Wisdom passed down through millennia When we visited Wanuskewin Heritage Park – 15 minutes north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – we learned that the projectile points, pottery shards and other artifacts discovered here date back more than 6,400 years. That makes them older than Egypt’s pyramids! Wanuskewin – Plains Cree for “seeking peace of mind” – is Canada’s longest-running archaeological site. The National Historic Site includes seven walking trails. We stepped back in time on an interpretive walk with our Indigenous guide Theresa Hohne, to a medicine wheel believed to be 1,500 years old. Pointing to the central cairn of stones, we asked her if it was used for measuring the seasons or the movement of the sun. “I don’t know,” she replied, “because nothing was written down; however, oral tradition tells us that it was a sacred site used for ceremonies.” Nearby, circles of stones marked Wanuskewin’s Sunburn Tipi Ring site. “This was the summer camp because it’s higher and cooler,” explained Theresa. “The wind kept the mosquitoes away.” “Because Plains tribes were nomadic, they took everything with them, leaving behind only the stones used to anchor their tents, the bones of the animals they had eaten and the charcoal from their fires.” Later, in the Visitor Centre, we enjoyed interactive exhibits, art galleries and impressive Indigenous crafts – including beadwork, porcupine quill baskets and jewellery – in the gift shop. A Cree boy performed a traditional dance in the outdoor amphitheatre, as his father accompanied him with songs, passed down through generations. Wanuskewin’s restaurant serves Indigenous cuisine, including bison burgers and stew, wild rice salad and freshly made bannock (baked or fried bread). Wanuskewin serves food for the body as well as the mind. 18 | www.snowbirds.org Travel
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