The Siksika Nation hosted the 3rd Prairie Chicken Dance Championship this June at Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, Alberta.
I almost didn't make it. I had picked up a glossy brochure with information on Alberta Attractions at the tourist office in Drumheller, but there was no mention of an address or directions to the Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park.
When the weather didn't cooperate and only part of the Dinosaur National Park was accessible, I thought, I might as well search for Blackfoot Crossing.
I set off in the direction I thought it might be and asked for guidance every possibility I got. It amazes me always that locals don't seem too much interested in their own places of interest. Finally, I found a man who had worked there during contraction and was able to give me directions.
Cumulus clouds had gathered and moved slowly across the big, wide sky. They threw their shadows onto the rolling hills of grassland that is typical for Alberta's prairie. The lush valley at Blackfoot Crossing is a historical site. The tribes of the Blackfoot Confederacy had met here in 1877 to address the threat that European settlers had brought to their lives.
Right above the valley on a sheltered spot, the pow wow ground was set up for the World Chicken Dance Championship. The setting couldn't have been more beautiful for any event. I arrived just in time to watch the opening ceremony. Prairie Chicken Dancers in full regalia, hand made and each one unique, embellished with impressive feathers and richly decorated with beadwork were waiting to perform. Some of their heads were adorned with a porcupine roach and two feathers to symbolize a chicken's comb. Accomplished Blackfoot singers and drummers sat around the grandmother of drums, ready to provide the beat for the Prairie Chicken Dance.
Spectators, mostly locals and family members of performers, had gathered around the pow wow ground and settled in on their own folding chairs. The weekend's competition was devoted to the Prairie Chicken Dance, only performed by men. There is still controversy among the traditional First Nation peoples, if a dance considered sacred should be performed in competitions for money.
Dancing is a very important part of their spirituality and well-being. To be part of the "Chicken Dance Society", dancers have to learn from their elders and go through a ritual to become members. Young people learn to observe nature and to express themselves freely. Dancing helps them awaken their identity. It's a serious sport too, and the best dancers travel the world to compete and perform.
The old style chicken dance is one of the most famous performances of the Blackfoot tribes. Dancers mimic the prairie chickens behaviour, tapping their feet rapidly and move - elbows out - in small steps in a circle, crouch down, turn their heads slowly in a particular way, and rise to imitate the mating dance of the prairie chicken.
In the 1880s, the Government of Canada made dancing of the Canadian Aboriginal a criminal offence, punishable by fines, even imprisonment. Dancing didn't fit into the white men's desire to convert the 'savages' to their own liking. At the same time though, native dancers had to perform at the Calgary Stampede and on special occasions when dignitaries visited. It was obviously all right as some kind of circus act for white spectators that "demonstrated the suppressors civilized manners."
As Lisa Doolittle, a professor of Theatre and Dramatic Arts at the University of Lethbridge, said: "Dance as a cultural practice is one of the ways oppressed groups have survived. " And even though it was prohibited, dancing was kept alive by the Blackfoot tribes during important ceremonies, hidden from the oppressor's eye.
Dancers participated in five categories: Tiny Tot (under 6 - not judged); Junior (7-12); Teen (13-17); Adult (18-44) and Senior (45+). Each performer dances three rounds and a seasoned group of Blackfoot judges chooses the winner based on the highest number of points accumulated.
Locaction
Blackfoot Crossing is not yet marked on any map - at least I didn't find one. From Calgary, follow Trans Canada Highway east (or west from Books), and turn south on Highway 842. Stay on Hwy 842 until you see Chief Crowfoot's memorial on the right hand side. Shortly thereafter one sees the impressive Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park building.
Distances
Approx. 120 km from Calgary
Approx. 100 km from Brooks
Tipi Camping
Try tipi living and spend the night at the Chief Crowfoot Tipi Village. CAD 35:00 per person and night. Bring Sleeping bag, food (strictly no alcohol) and personal effects.
Would You Like to Leave Photos with Your Comment?
Have you been there? Would you like to leave your notes and post your photos? Thank you for sharing!
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Sheldon Scalplock Sr.
The last video shows the winner of the seniors category, Sheldon Scalplock Sr. - well deserved I might add. His son, Alex Scalplock Jr. won the adults ...
The enchanting Italian Inn of Dorothy Volpe del Prete Be transported into another world in the Demora del Prete di Belmonte - an enchanting Italian Inn in the beautiful countryside of Southern Italy Interview by Fida Wild
A Ghana Travel Guide Ghana is a small nation governed by a constitutional democracy that’s located on the West Atlantic coast. By Sudha Ramaswamy
