Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

— Looking over the cliff toward the "kill site" where the bison went over (the dip on the left). —
The Caldwell jump site is the last peak on the right in the distance. 
The vision quest hill (sacred site not open to the public) is on the left.

Inside the interpretive center

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

This is an awesome place. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it might not seem to rank in glory with others on the list, like the Pyramids in Egypt or the Great Wall of China, but it has power.

In the interpretive center, a young Blackfoot named Donovan was talking about "Living on the Land." Until other people came in after about half an hour, there was only me, again!

He had all sorts of well-used artifacts that were used for demonstration and that we could handle. He did an amazing job of explaining how each was made and used.

I got to hold a buffalo robe (yes, it's heavy), feel tanned hides softened with brain tissue; heft an atlatl and see how it was put together; draw a bow made from sinew, chokecherry and sheep horn (glued together with bison hoof glue); and jab a thrusting spear. These spears were not what I'd thought: they aren't thrown, but are used to poke an animal that is already wounded. In total length, they are about 5-6 feet long, but they actually are in two parts — the end shaft with the spearhead (less than 1 foot long) purposely comes off and stays in the animal. These darts may be marked with identifying paint or carving as a way of claiming the animal by the hunter who made the kill.

Not just bison: deer in the brush would have been tasty, too.

HUNTING: Atlatl darts are made in the same way — they are smaller, but when the dart is lodged in, say, a deer that doesn't collapse at the first throw and keeps running, the long part will fall off, so that the hunter can collect it and reload with another dart as he chases the wounded animal.

We learned how the arrow shafts were shaped between sandstone rollers and straightened with an arrow wrencher made from deer antler; how the heads were shaped from flint/chert or obsidian from Yellowstone (highly prized for sharpness and ease of shaping); and how the feathers were attached (wrapped with leather strips, not glued). A quiver for carrying darts and arrows was made from rawhide, and would have grass stuffed at the bottom so the stone points were protected from chipping.

Saskatoon?

Weapons practice was very important. A wooden hoop about a foot in diameter was used for basic practice; a finer one with a net inside (looked like a dreamcatcher), with a center "target" of about two inches, was used for more precise practice. Donovan said proudly that their warriors were so accurate they would be able to hit any part of the animal they were hunting: heart, jugular, lung.

I learned so much. And all of it made such sense.

Donovan said they used every part of the bison except the skull, and even those were placed to call the bison back to a hunting ground.

Chokecherry?

After the hunt, the animals were butchered, and the best parts (perishable tongue, internal organs) were consumed right away.

The meat was sliced and dried; then mixed with fat, berries and nuts in pemmican, which can last five years, although it was usually consumed within the year. I swear this was the basis for Tolkien's lembas.

Some skins were tanned with the fur on for warmth and were used for robes, winter moccasins and mittens.

Other skins were scraped on both sides with rock or antler scrapers, and then either used as rawhide or the skin was tanned with bison brain tissue so that it would become soft. Rawhide was used for parfleches and quivers and and shields (made from the hump of the bison as it was the thickest part of the hide). Bladders were used to carry water.

Alberta wild roses come in many shades

Bison horns were used for ladles, and also for carrying smouldering bison patties, which burn for a long time and can be carried from camp to camp so there isn't the tedious necessity to start a new fire from scratch.

Bison hooves were used for glue, rattles, and decoration.

We learned about: games played with painted or etched gambling sticks and "bones" from antler or bison ribs! Balls made from bison testicles! Rattles made from rawhide and obsidian chips! War clubs made from antler, wood, leather and stone! Tools for making other tools — for instance antler was used for knapping obsidian, not other rock. Combs made from willow twigs bound together at one end.

Dolls (with no faces) taught girls how to sew. Children also learned to care for others by getting a wolf puppy.

Blackfoot backrest

But the BEST THING EVER was the backrest. I'm going to figure out how to make one of these! It is attached to three poles, and you adjust the angle depending on how upright you want to be. They are made from woven willow twigs and are adjustable, light and portable. Much better than a big camp chair.

