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Where the Buffalo Roam

Writer's picture: Janette FrawleyJanette Frawley

Have you ever wondered how places are named? One of our destinations today has the most unusual name, which is more of a description, and one that may even make you scratch your head and ask ‘why?’ I can only tell you that the name becomes self-explanatory within a few minutes of arriving.


I have visited seven of the eighteen UNESCO World Heritage sites in Canada, and today’s excursion to the ‘Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump’ site is probably the oddest ones I have ever visited. Located in the foothills where the Rocky Mountains rise from the prairie, this not-quite-mountains, not-quite-prairie region of Alberta had been used by the Blackfoot people for food collection of mammoth proportions.


We drive south from Calgary for almost two hours, passing through flat farmland; beautiful wheatfields swaying in the breeze, almost ready for harvest. We pass the Erratics, the huge glacial boulders that were carried along and dumped on the prairies eons before the anyone had ever heard of climate change. This cloudy day, which threatens to rain, is probably the coolest day I have encountered since arriving in North America a month ago.


We arrive at the Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump and enter the visitor centre, which is also an interpretive museum, highlighting the ecology, mythology, lifestyle, and technology of the Blackfoot people, and the archaeological evidence of the unique activity that had taken place on this very site. Pat and I go upstairs to observe from the top of the building, which leads to a path that travels along the 300 metre crest of a cliff.



Just imagine that not too far away, whilst a herd of bison are innocently grazing on the rich grass of the plains, young male Blackfoot warriors are making their preparations. Using large rocks, they form a funnel-shaped pathway leading to the cliff. Circling the herd from behind, the warriors place fresh coyote skins over themselves, then make loud noises, startling the herd of bison. As the bison flee more warriors beating drums and yelling, force the stampeding herd into the pathway that leads to the edge of the cliff. Gaining momentum and without knowing what was happening, the buffalo plunge 11 metres over the cliff to their ultimate deaths. Once the herd falls, other Blackfoot warriors kill any surviving beasts with spears and clubs before ‘processing’ them at a nearby camp. The bison provide the people with everything they need for survival, including meat, skins, and tools made from bones. Since everything the Blackfoot needs is provided in the hunt, it allows them to enjoy leisure time and to pursue artistic and spiritual ventures.


Whilst we may think this is unnecessarily cruel, this practice was used for more than 5,500 years, and the evidence lies in the layers of bones deposited at the bottom of the cliff, which are still being uncovered by a team of archaeologists.



So far, I have satisfied just the ‘Buffalo Jump’ part of the name of this place. The other part is perhaps a little gruesome, and some Greenies would say is justified. So, here is the rest of the story. According to Blackfoot legend, a young curious warrior wanted to see the buffalo jump from a different perspective, from the bottom of the cliff. All was good until the buffalo plunged from the cliff, the laws of gravity pulling them to the earth faster than anticipated. Not able to flee quickly enough, the young, curious warrior was buried beneath the fallen beasts. When he was eventually recovered, his head was smashed in, hence the story behind the name of this place.


It's windy and cold on the ridge, which now has fencing to prevent anyone from re-enacting the activities of the past. Warning signs that bears have been seen in the vicinity mean that I am not staying outside longer than necessary, although I think that someone is probably monitoring the area for bear activity.



The museum and interactive area are excellent, as most are in North America. They are truly learning tools that provide facts without pointing to discrimination and victimhood. In a small corner of the centre, we watch a video showing a reconstruction of the bison hunt. Here, it strikes me that perhaps there were years when too many bison were hunted and left dead or dying at the base of the cliff. Archaeological evidence shows that whilst bison hunt was primarily to provide food that would be stored and eaten for the months ahead, there was monumental wastage as the beasts not wanted or in excess of the needs of the people, were left to rot at the bottom of the cliffs. This evidence that is now being uncovered by archaeologists analysing the layers debris at the bottom of the cliffs debunks our impression that indigenous people only caught what they needed. It also shows that the abundance of bison living here at the time.



This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the highlights of my trip to Canada, and one that will not be forgotten.



We have another stop to make today before we return to Calgary; one that also has an incredible and unforgettable story.

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