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Published: March 14th 2011
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We started a recent camping trip through the Rocky Mountains in Calgary, Canada. Our first stop was only a few hours south of Calgary near the town of Fort Macleod in an RV Park and campground called "Buffalo Plains," a name which seemed appropriate for these wide open spaces at the foothills of the Rockies.
While reading the guidebook to see what attractions awaited us in the area we came across a curious reference to a place called "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump." We first thought of a replica of a Wild West saloon where frequent brawls led to the strange name. When reading further, however, we found out that this place with the strange name had actually been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 and is one of the world's oldest, largest, and best preserved buffalo jumps in existence. It had been used continuously by native peoples of the plains for almost 6,000 years.
But what is a "buffalo jump" and where does that curious name "Head-Smashed-In"come from?
We soon found out when we went to the site's Interpretive Centre. A “buffalo jump” is a cliff over which the native inhabitants of the North American plains used to drive a herd of bison by stampeding them and luring them in the direction of the cliff. The bison would fall over the cliff, the first over would be killed outright while the following animals would only be injured because they fell on the dead ones below. The injured would then be killed by the natives with arrows and lances.
The way the natives got the herd to stampede was to have a young man called a “runner” drape the skin from a buffalo calf over himself as a disguise and ease up to the lead cow. She would then think this was a calf, or even that this was her own calf. Then other braves would drape wolf skins over themselves and approach the herd as if they were wolves. This caused the herd to squeeze together for protection. The crowding together would excite the animals and they would start to run. When the buffalo stared to run, the brave disguised as a calf would start to run toward the cliff and the lead cow would follow, trying to protect what she thought was a calf. This was very dangerous for the runner. A man can run about 15 mph, a buffalo can make 30 mph. The stampeding herd thundered ever closer to the runner. Meanwhile, other braves would jump up from hiding places on both sides of the path to the cliffs, waving and shouting, thus directing the herd toward the cliff. If the runner survived long enough to reach the cliff, he would jump down unto a ledge and let the thundering herd fly to their death over him. To the shortsighted buffalo the edge of the cliff appeared as a dip in the prairie. Even if the buffalo at the front recognized the danger and stopped, the rest of the frenzied herd would push them to their deaths.
This all sounds cruel, but before guns and horses, this was the most efficient way for the natives to obtain food to feed their tribe and to obtain buffalo hides for their lodges and clothing. If the kill was great enough, they used the extra meat and hides as bartering materials with other tribes and later on with white traders.
As to the name, when one envisions a stampeding herd of bison plunging head-first over a cliff, it isn't hard to imagine where the name "Head-Smashed-In" came from.
The Interpretive Centre is an education in itself! The numerous exhibits, archeological artifacts, and the audio-visual presentations are of the finest. On certain days of the week, native dancers and drummers put on shows. The day we were lucky enough to be there, it happened to be the 1st of July, Canada's equivalent of our 4th of July, the show was not only spectacular but also very informative. During a break in the performance of the Blackfoot dancers and drummers I had the opportunity to talk to one of the performing drummers at length. He readily discussed the heritage of their dances and chants and remarked that I was the first foreigner who had ever asked him these questions. He explained the meaning of the chants and the accompanying drum rhythms, assuring me that even though to my untrained ear it all sounded the same, there was a different message conveyed by each piece. I also learned that none of these songs and dances are written down, but are passed from one generation to another by word of mouth.
In addition to the exhibits and other activities at the Interpretive Centre, there are hiking trails to the actual buffalo jump cliff and the surrounding area where a wonderful view of the plains and the Rockies looming in the distance can be had. Food and refreshments are available at the center and my recommendation is to go there and allow at least a half day if not more to fully enjoy it.
Who would ever suspect such a spectacular place behind a name like "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump?" For more travel adventures and other "ramblings" visit my blog at http://kokosdad.blogspot.com.
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