Donovan was a treasure, full of information and able to think on his feet and adapt quickly. A couple of kids joined the group, and asked some kind of nasty questions, but he handled them with aplomb. When told about the war club, the 8-year old girl asked, "Why would you want to bash somebody's head in?" (Obviously she had been schooled in the "we don't hurt other people" mantra.) Donovan deftly turned the question and said that they really didn't go to war that much; that trade was more important and that weapons were carried for show and honor. After she digested this, she also asked, "Why did they just killed the mother and baby buffaloes?" Donovan solemnly let her know that male buffalo were too lean in meat and the People needed good buffalo fat to be healthy. He added, "Besides, the male buffalo don't move in herds, so it's more work to hunt just one." When the 6-year-old boy asked what the ball was made of, there was a brief hesitation, but Donovan just replied, "From the male bison's reproductive organ." Didn't miss a beat.  

He was an interesting fellow, very open about his past. His mother was alcoholic when she was pregnant, and Donovan was diagnosed with ADD when he was young. He did talk a mile a minute. But he has learned to handle it, and is fiercely proud of his heritage. He said, "I love to teach others about our culture," and it shows. You really could ask him anything, and he'd answer.

Unfortunately, I'd spent an HOUR with him and was losing time to see the rest of the exhibits.

THE HUNT: I wanted to see the movie showing how the People prepared for the hunt and the the roles that everyone played before, during and after. Everyone worked together, as a good hunt depended on everything being done well.

Still not sure what these are!

Drive lanes were created using rock cairns with tree branches stuck in them to create a "wall" that the bison would avoid and move between. When the wind was right, the "wolves" (hunters in wolfskins; there might be six of them) would slowly move the herd. They didn't startle it, just kept the animals aware that they were lurking about. It helped to keep the herd bunched together and moving in the right direction. This might take days.

When the herd was correctly positioned, and when the wind was right, additional people holding buffalo robes would line the drive lanes. The "wounded calf" (maybe three other hunters wearing baby calfskins who were fast, brave runners) would bleat that they were in trouble, and if all went well, the herd would run to its aid. By that time, they were well on their path to death, and the people shaking the robes kept them on the path to the cliff. At the last possible minute, the "wounded calf" would dart to the side through the sheltering robes and the herd would fall to the women waiting below.

At the edge of the precipice; the plains stretch east forever

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is the best preserved site of it's kind in the world. 
It was in a perfect location and used so frequently that the debris of bone and rock below the jump is 10 METERS DEEP. So the bison coming off the cliff in picture you see at the top used fall 30 feet MORE. It must have been an incredible sight to hear the people yelling, the thunder of the hooves drumming on the ground, only to cease as the animals went over the cliff.

You actually can come in July and August and hike on the drive lanes with a Blackfoot guide, practice throwing atlatls and other First Nation activities. I'm hoping that the magic words "in July and August" will also apply in Alaska, because I feel like I'm missing a lot!

And yes, there would have been blood, and gore, and noise. The bison at the bottom were used for dog food, as they were squished by the weight of the other animals, and it took time to get down to them. I asked Donovan, and he said it took about 1-1/2 hours for one skilled woman to skin a buffalo.

The Caldwell Jump (from HSIBJ)

But a successful hunt meant that the People would eat. Pemmican was stored in parfleches rubbed with mashed up bison eyeballs (evidently there is something in vitreous liquid that masks odors), then buried three feet underground and marked with cairns. The idea was that you could return to the same site and eat the food in the cache so you wouldn't have to hunt right away. Or if there was an emergency, or if hunting wasn't going well, you wouldn't starve.

There is another jump nearby, the Caldwell Jump. Not sure why it isn't as well known. It might have something to do with the water source; at HSIBJ there is a spring perfectly situated, which would have provided the water necessary for camp and for processing (boiling parts and bones for fat).

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LASTLY... if you're still reading: "Head-Smashed-In" refers NOT to bashing in bison heads (although wounded bison certainly may have been dispatched that way). Legend has it that a boy wanted to view the spectacle of falling bison, so stationed himself at the base of the cliff under the protection of the overhang. The hunt was so successful — there were so many bodies that fell — that he was found later buried by them, and with his skull caved in. You needed to know this!

