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2 episodes with blackfoot nation
2 episodes with blackfoot nation
Tom is a member of the Blackfoot Nation located in northern Montana. Tom works out of Washington, D. C. as a lobbyist on behalf of many tribes and focuses on environmental issues. This is Part 2 of an interview broadcast earlier. Support the show
https://suespeaks.org/ Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon - and Abraham Maslow. It's closer than you think. I wrote earlier this week about how Maslow's hierarchy of needs had a profound effect on me in my early years. I discovered Maslow's hierarchy of needs when I was eleven years old. Understanding that hierarchy as an eleven-year-old made me feel that I was enlightened; like I knew something most other people didn't. I didn't know the whole story. Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a very useful tool. However, I had never considered that it comes from a very distinct worldview with its own assumptions and biases. That doesn't make it wrong or evil, just incomplete. I only recently learned how incomplete. In 1938, Maslow traveled to Northern Alberta, Canada where one of four Blackfoot (also known as the Siksika) Nations is located. This was the traditional territory of the Blackfoot Nation. Maslow spent six weeks with the Blackfoot Nation as part of his research. Analysis of his work shows that he really didn't understand their ways of knowing. It appears that Maslow may have been influenced by the Blackfoot. Later in his life, he questioned his hierarchy, but it does not appear he based his hierarchy on their worldview. A common criticism of Maslow's hierarchy is that it is rather individualistic, and comes from an individual-centered society, not a collective-focused society. Maslow found the Blackfoot “a very generous people” and said, “They seem definitely not to have any major anxieties or repressed aggression.” These were things he was expecting, because they were prominent in the world he came from, and he found it odd that a culture could be less anxious and less aggressive than what he had known from his previous experiences. Maslow describes their society as unusual. From his point of view, it was. Maslow experienced the Blackfoot people from a very Euro-centric point of view. He didn't come out and say that their culture was inferior, but by calling it unusual he seems to be categorizing it as something “less than” his own. I'm not being overly critical of Maslow. He was a man of his time, and I'm not surprised by the reactions of a white man in an Indigenous culture 80 years ago being one of misunderstanding and bemusement. He isn't dismissive of the Blackfoot people. He liked and admired them. But he didn't seem to get it. He didn't seem to understand that the Blackfoot way of looking at the world could be superior to his in some ways or could lead to better outcomes. Maslow's perspective was narrow. He had not had many cultural experiences outside of European traditions. He didn't understand their culture. It looks like he may have understood them better later in life, but we will get to that. First, let's learn more about the Blackfoot worldview.
24. History & lies (part 3): We'd Like A Word hosts Paul Waters & Stevyn Colgan chat & laugh with Subhadra Das, writer, historian, broadcaster, comedian & curator, about her book, Uncivilised: Ten Lies That Made The West. Subhadra looks at the relationship between science & society. She specialises in the history & philosophy of science, particularly the history of scientific racism & eugenics, & what those histories mean for our lives today. For nine years, she was Curator of the Science Collections at University College London where she was also Researcher in Critical Eugenics at the Sarah Parker Remond Centre for the Study of Racism & Racialisation. She's written & presented podcasts, curated museum exhibitions, done stand-up comedy & been on radio & tv. In this 3-part episode we talk about racist Gandhi, mispronouncing Bangla names, white supremacy baked into our idea of western civilisation, science not being neutral, comforting lies, Francis Galton, eugenics, the inventor of the questionnaire, spoiling things for white people, why female comics like Victoria Wood Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders avoided the QI TV show, the Defiance TV show on Channel 4, Hamza Yousef, Paul McCartney's song Blackbird & reply guy, "empty places" v "emptied" places, the presence of writing as a measure of civilisation, rich eejit Erich von Däniken, fake Tibetan monk Lobsang Rampa aka Cyril Henry Hoskin, cuddly Columbo, Golden Age detective fiction as "the mental equivalent of pottering", Magna Carta & Forest Charter, swan upping, US federal government & the Iroquois nation's Haudenosaunee, Abraham Maslow & his hierarchy of needs, which he learned from the Blackfoot Nation, Ryan Heavyhead, the UK citizenship test, & editor Harriet Poland. We'd Like A Word is a podcast & radio show from authors Paul Waters & Stevyn Colgan. (And sometimes Jonathan Kennedy.) We talk with writers, readers, editors, agents, celebrities, talkers, poets, publishers, booksellers, & audiobook creators about books - fiction & non-fiction. We go out on various radio & podcast platforms. Our website is http://www.wedlikeaword.com for information on Paul, Steve & our guests. We're on Twitter @wedlikeaword & Facebook @wedlikeaword & our email is wedlikeaword@gmail.com Yes, we're embarrassed by the missing apostrophes. We like to hear from you - questions, thoughts, ideas, guest or book suggestions. Perhaps you'd like to come on We'd Like A Word to chat, review or read out passages from books. Paul is writing a new cosy mystery series set in contemporary Delhi - more on that anon. And if you're still stuck for something to read now, may we recommend Blackwatertown, the thriller by Paul Waters or Cockerings, the comic classic by Stevyn Colgan.
