Windows on Yesterday
(Article reprinted with permission of Tourism Saskatchewan.)

The earliest written records of what is now Saskatchewan date to 1690 when Henry Kelsey of the fur-trading Hudson’s Bay Company became the first European to explore the area. Other adventurers soon followed and waterways such as the Clearwater and Churchill rivers soon became established fur-trade routes as did overland routes like the Carlton Trail. Remnants of the fur-trade era can be seen today at Cumberland House, Last Mountain House, Fort Pitt and Fort Carlton.

The first permanent capital of this vast region, then known as the Northwest Territories, was established at Battleford in 1877. Saskatchewan became a province in 1905, with Regina as its capital.

A History of Multiculturalism
The settlement patterns of Saskatchewan, perhaps inadvertent, nonetheless led to a broad multicultural population base. Those who settled here helped to establish diversity of lifestyles and cultures - not to mention the many events and attractions that sprang up from these varied roots combined with an almost all-encompassing theme of agriculture.

Multicultural festivals and celebrations paying tribute to ethnic groups help keep alive the time-honoured traditions, customs and languages which immigrants brought from their homelands. Two of the largest events are Regina’s Mosaic and Saskatoon’s Folkfest. At pavilions around the cities visitors can sample ethnic food, take in performances of traditional song and dance, and see displays that reflect the handcrafts, art and religion of dozens of ethnic groups. Similar events on a smaller scale include Moose Jaw’s Motif and Tapestrama in Prince Albert.

Cultural groups throughout the province arrange heritage events designed to preserve traditions for future generations. La Fete Fransaskoise in Moose Jaw showcases French-Canadian culture. Back to Batoche Days near Batoche National Historic Site feature Métis fiddling and jigging contests. Ukrainian heritage is highlighted at the Vesna Festival in Saskatoon and the Svoboda Ukrainian Dance Festival in the Battlefords. For more information about multicultural and other events, visit www.sasktourism.com/events.

Home of the Mounted Police
The development of Saskatchewan is intimately tied to the history of the world-famous Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). In July, 1874, 275 recruits of the North West Mounted Police (NWMP), as the force was first called, were dispatched from Manitoba on an epic march west to establish law and order in the North West. Today, the inter-provincial highway known as the Red Coat Trail (Hwy #13 in Saskatchewan) approximates their route across the prairies.

RCMP history can be tracked all across Saskatchewan. From Fort Walsh in the Cypress Hills where you can visit Farwell’s Trading Post and discover the "Old Forts Trail," to Fort Battleford to the north, which explores the major role the fort played in the North West Rebellion of 1885. Wood Mountain Post near the U.S. border tells the story of NWMP Major James Walsh and his negotiations with Chief Sitting Bull of the Sioux nation.

The RCMP Centennial Museum in Regina offers a complete look at the background and work of the force. It’s located at the RCMP national Training Academy (Depot Division) in west Regina, where the Sergeant Major’s Parade and Sunset Retreat Ceremonies draw large, admiring crowds. Tours of the training facility include Regina’s oldest building, the RCMP Chapel. A major new Canadian attraction, the RCMP Heritage Centre, is currently in the works for the training academy in Regina.

Riel and the Métis
Few historical figures still arouse as much passion as Louis Riel. Was he a hero? Or traitor, as the Crown contended? The interpretations vary about the man who led Métis and First Nations people in an armed uprising against the Canadian government in 1885. The uprising (over Métis land rights and other issues) became known as the North West Rebellion, the last military conflict on Canadian soil.

After two months of bitter fighting in a number of locations, Riel surrendered at Batoche, the Métis stronghold on the South Saskatchewan River, and his trial in Regina captured national attention. Found guilty of treason, he died on the gallows in November that
same year.

Historic sites and museums throughout Saskatchewan highlight the 1885 conflict and the issues surrounding it. Chief among these is Batoche National Historic Site, which brings the past to life with displays, an outstanding audio-visual presentation and restored buildings and battle sites. Other parts of the story are told at Duck Lake (site of the first battle), Battleford, Cut Knife, the Fort Pitt/Frenchman Butte area and Steele Narrows to the north, as well as
in Regina.

The history and culture of Saskatchewan’s Métis people lives on today in communities throughout Saskatchewan. It was through the meeting of North American First Nations people and Europeans that the Métis, and their unique and vibrant culture, were created.

The Métis have helped shape Saskatchewan for 200 years. Their heritage can be experienced at King Trapper events at various winter festivals, as well as at celebrations where their story telling, fiddling, jigging, square dancing, venison roasts and bannock bakes are shared. In some communities, especially in northwestern Saskatchewan, Cree Mitchif – a language composed of Aboriginal dialects, French and English – is still spoken, and at Ile-a-la-Crosse it remains the language of the community.

Museums Everywhere
The dreams and struggles of Saskatchewan’s people are recaptured in museums across the province. Some 250 museums hold more than 5 million objects in trust. Saskatchewan’s museums are everything from vibrant community centres and art galleries, to zoos and parks. They range from small, volunteer-run centres to large facilities staffed by professional curators and interpreters. Many deal with living culture as well as the past.

The Life Sciences Gallery at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina takes you on a journey through the province. The Ukrainian Museum of Canada in Saskatoon provides insight into Ukrainian immigration history and culture, and displays impressive decorative Ukrainian textiles.

