Originally streamed: June 3, 2022

The landscapes have a story to tell. Hear the stories from an indigenous lens. Learn how the Blackfoot language and stories connects to the Great Plains natural world. In order to survive in these times, the ancient Plains people were dependant on understanding the environment and the behaviour of the Buffalo. One of the techniques derived from this knowledge was the Buffalo Jumps. An ancient hunting method herding up the animals, tricking and luring them to the edge of a cliff. For thousands of years, the ancient plains people survived by driving buffalo over steep cliffs including Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, one of the oldest, largest, most used and best preserved Buffalo Jumps on the North Western Plains. Learn how the animals were processed and how the Buffalo contributed to the way of life of the plains people.

Join Stan Knowlton, Head of Interpretation at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump as he takes you into the ancient past, sharing knowledge and stories from his ancestors, the Blackfoot plains people.

Speaker bio:

Stan Knowlton is a member of the Piikani Nation, one of the four Nations that make up the Blackfoot Confederacy. Stan has a Bachelor of Science in Geography from the University of Lethbridge, with a focus on archaeology and a concentration on geographic information system (GIS). Stan has worked at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump for over 16 years, and he is currently the Head of Interpretation.