25. History & lies (part 2): We'd Like A Word hosts Paul Waters & Stevyn Colgan chat & laugh with Subhadra Das, writer, historian, broadcaster, comedian & curator, about her book, Uncivilised: Ten Lies That Made The West. Subhadra looks at the relationship between science & society. She specialises in the history & philosophy of science, particularly the history of scientific racism & eugenics, & what those histories mean for our lives today. For nine years, she was Curator of the Science Collections at University College London where she was also Researcher in Critical Eugenics at the Sarah Parker Remond Centre for the Study of Racism & Racialisation. She's written & presented podcasts, curated museum exhibitions, done stand-up comedy & been on radio & tv. In this 3-part episode we talk about racist Gandhi, mispronouncing Bangla names, white supremacy baked into our idea of western civilisation, science not being neutral, comforting lies, Francis Galton, eugenics, the inventor of the questionnaire, spoiling things for white people, why female comics like Victoria Wood Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders avoided the QI TV show, the Defiance TV show on Channel 4, Hamza Yousef, Paul McCartney's song Blackbird & reply guy, "empty places" v "emptied" places, the presence of writing as a measure of civilisation, rich eejit Erich von Däniken, fake Tibetan monk Lobsang Rampa aka Cyril Henry Hoskin, cuddly Columbo, Golden Age detective fiction as "the mental equivalent of pottering", Magna Carta & Forest Charter, swan upping, US federal government & the Iroquois nation's Haudenosaunee, Abraham Maslow & his hierarchy of needs, which he learned from the Blackfoot Nation, Ryan Heavyhead, the UK citizenship test, & editor Harriet Poland. We'd Like A Word is a podcast & radio show from authors Paul Waters & Stevyn Colgan. (And sometimes Jonathan Kennedy.) We talk with writers, readers, editors, agents, celebrities, talkers, poets, publishers, booksellers, & audiobook creators about books - fiction & non-fiction. We go out on various radio & podcast platforms. Our website is http://www.wedlikeaword.com for information on Paul, Steve & our guests. We're on Twitter @wedlikeaword & Facebook @wedlikeaword & our email is wedlikeaword@gmail.com Yes, we're embarrassed by the missing apostrophes. We like to hear from you - questions, thoughts, ideas, guest or book suggestions. Perhaps you'd like to come on We'd Like A Word to chat, review or read out passages from books. Paul is writing a new cosy mystery series set in contemporary Delhi - more on that anon. And if you're still stuck for something to read now, may we recommend Blackwatertown, the thriller by Paul Waters or Cockerings, the comic classic by Stevyn Colgan.
