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Uncovering
Wanuskewin The 150,000 visitors that explore Wanuskewin every year leave with a better understanding of the First Nations culture of the northern plains. Many of these visitors also leave with a renewed sense of peace. Bettie Paley, manager of marketing and communications for the park, recognizes that many people experience something special at Wanuskewin. “Because the park is a sacred site, it’s powerful here,” Bettie says. “Everyone will experience something different.” Wanuskewin is a Cree word that means “seeking peace of mind”. For many, this peace of mind is the true discovery to be made at Wanuskewin. The area has long been known as a special gathering place for First Nations people. In fact, archaeologists have learned that First Nations people have been coming to the spot for over 6000 years to dance, share stories, renew their spirits and spend time together. The park opened to the public in 1992, inviting visitors from all cultures to experience this enchanting meeting place for themselves. Through a visit to Wanuskewin you will learn the practical details of the Aboriginal way of life, but you will also learn about the deeper values that guided them. The circle, a significant theme in First Nations history, is repeated throughout the park; the walking paths and even the building itself are designed to move the visitor in a circle. Messages such as including all members of the tribe to work more efficiently as a whole and the importance of taking time to celebrate and give thanks are repeated often. Every area of programming focuses on communicating beliefs that are fundamental to First Nations cultures. Four walking trails have been created to allow visitors to connect with the land. One of the trails will guide you through the archaeology in the area. Another trail tells the story of First Nations people who lived here, and a third follows the buffalo who moved across this land. On each of these trails you will enjoy breathtaking views of the valley, see wildlife and plants in their natural habitat and have the chance to participate in activities like crafts, games and outdoor living skills. The most challenging trail leads you past tipi rings estimated to be 2000 years old, and finally reaches a rare, awe-inspiring sight—a medicine wheel. The medicine wheel at Wanuskewin is one of fewer than a hundred that are still in existence in all of North America. Approximately 1500-years-old, the wheel is a cairn in the centre of a ring of lichen-encrusted limestone boulders. The wheel was most likely used to conduct ceremonies. First Nations elders believe this is one of the most sacred sites of the northern plains tribes still intact. Your walk of discovery continues inside the building. The 30,000-square-foot visitor centre features exhibits and two theatres. A stroll through the visitor centre will answer many questions about the way First Nations people lived and worked, such as how animals were hunted and tracked and how every part of an animal had a purpose. You will get a sense of the way First Nations people lived in the area 1500 years ago, and learn how their way of life focused on respect for the land, animals and other people. The museum is equipped with interactive touch screen computers that explain things like buffalo jumps and buffalo pounds, the games children played and the uses of various species of trees and plants. You can even sit inside a large tipi and listen to a recording of an elder telling various legends, such as Why the Leaves Fall, The Legend of the Crow and How the Honey Bee Got Its Stinger. You can also watch archaeologists hard at work in the lab, which is housed inside the Wanuskewin interpretive centre. Archaeological research being done at Wanuskewin is the largest of its kind in Canada. The findings uncovered have been extremely valuable in providing much of what we now know about the history of First Nations people moving throughout the northern plains. Piecing together the nomadic past of Aboriginal people can be a challenge, but even small artifacts can provide big answers. Through something as small as a fingerprint on a fragment of pottery, researchers are able to trace individual potters, which allows them to uncover settlement patterns and trade between tribes. Some of these remarkable artifacts are now on display at Wanuskewin. There are many ways to interact at Wanuskewin, and your hosts will be pleased to provide the setting for you for to complete your experience. Try your hand at some traditional beadwork, help raise a tipi and be sure to sample some delicious First Nations cuisine, like bannock, bison and muskeg tea. Dancing and drumming performances every Saturday and Sunday are incredible displays of talent and passion, and provide one of the most captivating opportunities to experience First Nations culture. Wanuskewin is intended to refresh and renew, but also to challenge existing ideas. When you leave you will take away some valuable lessons from Saskatchewan’s First Nations people about living in harmony with others and the environment. The story of the First Nations in Saskatchewan is still being written. As current issues facing First Nations people are addressed, the elders and leaders directing Wanuskewin believe that the park represents a model of cross-cultural partnership that should be used for the development of Saskatchewan and Canada’s future. Wanuskewin will play a role in this development, from hosting powwows and community workshops, to opening the lines of communication on issues such as sustainable development, education and treaties. In this way, Wanuskewin is not just about uncovering the past, but also about building the future. Wanuskewin
is a place that provides answers in various forms. For archaeologists
the answers are scientific; for others the park answers questions
about the history of Saskatchewan and a distinct way of life.
But facts are only a small part of what visitors to Wanuskewin
can expect to uncover. Visit the park yourself, and discover
what Wanuskewin means to you.
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