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I left about 7pm with the aim of going to the Lethbridge Library for my wifi fix (open until 9pm). I worked there until it closed, then decided I'd try to call a few friends while waiting for it to get darker (it is still full light at 9pm).

Richard Samuelson

While I was leaving messages outside the library, I saw a white-haired guy carefully looking at my car. People do this all the time... it's a pretty unique sight decked out with the bike and kayak on top. Kind of hard to miss and does invoke questions.

I guess I sort of looked at him quizzically when he came by on his way to the library, and he asked, "Is that your car? Where's this 'Thompson's' place?" His tone was a little... odd, so I just amiably replied that it was in California. Then he said, "The frame — it's covering up the plate."

"Oh," I said, "Well the dealer put it on, so... it's kind of the way it is."

I must have looked a little alarmed, because then he said, "I'm a policeman!"

At which I must have looked even MORE alarmed, because I was beginning to wonder if the license plate frame on N0MAD was illegal in Canada! I was very relieved when he said, "Oh, I'm just joshing you."

We both sort of laughed, but we ended up talking outside the library for over an hour. He was indeed a policeman stationed up in the Northwest Territory, but visiting family in Lethbridge. His 90-year-old father wasn't doing too well since falling off a ladder a few weeks before. He was recovering, but driving his wife crazy, so Richard is helping out when he can. A niece had committed suicide (depression/drugs), so he was here for the funeral, visiting his parents, and also arranging to buy a house nearby. He is putting in for a transfer to near Lethbridge so he can be closer to his parents. He said when the transfer is complete, after about three months has gone by, he's going to retire so that he can help full-time.

He was originally for Pakistan, but the family left "North India" for England where he went to university, then he came to Canada in about 1967 and never left.

I asked him how he got into police work, and he said he was desperate for work (I guess this would have been the early 1970s), and would have done anything. He applied for a job as an interpreter (he speaks five languages: English, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, and I didn't recognize the last one), not realizing that it was for the police department. After working there for about six months, his boss asked if he would like to join the RCMP as a policeman not a consultant, even though he had no police experience.

He filled out the forms, got his uniform, was paired with a senior officer who mentored him, and he has been with the RCMP ever since. He eventually went to college for a Criminal Science degree, and the department shifted his schedule so that he could attend those classes.

It's a great story.

He loves to travel, and was envious of my journey. He said when he first came to Canada he put 30,000 miles on his truck in a year! He has also been in Texas and Australia. I asked about changes that he's seen in Canada. He said there are lots of "bad" immigrants, and in fact he said they'd had just infiltrated and broken (arrested) a terrorist cell that he was pretty worried about, because he's sure that there are more of them. He said, "Never lose your Second Amendment rights," something quite poignant, especially considering the recent judicial ruling was just issued.

I've never thought of "Canada" and "terrorist" in the same sentence, but obviously there is a threat.

He's sad about the problems he sees with drugs and alcohol, especially with the First Nations peoples, but also with young people in general (like his niece). He does believe that some progress is being made, especially with the Native people — they do have a tribal culture that is supportive. He does worry about technology and how it's alienating people from each other. "They're not experiencing real life and talking to each other like we are doing now, " he said.

We talked about climate change and families and current events. Lovely man with a twinkle in his eye and a dry sense of humor. And gave me some rare insights into the nation I'm driving through.

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I stayed the night in Lethbridge and was pleased to find a bank of outdoor plugs (I guess for RVs? or electric vehicles?), so did a bit of writing, even if I couldn't get online. I have figured out a blog workaround for working offline, so I hope that will help in the long run.

That morning after the marathon talk with Richard, there was no parking available at the big downtown library in Lethbridge, so I escaped 10 miles away to Coaldale, where I've been ever since. The library here is quiet, uncrowded and has everything I need, including friendly people. There is quite a population of ?Mennonite? folk: the women are dressed in their little starched caps and distinctive dresses. I've seen them in Walmart, and here in Coaldale. If you want to know... they drive cars. They are not Amish!

The weather here has been hot, then cool and windy. It's perfect, but I'm aiming to leave here and head east.