26. History & lies (part 1): We'd Like A Word hosts Paul Waters & Stevyn Colgan chat & laugh with Subhadra Das, writer, historian, broadcaster, comedian & curator, about her book, Uncivilised: Ten Lies That Made The West. Subhadra looks at the relationship between science & society. She specialises in the history & philosophy of science, particularly the history of scientific racism & eugenics, & what those histories mean for our lives today. For nine years, she was Curator of the Science Collections at University College London where she was also Researcher in Critical Eugenics at the Sarah Parker Remond Centre for the Study of Racism & Racialisation. She's written & presented podcasts, curated museum exhibitions, done stand-up comedy & been on radio & tv. In this 3-part episode we talk about racist Gandhi, mispronouncing Bangla names, white supremacy baked into our idea of western civilisation, science not being neutral, comforting lies, Francis Galton, eugenics, the inventor of the questionnaire, spoiling things for white people, why female comics like Victoria Wood Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders avoided the QI TV show, the Defiance TV show on Channel 4, Hamza Yousef, Paul McCartney's song Blackbird & reply guy, "empty places" v "emptied" places, the presence of writing as a measure of civilisation, rich eejit Erich von Däniken, fake Tibetan monk Lobsang Rampa aka Cyril Henry Hoskin, cuddly Columbo, Golden Age detective fiction as "the mental equivalent of pottering", Magna Carta & Forest Charter, swan upping, US federal government & the Iroquois nation's Haudenosaunee, Abraham Maslow & his hierarchy of needs, which he learned from the Blackfoot Nation, Ryan Heavyhead, the UK citizenship test, & editor Harriet Poland. We'd Like A Word is a podcast & radio show from authors Paul Waters & Stevyn Colgan. (And sometimes Jonathan Kennedy.) We talk with writers, readers, editors, agents, celebrities, talkers, poets, publishers, booksellers, & audiobook creators about books - fiction & non-fiction. We go out on various radio & podcast platforms. Our website is http://www.wedlikeaword.com for information on Paul, Steve & our guests. We're on Twitter @wedlikeaword & Facebook @wedlikeaword & our email is wedlikeaword@gmail.com Yes, we're embarrassed by the missing apostrophes. We like to hear from you - questions, thoughts, ideas, guest or book suggestions. Perhaps you'd like to come on We'd Like A Word to chat, review or read out passages from books. Paul is writing a new cosy mystery series set in contemporary Delhi - more on that anon. And if you're still stuck for something to read now, may we recommend Blackwatertown, the thriller by Paul Waters or Cockerings, the comic classic by Stevyn Colgan.
Have you ever found yourself stifling a yawn during yet another monotonous meeting, wondering if there's more to the workday than just deadlines and dreary tasks? Our latest guest, Jeff Harry of Rediscover Your Play, brings a whirlwind of energy as he champions injecting play into the workplace, transforming it into a hub of creativity and fulfillment. This episode is not your typical business talk; it's an exploration of how integrating play can nurture mental health and skyrocket employee engagement.We're tossing the conventional playbook out the window and challenging you to rethink the very foundation of your work ethos. This isn't about adding a ping pong table to the break room; it's about tapping into the 'zone of genius' where employees can leverage their passion and talent. Imagine meetings where your favorite snack is as welcome as your ideas, and where creativity isn't stifled by the four walls of a conference room. It's a fresh take on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, infused with insights from the Blackfoot Nation.But it's not all fun and games; we also confront the stark realities of corporate culture, from impersonal layoffs to prioritizing profits over people. Through discussing real-life corporate missteps, we highlight the urgent need for a more humane approach to employee treatment and HR practices. Jeff Harry's magnetic mission and approach to work will leave you eager to shake things up at your office, one playful step at a time.Connect with Jeff Harry at:Rediscover Your PlayThe Bow Tie StoryLinkedInInstagramYouTubeTicTokConnect with us:Email the podcast.Join us on Instagram - we appreciate your support!Dana Dowdell - Boss Consulting - @bossconsultinghr - @hrfanatic
