rock art on the North American pains.
• Elk Island Retreat: Just one hour from Edmonton, this is a campground, tipi camp and cultural centre. The centre offers a range of activities supported by local Aboriginal elders and cultural experts, including tipi stays, spiritual talking circles and some purifying sweat lodge ceremonies.
What’s New
There’s always something new for travellers to see in booming Alberta. Here’s a quick look at some of the latest developments in the province’s two largest cities.
Edmonton
• Ride the EDDIE to Continue in 2008: Introduced in 2007, visitors have a new way to see Edmonton attractions each summer. As the first and only hop-on, hop-off tour service available in Alberta, Ride the EDDIE runs from June to September with 17 stops including major attractions, historical areas and shopping districts. A new feature for 2008 will be EDDIE Bus Commentary, an audio aid that compliments the service and provides highlights on attractions and key areas. For more information, visit www.eddiebus.com.
• Sundog Tours Launches New Edmonton to Jasper Shuttle Service: Sundog Tours has launched a new daily service between Jasper and Edmonton. The service will stop at both the Edmonton International Airport and West Edmonton Mall and continue through to Jasper. For more information, visit www.sundogtours.com.
• Matrix Hotel - Edmonton's Newest Boutique Hotel Now Open: This full-service, 100-per cent non-smoking, boutique-style property, with more than 790 square metres of meeting space, offers 185 guest rooms. There are 21 luxury suites (including eight penthouse suites), some featuring a living room, fireplace and wet bar. They also offer 34 rooms with two double beds, a fully equipped business centre, fitness room, and on-site parking. For more information, visit www.matrixedmonton.com.
• GyPSy Touring Now Available in Edmonton: Self-drive has never been this informative with your own personal tour guide! Through the advance satellite technology of this small device, a local guide provides commentary on the unique areas, points of interest and key attractions of Edmonton. For more information visit, www.gpstourscanada.com
• Grand Prix of Edmonton Revs Up – Extended Until 2010: For three days in July, Edmonton becomes the City of Champ Car. Join over 200,000 fans as the best race drivers in the world take the green flag in the heart of Edmonton. The 2008 event is set for July 18-20. For more information, visit www.grandprixedmonton.com or www.champcarworldseries.com.
• Empire Ballroom: West Edmonton Mall’s newest nightclub opened to the public in September. The Empire Ballroom offers an elegant Egyptian theme, and integrates cutting edge technology, including the largest video wall in Canada. Stocked with all the amenities, this venue can host up to 1,500 people with six bars and four levels under sky-high ceilings.
Calgary
• Heritage Park: In the autumn of 2008, an exciting new chapter will begin in the history of Heritage Park with the opening of a $55 million expansion. Gasoline Alley, a world-class exhibition space showcasing vintage automobiles and gas pumps; Heritage Block, a new retail and interpretative centre; and the re-creation of a 1930s town square plus a replica of the 1893 Canadian Pacific Railway station, originally located in downtown Calgary, will add to the park's lure. www.heritagepark.ca.
• Grey Eagle Casino & Bingo: Opened on December 19, 2007, this state-of-the-art casino is located on the Tsuu T'ina First Nation and features world-class bingo and gaming facilities, live entertainment and gourmet cuisine. The gaming floor boasts 59 table games, a 24-hour poker room, 600 slot machines, two restaurants and two bars and a 500+ seat bingo facility. For more information, visit www.greyeaglecasino.ca.
• Calgary Stampede Expansion: A multi-million dollar transformation of the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” is underway. The park is being developed into a year-round, world-class gathering place for Calgarians and visitors. Construction has begun for a trade and entertainment complex – including the relocated Stampede Casino, which is scheduled to open its doors during the summer of 2008. An expansion of the Roundup Centre exhibition facilities is scheduled to be complete in 2009. For details, visit www.calgarystampede.com.
• Calgary International Airport: A major, multiyear expansion for international inbound and U.S.-outbound facilities is currently being designed by the International Facilities Project Team. In 2007, the Building Owners and Managers Association named Calgary International Airport as its first ‘Go Green’ certified airport in North America. New facilities and restoration of existing facilities are all undertaken with an eye on energy conservation and a thorough environmental assessment. www.calgaryairport.com.
• Elephant Crossing: The Calgary Zoo recently opened this, its newest exhibit, an $11-million project that is now the home for a family of five Asian elephants. The facility includes a 4,645 square metre outdoor roaming area, a 1,115 square metre indoor enclosure as well as a brand new exhibit hall and year-round amphitheatre. Due to open in 2009 is the Zoo’s redeveloped Enmax Conservatory, a 3,159 square metre facility powered by environmentally friendly energy sources. The zoo is also working towards creating an Arctic Shores exhibit; featuring Arctic and Antarctic animals such as penguins, seals, otters and polar bears. For details, visit www.calgaryzoo.org.
More Alberta
For more information about Alberta, visit www.travelalberta.com/trade.
For more information about Aboriginal tourism in Alberta, visit www.albertaaboriginaltourism.com.
