Experience Indigenous Culture
Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park
Majorville Medicine Wheel
As I neared the top of the hill where the ancient medicine wheel was located, (south of Bassano) my eyes scanned the panoramic prairie view and the power of this place gave me another jolt. To the east, the Bow River rambled through a deep, water-carved scar slicing through the browning plains. To the south, the 20 km gravel road that got me here zigged and zagged and, eventually, melted into an ocean of native grassland. There were few signs of man. Anywhere. And everywhere, grass-smothered hills, unplowed since the beginning, relented to the wind.
beautiful, easy-to-find locations. One of these amazing places is Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, near Fort Macleod and it’s actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Unquestionably, a trip to the Majorville Medicine Wheel - it’s been dubbed “Canada’s Stonehenge” - is a sweet little southern Alberta adventure. It’s a powerful and deeply-spiritual place featuring an ancient circular wheel (it’s actually older than Stonehenge!), constructed with lichen-coated stones and rocks. The stones, some broken and swallowed by the earth, mark the spokes and lead to the rocky cairn at the center of the wheel. It’s one of a few medicine wheels left intact.
Situated at the base of a beautiful escarpment just two hours south of Calgary, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is certainly one of the most popular Indigenous sites to explore in Alberta. The award-winning, world-renowned museum consists of a state-of-the-art, five-level building that’s seamlessly blended into the cliff wall. It contains many incredible exhibits and interactive displays highlighting the fascinating tactics of the buffalo hunt, the demise of the buffalo, the nomadic lifestyles of Plains People, archaeological digs, and much more. When considering the outdoor trails and interpretive walks, taking you right along the top and the base of the cliff where the ancient buffalo jump and nearby processing camps where located, you can easily see why many people make a visit to ‘Head-Smashed-In’ a full-day adventure.
But it does take some work to get there. You need a four-wheel drive vehicle. You need to do some research. You need to have a little perseverance. And an off-roading adventure like this is certainly not for everyone. (Interestingly, some people are underwhelmed by the visit as the wheel, from the ground, can be difficult to distinguish.) Not surprisingly, Alberta boasts many Indigenous sites and attractions that don’t require bouncing along the back roads. Many of these places are situated right off the highway in
Indeed, for many of thousands of tourists venturing to Alberta, visiting Indigenous attractions - including historic buffalo jumps, museums, casinos, art galleries, tipi camps, lodges, and so on - is on their to-do list. When it comes to Indigenous history, including spectacular sites enveloped by idyllic scenery, it’s tough to beat Alberta.
While people have been flocking to Head-Smashed-In for decades (it was designated a National Historic Site in 1968), the newer Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park is an equally impressive place to visit. Boasting an “authentic Blackfoot
18 | Enter Our Photo Contest