Come and listen while Host Heather Driedger interviews extraordinary people on Smile, there's on Oil for that Podcast. Sunny Fox-Roper was born and raised on the Blood Indian Reserve, located in Treaty 7 Blackfoot Nation. She currently lives in Cardston Alberta with her husband Don who she has been married to for almost 33 years, and they have 6 children. 2 girls and 4 boys ages 10-24. She has a degree in Sports Medicine/Athletic training, she specializes in Generational trauma work, she is a Certified Essential Emotions Coach, a Reiki & Energy practitioner, Essential Oils Expert certified in Symphony of the Cells technique and currently working on her Spinal Flow certification, and she enjoys empowering others on their healing journey. Facebook: Sunny Fox-Roper
As the Blackfoot Nation and Indigenous community beams with pride witnessing Lily Gladstone's incredible grace and talent, we've asked Rose Stiffarm who is Indigenizing the film instrusy to join our Aunty space this week! Rose is a talented Director of Photography & Cinematographer from Siksika, Quw'utsun, Saanich, Aaniiih, and Nakoda Nations. Register for our May Cultural Humility Training. If you're able to donate please support our work by donating here: Indigenous Vision this Native American Heritage Month. Learn more about Indigenous Vision. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. The IVPodcast is hosted by Indigenous Vision Executive Director, Souta Callinglast (Blackfoot Nation) and is produced by co-host, Melissa Spence (Anishinaabe Nation)
Join Rev. Emily E. Ewing (they) and Rev. Kay Rohloff (she) to explore new and nerdy connections to the scripture for the 13th Sunday after Pentecost, also known as Proper 18 or Lectionary 23, which falls on September 4th this year, including our deep dive into Life! The scripture we refer to for this episode can be found here. The Alan Turing movie we mentioned was The Imitation Game. Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg's brilliance on why gender inclusive language in conversations about abortion is important and on the Jewish case for abortion justice. Kay mentioned the book Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez. For more on prison abolition, check out last year's Easter episode with the now Rev. Elle Dowd and for more on capital punishment, check out this year's Good Friday episode. Emily talked about Blackfoot Nation beliefs that Maslow stole for his hierarchy of needs. Kay mentioned Conway's Game of Life. Emily mentioned this year's episode on blessings and curses. Check out this reading list for a Black Geographies class for your next read. CN: we talk about reproductive justice (sterilization, abortion, etc) genocide when discussing the deep dive, slavery in Philemon (and throughout). Check us out on Facebook & Twitter at @NerdsAtChurch to connect! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/nerdsatchurch/message
Hey Culture Keepers! This is part 2 of our Oscars Episode with Adrianne Gunn and it's sooo good! This is your host, Deborah Axé of You Are A Culture Keeper Podcast. So, what do you all think? Is it time for comedy upgrade? Yes, to being raunchy, yes to crying with laughter. But, do we need to roast people without their consent? Why in particular are we roasting black women? We define cognitive dissonance which is a flaw in our thinking that is often the #1 culprit that contributes to racism. An example of Cognitive Dissonance is also when 80% of Americans polled claimed to be environmentalists, but we all still drive cars. It's when people think their heart is in the right place, but they do nothing to examine white privilege or change policies that would stop police brutality against people of color. We talk about how Hollywood sells monogamy when many of their famous couples are polyamorous. Adrianne shares the origins of whiteness & how race is a social construct. Meaning, is it possible that the concept of race was invented in order to serve colonisers? Yep. So, how we can we vision something different? Maslow's Hierarchy of human Needs is actually upside down, & omitted the importance of community. Was jacked from The Blackfoot Nation. https://shanesafir.com/2020/12/before-maslows-hierarchy-the-whitewashing-of-indigenous-knowledge/ (https://shanesafir.com/2020/12/before-maslows-hierarchy-the-whitewashing-of-indigenous-knowledge/) We share some comics that we love that are still hilarious but have elevated their humor beyond the roasting culture bs we hear all to often that contributed to the Oscars going haywire. Tune into episode 15 in which Adrianne Gunn reads her post about the Oscars. To date this single post has 7.5k likes & 6.4k shares. We will continue this conversation next episode as we unpack the impact & how we can integrate this conversation in being more thoughtful in our response to systemic racism, gender roles, & being a solid ally in this more intimately connected world. https://player.captivate.fm/episode/eb36f7a7-4285-49c2-a933-1b3f710f9a01 (https://player.captivate.fm/episode/eb36f7a7-4285-49c2-a933-1b3f710f9a01) Subscribe to You Are A Culture Keeper on your favorite platform, to get the next episode as soon as it drops each Friday. And we love 5 star reviews! It helps us grow; it helps us all GLOW! Stay In Contact With Adrianne Gunn: Get coaching from her through http://www.adriannegunn.com/ (www.adriannegunn.com) Check out her Changing Hearts & Minds workshops for business. @adriesque is her handle on: IG, Facebook, & social media. I LOVE her From The Hip podcast https://www.fromthehipshow.com (https://www.fromthehipshow.com) Celebrate Summer Solstice at Phoenix Rising, a 4 day gathering June 16-19th 2022, connecting with magickal community. Experience the longest days of the year in the sacred beauty of nature to elevate your soul, and magnify your creative expression! I will be teaching a verrrrry special embodied Vocal Class called Move Your Voice that is the synthesis of several years of teaching & learning from masters in singing styles from around the world. And listeners get a discount code! The main focus of Phoenix Rising is the sacred fire circle rituals where we dance, drum and sing our way around the sacred fire all night long! Apply your YAACK promo code to Phoenix Rising event. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/phoenix-rising-2022-tickets-265610256427 (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/phoenix-rising-2022-tickets-265610256427) Resources For Allies: Beyond Separation workshops out of Oakland. "We work with groups of white-identified people...in [c]reating a racially just society[. This] will also require changing the implicit beliefs... that shape our attitudes as well as our institutions. Topics... include: how our personal histories intersect with... US history, from settler...
On today's episode, Marty and I sit back and discuss the censorship of history and the implications it has on truth. Uncovering the stories that are a part of our country, city and world is the only way we can ever hope to see the bigger picture. How language and the censorship of it has led to generational oppression and violence. We specifically speak to the lived history of the Blackfoot Nation in Alberta and Marty's growth and perspective from this powerful culture. Please check out Marty on Titkok @mheavyheadjr to learn and expand your perspective.
In this episode, there is a tale from the Blackfoot Nation who live in Alberta, Canada. It is an ancient story about why turtles are never, ever seen in winter. It is also a story about sleep and how when we don't get enough we act differently and usually not for the better. Thanks for tuning in to A Table of Fables! Your support helps to keep the show happening and you can find out how to support it at: www.jamesfunnyhat.com.
The Voice & The Coach returns for Episode 42 with a raw, honest, and at times funny conversation with Ashley Callingbull and Wacey Rabbit - Two proud indigenous people who have both experienced their share of triumphs and adversity. We dive deeper into all of those things with our two guests.Ashley Callingbull:- Mrs. Universe, 2015 (First Canadian and the first indigenous winner.)- An alumna of the Amazing Race Canada 4. (Finished third with her stepfather Joel)- She appeared in 19 episodes of the Blackstone TV series.- Hails from Alberta's Enoch Cree Nation.Wacey Rabbit- First “repeat” guest that we've had on the show.- 2006 WHL Humanitarian of the Year.- 2007 Memorial Cup Champion.- 14 seasons playing pro hockey (North America and Europe).- Proud member of the Blackfoot Nation from the Blood reserve in Alberta.All SHARES, RATINGS, and DOWNLOADS continue to be greatly appreciated.Our Partners:- Patching Mortgage Services (604-561-6716)- Willoughby Family Chiropractic & Massage Therapy (604-534-3939)- The National Hockey Training Centre (604-534-7825)- Four Winds Brewing Company (604-940-9949)- OPEX Delta (778-386-7297)Our Podcast Friends:- "Opening the Playbook" with Christina Heydanus- "The Lunatics do IVF" with Craig and Alix Malcolm- "The Brains and Banter"Intro/Extro Song: Siesta by JahzzarOther Songs Used In Ads:- In My Pocket by Jahzzar- No-End Ave by Jahzzar- Rest Easy by Vans in Japan- Good Vibe by KetsaPatching Mortgage ServicesLet Patching Mortgage Services secure the perfect mortgage for your next real estate purchase.National Hockey Training CentreYour go-to ice rink for rentals, private lessons, seasonal programs, and more!Willoughby Family Chiro/Massage TherapyServing the whole family - prenatal chiro & children's chiropractor in Willoughby.Four Winds Brewing CompanyCraft Beer Brewed in Delta B.C. Serving award winning beer, tacos & burgers.Opex DeltaFitness and nutrition programming designed just for you. Training for lifelong results.
