Today we visited the Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park located in the Siksika Nation at Cluny, Alberta. It is 100km east of Calgary on Hwy 1 and then 7km south on Highway 842.
This area of the Bow River was traditionally a gathering place for the Siksika and Blackfoot people where they hunted for bison. The crossing is an important place in Canadian history as the Treaty 7 was signed here between the native nations of what is now southern Alberta and the Canadian government on behalf of the Crown in 1877.
Crowfoot, chief of the Siksika, is to have died and been buried here along with Poundmaker, a chief of the Cree who had been cermonially adopted by Crowfoot in order to create peace between the Blackfoot and the Cree.
In 1925, the federal government declared the traditional gathering site and the treaty signing site as one of the "National Historic Sites of Canada".
In 2007, a stunning new facility was built which is a historical site and a tourist attraction. It includes an interpretive centre, monuments, tipis and hiking trails.
The new centre is built along the top ridge of the Bow River valley yielding a great view of the whole valley. Being up on this naturally elevated look out point gives you an idea about what it would have been like years ago looking out over the whole valley and it has a spiritual feeling.
The building's unique design includes elements of the plains tipi and feathers. There are excellent exhibits and at certain times there are films and other cultural events such as ceremonial dancing. There is a gift shop that has several beautiful native art pieces and paintings.
History and culture of the Blackfoot combined to make an interesting outing. During our visit today there was only a handful of other visitors to the site. I would highly recommend this museum to learn about the Blackfoot history, their traditions and culture, their clothing and even their language.
There are no photos allowed inside.
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