PLANS & MAIL: I have my next reservation in Drumheller (June 13-14-15). Unfortunately, although I thought I was planning well ahead this time, I now found out that priority mail from the US takes 6-10 DAYS to arrive in Canada, and costs upwards from $23. It might arrive sooner, but they can't guarantee it. So I think I'm just going to have to wait and have stuff sent to Alaska. First class mail can take two weeks to arrive there; priority is 4-5 business days. There is just no rushing things!

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Boring stuff 

You might not want to read (but for the record):

Ft. Macleod (credit Xiao23 via Wikimedia Commons)

Ft. Macleod (June 4-5-6)

There's not a whole lot to Ft. Macleod, but if you're interested in history, it is a place where you definitely could visit for a few hours, or a day. There is a walk along the river and the Fort, which has activities and more things to do in July and August, and an old downtown with the Empress Theater.

But I didn't see much. What I did do:

• Shower: OMG clean hair.
• Bath: Heaven
• Book: I got the next draft of Helen's book sent off
• Communications: Spent some time getting setting up and getting accustomed to wifi-only communicating. Installed Google "Hangouts" on the phone and iPad. Installed Skype on both devices, too.
• Bank Debit Cards: With the communications thing fixed, I could then call about various issues that have come up, like my declined debit cards.
• Car Service: I need to get the car serviced (it's closing in on 15,000 miles), and that turned out to be something of a headache. Turns out that my "ToyotaCare" package (free oil changes, inspections, tire rotations every 5,000 miles) is not honored in Canada. So I have to make the decision to either go ahead and have it serviced here in Canada (and pay), OR make the run back to Montana (two border crossings) and have it done for free at Twin Falls, OR drive another 1500 miles or so and have it serviced when I get to North Pole, Alaska. Still not sure what I'm going to do, but will probably end up having it serviced in Calgary.
• Phone Calls: Called a number of people; nice to chat with friends and family without worrying about signal falling off or power/battery failing. Wifi calls were clear and generally without much lag.
• Skype: Experimented (thanks, Robin!) with various video options for the next Book Club meeting on June 14. Skype turned out to have the least lag, so I think we're going to try that next time. By the end of the trip we'll have this down pat!
• Entertainment:  TV: I have no idea what's even on TV now, so didn't even try!
• Entertainment: HULU: Doesn't work in Canada!
• Entertainment: NETFLIX: Uh oh.
  - Watched "The Last Kingdom," a BBC series based on the books by Bernard Cornwell. They're about the founding of England as England (or the concept of one English country), and center around Uhtred of Babbenburg, a Saxon raised by Vikings in Denmark, who returns to England to restore his birthright. I've read many of the books in the series (LOVE the author; for those of you who don't know, he also wrote the beloved "Sharpe" series),  and I confess I binge-watched all eight episodes, and loved every single minute. Highly recommended unless you are squeamish. It was a time of warriors, and they don't flinch from showing battles. But the stories are great. As Cornwell said in one interview, "My job is to keep you up at night." He writes historical page-turners. I'd say the series is even better than "Game of Thrones," partially because it's based on fact.
  - Also watched "The Martian" (finally)
  - And "Unbranded," a documentary about a group of young men who ride a string of mustangs (and one burro) from Mexico to Canada. It's part adventure story, part road-trip, and also talks about the plight of wild horses and burros in the west. Also highly recommended! While I love reading, I've also missed seeing films, so it was a real treat to be able to view these

Who WOULDN'T want to stay here?

Red Coat Motel

I have to give a shout-out thumbs up to the small, family-run motels I've been staying at on this trip. This place was GREAT. Everything you want in a motel: hot water and lots of it, shower for washing and bathtub for soaking, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, comfy bed, refrigerator/freezer, microwave, and (for me) fast wifi.

The proprietor was friendly and helpful. A continental breakfast available 7-9am. Nothing fancy, but perfectly adequate: fruit, juice, cereal, coffee/tea, white and wheat toast and packaged pastries.

AND FINALLY: The coolest thing was that the cast and crew of "Brokeback Mountain" stayed here while filming! I'm just a little star-struck seeing the signed photos in the motel office. I think I need to see the movie again, and see if I recognize any of the places!

I left somewhat reluctantly, after stocking up at the convenient "Family Food" store across the street. If I'm ever back here, I'd stay again.