As I put out the initial call to family and friends to help me find faithful Native American members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was given Rachael Brockway's name and contact information. Rachael was born in Canada but adopted by a white, middle-class Latter-day Saint family in the United States. She grew up with no Native influence. As a young adult, she found a fit with Native American students at the university she attended. Best of all, not only did she find that she belonged in Native culture but she also learned for herself that she belonged in the culture of Jesus Christ. She knows that her Savior and Heavenly Father love her as an individual with a unique role to play in the world we live in. I'm grateful that she spent some time with me so that I can share that time with you.
Teachings In The Air has collaborated with the National Indigenous Diabetes Association for Part 1 of Diabetes & Safety in Ceremony. Gerry shares space with Dr. Karen Hill M.D from Mohawk Nation and Elder Treffrey Deerfoot from the Siksika Nation and Blood Tribe of the Blackfoot Nation. Gerry, Treffrey and Karen break down what diabetes is, how it affects our bodies and how we may incorporate our traditional knowledge to overcome this modern obstacle. This episode with National Indigenous Diabetes Awareness day on May 7th and will debut in 3 parts. Kustkum'ckuw to our panelists and the National Indigenous Diabetes Association for this partnership.
In Episode 5 of the The Voice & The Coach, Dan and Mark are joined by Indigenous hockey player Wacey Rabbit, a proud member of the Blackfoot Nation from the Blood reserve in Alberta. Wacey Rabbit was the 2006 WHL Humanitarian of the Year, a 2007 Memorial Cup Champion with the Vancouver Giants and has spent the past 13 seasons playing professional hockey. One of Wacey's professional hockey stops was in Italy where his head coach was: Mark Holick! In this conversation, Wacey Rabbit dives into his hockey journey while also addressing the issues of racism and how it has affected/shaped him over the course of his life. An important and inspiring conversation with Wacey Rabbit awaits in Episode 5 of The Voice & The Coach.Song: SiestaArtist: JahzzarAlbum: Traveller's Guide(CC BY-SA 3.0)
Our podcast today was recorded in front of a live audience on October 2, 2018 to a sold-out crowd at The Wilma in Missoula, MT. 8 storytellers shared their true personal story on the theme “It’s Complicated”. Our first story comes to us from Liz Boeheim who finds her birth parents and learns that expectations don’t always meet reality as she begins building a relationship with her newfound family. Liz calls her story “Family Doesn’t Always Come Easy”. Liz Boeheim moved to Montana to work on a dude ranch for the summer after college and just kept finding excuses to stay. The 18 flight connections to get to upstate New York provides a nice buffer from her very large and very loving family. She can most often be found walking the sidewalks and trails of Missoula with her four-legged main squeeze, Hugo. 15-year-old Arthur Weatherwax lived a double life as a ceremonial Native American as a hard-partying youth in Browning MT. A house party on homecoming began a night of choices that would affect Arthur For the rest of his life. Arthur’s story is called “Life or Death We All Have Choices”. Arthur Weatherwax is an enrolled tribal member of the Blackfeet band of the Blackfoot Nation. Arthur is known by his family and friends, as well as hospital staff from Great Falls Benefits East and West, as a walking, talking miracle. Arthur wakes up every morning remembering the challenges that he has overcome and acknowledges that not everybody works as hard as he did. Arthur also realizes the importance of family and friends who motivated him. Marcia Williams and her husband go car shopping together and walk off the lot knowing that they will be searching for a used car for a while. Spoiler alert: they settle on something reasonable. She calls her story “The Car”. Marcia Williams blogs at citygirlgoeswest.com. She drives a 2010 Subaru which she bought new in a single afternoon years before she visited Montana or even considered moving from Tennessee to Missoula. Join Ray Risho as he discovers how to cook what becomes his signature dish, veal scaloppine alla marsala. Ray calls his story “Finding My Artistic Signature”. Ray Risho is a chef, former restaurateur, and an independent scholar teaching and currently working with a team of people to write a book on global cuisine.