Small-town museums abound, and provide insights into everything from Aboriginal culture, settlement, agricultural history and pioneer life, to more unusual topics. In Moose Jaw, visit an ocean-going vessel that never knew water built by one settler in the middle of the prairie, view the extensive silver collection of a Weyburn area farmer, or peruse an impressive array of toys and celebrity autographs in Canora. The CN Station House Museum in the Canora (Canadian Northern Railway) Station, is the oldest class station still operational is Saskatchewan. One of Saskatchewan’s newest museums, the Creighton Museum and Tourist Centre provides area history and a replica of a Northwest Mounted Police Post.

For information on the province’s museums and suggestions for regional museum tours, contact the Museums Association of Saskatchewan in Regina at 306-780-9279 or visit their website at www.saskmuseums.org.

Western Development Museum
Four of the finest halls of learning in the province are the Western Development Museum (WDM) branches in Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Saskatoon and Yorkton. Collections of implements, tools, household furnishings, automobiles, trains, planes, tractors and textiles number some 70,000. Many mechanical items have been restored to operating condition. During special events, threshing machines, steam traction engines and other tools of the pioneer era are pressed into service to demonstrate the "miracle machinery" of yesteryear.

The Saskatoon WDM is the largest of the four, boasting a priceless collection of antique automobiles and tractors, plus "1910 Boomtown" – a recreated main street plucked from the past that’s reportedly one of the longest indoor streets in North America. The Yorkton branch has as its theme the "Story of People" and recreates the times and styles of western Canadian immigrants.

To tell its story about agriculture, the North Battleford WDM’s Heritage Farm and Village has recreated a Saskatchewan town and working farm, circa 1925. Moose Jaw’s facility covers the "History of Transportation" with an impressive collection of automobiles, airplanes and trains, as well as the Snowbirds Gallery, a tribute to Canada’s famed aerobatics team.

In the lobbies of all four museums, modern-day technology merges with history in the form of interactive kiosks sharing the "Family History Album" – Saskatchewan stories from the past. This album is the first step in the development of "Winning the Prairie Gamble," a series of exhibits that will open at the museums in 2005 for Saskatchewan’s centennial. For more information on the WDM, visit www.wdm.ca.

Prehistory
Anyone who thinks of Saskatchewan as "young" is in for a surprise. Wanuskewin Heritage Park near Saskatoon brings to life a gathering place on the northern plains used for 6,000 years. The First Nations Gallery at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina highlights Aboriginal heritage through the ages. Various community museums have smaller, though noteworthy, exhibits on ancient human history, such as the Harris and District Museum, the Kindersley and District Plains Museum and the Notukeu Heritage Museum in Ponteix.

On a beautiful cliff-top setting in southern Saskatchewan, see the St. Victor Petroglyphs, a series of rock carvings depicting human faces, hands and feet, tracks of a grizzly bear and bison, turtles and various symbolic images. Similarly, near Herschel, you can go back at least 1,650 years to when Aboriginal inhabitants etched elaborate carvings on three limestone fieldstones. The Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre of Herschel puts this special area into perspective through displays and guided tours.

In the Precambrian shield of northern Saskatchewan, there are a number of places to see ancient and colourful rock paintings. An excellent reference and guidebook is Aboriginal Rock Paintings of the Churchill River, available from the Royal Saskatchewan Museum or the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society. As well, guided canoeing tours of the river are available that include the opportunity for an up-close look at the rock paintings. A unique five-day fly-in “Rock Art Camp” is offered by the Society and Canoe Ski Discovery Company.

The Saskatchewan Archaeological Society, based in Saskatoon, offers additional information and learning experiences, including a popular fall bus tour and at
least one archaeology field school each summer. Call 306-664-4124 or visit www.saskarchaeologicalsociety.ca.

Fascinating Fossils
To go back even further in time, head to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina and discover the geological forces that molded the province over the past two billion years. Through colourful displays, dioramas, videos and sound effects, the museum’s Earth Sciences Gallery introduces you to a very different Saskatchewan: a land of tropical forests, mountains and volcanoes; a place that was once a vast inland sea. Dinosaurs and other huge beasts of the past figure prominently in this gallery – Saskatchewan has incredibly rich fossil resources.

At the Pasquia Palaeontological Site near Arborfield, take a walk back in time on a scenic nature trail along the Carrot River, to where the "Big Bert" crocodilian fossil was found.

The ruggedly beautiful Frenchman River Valley near Eastend has long been considered a "supermarket of dinosaur bones," and now you can get a close-up view of palaeontology work in progress at the T.rex Discovery Centre. In addition to learning more about "Scotty" the Tyrannosaurus rex whose fossilized remains were found in the area, visit dig sites and try searching for fossils yourself, explore the centre’s exhibits and extensive fossil record, visit the gift shop and the educational activity centre. The Royal Saskatchewan Museum’s Fossil Research Station is also housed in the T.rex Discovery Centre, which can be reached at 306-295-4009 or go to www.dinocountry.com.

Explore your own Past
If you’re searching for your Saskatchewan roots, some places to visit include the Saskatchewan Archives in Regina or Saskatoon, the Prairie History Room at the Regina Public Library, or the Local History Room at the Saskatoon Public Library. Canada’s largest genealogical lending library is in Regina and is operated by the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, which can be reached at
306-780-9207 or go to www.saskgenealogy.com.