SERIOUSLY? A PLACE CALLED HEAD-SMASHED IN BUFFALO JUMP?

Location:
Canada

Indians, Spirit, History

V!VA User‘s Description

HEAD-SMASHED-IN BUFFALO JUMP

P.O. Box 1977

Ft. MaCleod, Alberta

Canada Tol oZo

(403) 553 2731

SERIOUSLY? A PLACE CALLED HEAD-SMASHED IN BUFFALO JUMP?

Magic is afoot at the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Exhibit Centre near Ft. MaCleod, Alberta. Cranky and 30 minutes late to meet our Blackfoot Nation guide Nick, we tried apologizing profusely. He shrugged and said there is no such thing as ‘late.’ The self-deprecating Blackfoot operate on what they call “Indian Time.” Step across the threshold of the Centre, and you pass through a magical portal parsing ‘profane’ from ‘sacred’ time. Leave watches and preconceptions behind, just bring an open heart and mind to this very special place. And bring the kids, because they’ll be able to explain a lot of what is going on to you.

The Jump is a piece of geography steeped in First Nation tradition. Tourists rub elbows with the spiritual, whether they realize it or not; the land embraces the people, the symbolic breathes and history comes alive. Not bad for the price of admission.

It offers a range of programs during the day, including Native dancing and drumming. That is not to be missed especially around Calgary Stampede, when some of the best competitive dancers in the world are available and often dance at the Centre.

Managed with great dignity by the local Blackfoot people, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump bears the cachet of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It quietly celebrates and impressively documents the cultural, geological, archaeological, spiritual, and social history of a piece of land where the Blackfoot Nation hunted buffalo for nearly 6,000 years. The Centre tells a complete and compelling story, emphasizing the eternal bond between land and people, a good lesson in these days of geo-climatic uncertainty.

The brilliant design of the Exhibit Centre tells the story of the hunt, which was inextricably linked to the formation of the land. The surrounding geography of rolling plains and occasional fractures created occasional 30 to 50 foot drops, virtually unnoticeable until ‘stumbled’ upon. When the migratory buffaloes appeared, local Blackfoot people would send out runners, gathering the clans at the site. Once assembled the clans would perform the requisite spiritual rituals and prayers, preparing for the hunt.

The strategy of the hunt itself is explained through the exhibits of the Centre, the dialogue with the First Nation guides, and a short, powerful film (no animals were harmed in the making of the movie, but it is very convincing). Since the buffalo was completely rendered by the Blackfoot into meat, tools fat, skin and other items critical to survival, the goal of the hunt was to separate anywhere from 10 to one hundred buffalo from the main herd and coax them over the drop, without using weapons until they had tumbled to the bottom of the chasm. Tough way to make a living, eh?

The Exhibit Centre is built into the hillside below the buffalo jump. Each inside level tells a part of the story, such as the ecology and geology of the area, the importance of the buffalo in the lives of the Blackfoot, and can be moved through chronologically. Artifacts uncovered from the site, well-informed guides, and extremely informative exhibit labeling draw you upward through the Centre; you eventually end up outside, at the jump itself. Swallows flit in and out of nests they’ve built onto the cliff side for ten thousand years, and a small, wind-stunted tree, laden with small packages attached to its branches stands nearby.

“Offerings,” explained Nick.

Offerings. The Centre remains a living shrine for the Blackfoot people. Abandoned 170 years ago when the Blackfoot acquired guns and horses, the site remains a profoundly vital link with tradition and spirit; a window into the lives and minds of a people who have sustained themselves for thousands of years through fidelity to their spiritual values and the ability to adapt. Information is offered soberly and willingly, and with quiet pride.

The exhibits and tours can be done in a single day; we’d strongly encourage overnight camping at the Tipis on the site. You stay in an authentic First Nation Tipi, joined by a storyteller who shares the myths of the Blackfoot, answering any remaining questions.

During the late afternoon we watched our children make friends with other kids from all over the world; literally from Canada, Haiti, South Korea, and chase the innumerable and taunting ground squirrels around the campsite like a cosmic game of international “whack a mole.” They never caught any, but that wasn’t the point. The magic of the land and the place created instant friendships, shifting and articulated hunting strategies, and eventually reduced the children to a state of dreamy exhaustion. Magic.

Later, I stood outside after dark and stared in wonder at the big sky shimmering with stars, feeling the wind move through the grasses and the hills. I swear I heard the coyote howls mix seamlessly with the whispered voices of 150 generations of Blackfoot hunters as the night held me. Travelers, there lies the wonderful secret of the Centre. Simply listening.

In the morning I greeted a staffer who had been present when the Centre closed at 6 PM, and reopened the Centre doors for us.

“You here 24 hours a day?” I asked, jokingly.

“I feel like I am, even when I’m not,” he said.

I now understand that.

Submitted by: Bruce Menin

83 Lime Street

Newburyport, MA 01950

Further Information

Travel tips: Coming from Calgary, in the summer, be amazed at the yellow fields of canola. Recognize that you have entered a place that holds great spiritual value, and be respectful. Understand that some questions cannot be answered because they involve traditional lore that is passed on only when the recipient (your First Nation guide) is ready to receive it; or that such information remains sacred. Expect that things will run on "Indian Time," and not necessarily according to other schedules.

Must see/do at this place: Arrange for a guided tour (often, it will be in groups of 10-15); you will then move through the Centre chronologically, which helps to understand the history of the site. There are a lot of hands-on exhibits, which work great for the kids. The evening of Tipi camping, especially if you have kids, is magical; the Centre provides you with air mattresses and sleeping bags; the tipi's are authentic in their structure and design, and the night, if clear, offers you stars and coyotes and big, big sky. Tip your guide. Take your time. Also, it is worth moving out of the crowd, and asking questions of the staff when they are not besieged by others; you can learn a great deal and they are very willing to share information. Also, take note of the visitors; during the two days we were here in July, there were visiting groups of young First Nation children coming to the Centre to learn about their heritage.

You should avoid here: The cafeteria food, which caters to the carnivore, is a cut above cafeteria food; but don't expect too much; prices are reasonable, staff are friendly, and the ice-maker in the cafe is a lifesaver. Be aware that the short film which recreates the Buffalo hunt is exceedingly well done, and actually features staff you will see around the site; although no animals were hurt in the making of it, that may be hard for your child to understand.

This is well-run institution, which manages to educate, hold onto the sacred, and allow the Blackfoot people to take pride in their history. Don't patronize the staff by asking for their forgiveness for the wrongs of the past.