Millbrook Rotarian Scott Meyer and novelist Eileen Charbonneau, Administrators of the nonprofit George Byrd Grinnell American Indian Fund, dedicated to maintaining the cultural integrity of American Indian communities. The interview covers ways the Fund helps Native Americans, most recently members of Montana’s Blackfoot Nation, and local exchange programs. Serving Native Americans throughout the United States for over sixteen years, the Grinnell Fund’s activities strive to “honor, celebrate, empower, and increase opportunities for American Indian children, adults, families, and communities” through various earning programs and scholarships for adults and students from elementary school through college. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/radiorotary/support
A New Review of the Podcast Before I reprise the story of Crowfoot, I wanted to give a shout out to an iTunes listener with the screen name Jul121314 in the U.S. for the kind review. The review is titled "Great Storytelling". They continue saying: "Love listening to the stories - current and historical. I love the Canadian Rockies and this podcast gives me a much deeper understanding. " Thank you so much. Those that know me will tell you that I'm always trying to find the "story" hidden within a subject. Science and history are full of fascinating stories, and my goal with this show is to make sure that you always have a great story to enjoy. Crowfoot and Treaty 7 In last week's episode, I introduced you to the Blackfoot Chief Crowfoot. He was born at a time when the Blackfoot ruled the plains from Cypress Hills to the Continental Divide and from Montana to the North Saskatchewan River. If you haven't listened to that episode, you can enjoy it at www.MountainNaturePodcast.com/ep062. When I wrapped the episode, the Northwest Mounted Police had marched westward to chase away whiskey traders that had invaded Canadian territory from Montana. Crowfoot was happy the government would remove the whiskey that had ravaged his people, but he still wanted to better understand the role of the Mounties on Blackfoot territory. Once the Mounties were settled into their camp at Fort MacLeod, Colonel Macleod requested a meeting with the leaders of the Blackfoot Nation. When the meeting finally took place, and the leaders of the Blackfoot, Blood, and Piegan were gathered, Crowfoot asked Macleod to help the people understand the role of the police in their territory. By the time Crowfoot left Fort Macleod, he felt a strong affinity to the Colonel. Both understood the importance of peaceful relations and Crowfoot had already seen how the police were able to put an end to the trade of whiskey to his people. Crowfoot also felt Macleod was a man of his word. It was a precarious time for the nations of the Confederacy, and trust was critical if they were to move forward. Crowfoot saw this as a sign that the old ways had to change. He began to discourage his followers from raiding enemy camps to steal horses. The era of intertribal warfare would need to end. On the short term, the fortunes of the nations of the Blackfoot improved. With the expulsion of the whiskey trade, the Blackfoot Nation began to rebound. Rather than booze, they once again began to trade for horses and other goods necessary for their people. Despite this short-term feeling of complacency, Crowfoot saw disheartening changes within their territory. What had started as a trickle, was gradually becoming a flood of white men into Blackfoot territory. At the same time, the once plentiful buffalo were beginning to decline. For a nation so culturally tied to the previously endless herds of bison, Crowfoot imagined a time when the buffalo may no longer roam the plains. As incomprehensible as it would have been to him a few years earlier, Crowfoot worried for the future of his people. Reverend MacDougall, Crowfoots long-trusted friend explained that other First Nations had signed treaties with the Canadian government and that these treaties would ensure the rights of the Blackfoot by spelling out their claims to what must have felt like an endlessly shrinking landscape. It's likely that Crowfoot could not have any real concept of what a treaty would mean for his people, as well as what they would be giving up. What he did know was that more whites came every year and along with them fewer buffalo were available to hunt. It was only a matter of time before once endless herds were a memory and he knew there needed to be some agreement with the government