Wanuskewin Heritage Park
Encyclopedia
Wanuskewin Heritage Park is a non-profit internationally-recognized award-winning interpretive centre that reflects First Nations
culture, history, and values. (In the Cree
language: ᐋᐧᓇᐢᑫᐃᐧᐣ / wânaskêwin means, "being at peace with oneself".)
The Saskatchewan Wanuskewin Indian Heritage Incorporated (WIHI) organization was established to present the interests of regional first nations in planning the park. The Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority (WHPA) is intern a 12 member organization responsible for the operation of the park. The WHPA board has representation from the first nations community, Government of Canada
, Province of Saskatchewan
, City of Saskatoon
, University of Saskatchewan
and Meewasin Valley Authority
and the Friends of Wanuskewin.
For more than 6,000 years people have gathered at this unique and beautiful place. The nomadic tribes who roamed the Northern Plains came to hunt bison, gather food and herbs, and to find shelter from the winter winds. The full story of Wanuskewin, however, is just beginning to be known. Some of the sites uncovered date back thousands of years, making them older than the Pyramids of Egypt. Wanuskewin is also the site of an arrangement of boulders called a medicine wheel
, of which fewer than 100 remain on the northern plains.
Wanuskewin Heritage Park hugs the west bank of the South Saskatchewan River
, just three kilometers north of Saskatoon
, Saskatchewan. Within its 240 hectares (about 600 acres) there are 19 sites that represent the active and historical society of Northern Plains Peoples composed of Cree
, Assiniboine, Saulteaux
, Atsina, Dakota
, and Blackfoot
. On site there are summer and winter camp sites, bison
kill sites, tipi
rings, and artifacts such as pottery fragments, plant seeds, projectile points, egg shells and animal bones, all within a compact area.
Wanuskewin Heritage Park officially opened in June 1992; however
scientific investigations in the area began in the early 1930s. Today, the University of Saskatchewan
manages an intensive archaeological research program at Wanuskewin with active archaeological digs. The Park was designated a Provincial Heritage Property in 1984, the only such site in Saskatchewan featuring prehistoric artifacts. It was named a National Historic Site in 1986. The following year Queen Elizabeth II
unveiled a dedication plaque. In 2001, The Prince of Wales was named Pisimwa Kamiwohkitahpamikohk, or, “the sun looks at him in a good way”, by an elder in a ceremony at Wanuskewin.
Wanuskewin's mission is to operate, on a sustainable basis, a world-recognized Heritage Park under the leadership and guidance of First Nations people that contributes to increasing public awareness, understanding and appreciation of the cultural legacy of the Northern Plains First Nations people.
During the peak summer season about 40-45 people are employed at the park. Working cooperatively in an imaginative and culturally sensitive manner while serving as
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
culture, history, and values. (In the Cree
Cree language
Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador, making it the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada. It is also spoken in the U.S. state of Montana...
language: ᐋᐧᓇᐢᑫᐃᐧᐣ / wânaskêwin means, "being at peace with oneself".)
The Saskatchewan Wanuskewin Indian Heritage Incorporated (WIHI) organization was established to present the interests of regional first nations in planning the park. The Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority (WHPA) is intern a 12 member organization responsible for the operation of the park. The WHPA board has representation from the first nations community, Government of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Province of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, City of Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
and Meewasin Valley Authority
Meewasin Valley Authority
The Meewasin Valley Authority is a conservation organization created by the Provincial Government of Saskatchewan in Canada and is dedicated to conserving the cultural and natural resources of the South Saskatchewan River Valley. The authorities activities include education, development and...
and the Friends of Wanuskewin.
For more than 6,000 years people have gathered at this unique and beautiful place. The nomadic tribes who roamed the Northern Plains came to hunt bison, gather food and herbs, and to find shelter from the winter winds. The full story of Wanuskewin, however, is just beginning to be known. Some of the sites uncovered date back thousands of years, making them older than the Pyramids of Egypt. Wanuskewin is also the site of an arrangement of boulders called a medicine wheel
Medicine wheel
Medicine wheels, or sacred hoops, were constructed by laying stones in a particular pattern on the ground. Most medicine wheels follow the basic pattern of having a center of stone, and surrounding that is an outer ring of stones with "spokes", or lines of rocks radiating from the center...
, of which fewer than 100 remain on the northern plains.
Wanuskewin Heritage Park hugs the west bank of the South Saskatchewan River
South Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan....
, just three kilometers north of Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, Saskatchewan. Within its 240 hectares (about 600 acres) there are 19 sites that represent the active and historical society of Northern Plains Peoples composed of Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
, Assiniboine, Saulteaux
Saulteaux
The Saulteaux are a First Nation in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.-Ethnic classification:The Saulteaux are a branch of the Ojibwe nations. They are sometimes also called Anihšināpē . Saulteaux is a French term meaning "people of the rapids," referring to...
, Atsina, Dakota
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
, and Blackfoot
Blackfoot
The Blackfoot Confederacy or Niitsítapi is the collective name of three First Nations in Alberta and one Native American tribe in Montana....
. On site there are summer and winter camp sites, bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
kill sites, tipi
Tipi
A tipi is a Lakota name for a conical tent traditionally made of animal skins and wooden poles used by the nomadic tribes and sedentary tribal dwellers of the Great Plains...
rings, and artifacts such as pottery fragments, plant seeds, projectile points, egg shells and animal bones, all within a compact area.
Wanuskewin Heritage Park officially opened in June 1992; however
scientific investigations in the area began in the early 1930s. Today, the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
manages an intensive archaeological research program at Wanuskewin with active archaeological digs. The Park was designated a Provincial Heritage Property in 1984, the only such site in Saskatchewan featuring prehistoric artifacts. It was named a National Historic Site in 1986. The following year Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
unveiled a dedication plaque. In 2001, The Prince of Wales was named Pisimwa Kamiwohkitahpamikohk, or, “the sun looks at him in a good way”, by an elder in a ceremony at Wanuskewin.
Wanuskewin's mission is to operate, on a sustainable basis, a world-recognized Heritage Park under the leadership and guidance of First Nations people that contributes to increasing public awareness, understanding and appreciation of the cultural legacy of the Northern Plains First Nations people.
During the peak summer season about 40-45 people are employed at the park. Working cooperatively in an imaginative and culturally sensitive manner while serving as
- major tourist attraction,
- human resource development agency
- leading scientific, cultural and educational authority
- Gathering place for present day spiritual uses such a Sweats, Pipe Ceremonies and more