of the whites. There was ample reason to be sceptical of any treaty with the government. The southern members of the Blackfoot Nation signed a treaty with the American government in 1855. It wasn't long before it became obvious it wasn't worth the paper it was written upon. Monies due were never on time, the quality of the promised supplies continually dropped over time, and more settlers meant the government continually insisted on changing terms of agreements already signed. When gold was discovered in Montana in the 1860s, the trickle of white settlers became a torrent. This led the Bloods and Piegan to defend their territory prompting Americans to send in the cavalry. The "Blackfoot War" as the dispute became known was finally settled when the Cavalry slaughtered 173 Piegan in an undefended camp. Most of the victims were women and children. When the Mounties arrived in the west, several of the Chiefs that would be asked to sign the Canadian Treaty were also signatories of the disastrous American one as well. Late in 1875, Crowfoot called a council of chiefs to discuss the possibility of a treaty with the Canadians. Along with all five head chiefs representing the three tribes, an additional 10 minor chiefs took part. They created a petition which was presented at the newly built Fort Calgary. They complained that white settlers were homesteading without restriction, usually in the best hunting grounds, and that incursions were increasingly common with Cree and mixed-blood Metis that were also hunting buffalo in their territory. Since no Indian Commissioner had been sent to them, they insisted that one: "visit us this summer at the Hand Hills and [state] the time of his arrival there, so we could meet with him and hold a Council for putting a [stop] to the invasion of our country, till our Treaty be made with the government." South of the border, a treaty with the Sioux, like the Blackfoot Treaty of 1855, had been signed in 1868, giving them hunting rights along the North Platte River and east of the Bighorn Mountains. Whites were to be excluded as long as there was good hunting for the Sioux. Well, all of that quickly fell apart when gold was found in the Black Hills in 1874. Prospectors flooded Sioux lands, and despite the pleas of the Sioux that the government honour the treaty, they were instead met with soldiers of the United States Cavalry. When the Sioux rebelled, the cavalry led by General George Crook, descended upon a large gathering of Cheyenne and Sioux along the Powder River. The carnage forced many to surrender and return to their reservation, but it also radicalized many who moved west to gather their strength for the coming conflict. Central to this was the great Sioux chief Sitting Bull. He sought to build a broad alliance, among both friend and enemy, to fight a common foe. Emissaries were sent to neighbouring tribes to seek allies in the coming conflict. One of these messengers was sent to the camp of Crowfoot. He offered a gift of tobacco, as well as horses, mules, and should they defeat the Americans, white women slaves. They also promised that once the Cavalry were defeated, they would ride north to rid the plains of the white men. The police were few and the people of the plains were many. Crowfoot needed little time to turn down offers of war with the whites, particularly with the Sioux who had long been their enemies. His message was met with a threat. The Sioux were strong and had a plan to destroy the soldiers; then they would come for the Blackfoot along with the police. As is often the case, timing is everything. When the news of the threat arrived in Crowfoot's camp, Inspector Cecil Denny happened to be present. Crowfoot shared with him the entire story. Denny promised the protection of the police to the Blackfoot, and Crowfoot offered 2000 warriors should the Sioux march north. The year was 1876 and Crowfoot stated: "we all see that the day is coming when the buffalo will all be killed, And we shall have nothing more to live on… Then you'll come into our camp and see the poor Blackfoot starving. I know that the heart of the capital white soldier will be sorry for us, and they will tell the great mother who will not let her children starve. We are getting shut in. The Crees are coming into our country from the north, and the white men from the south and east, and they are all destroying our means of living; but still, although we plainly see these days coming, we will not join the Sioux against the whites, but will depend upon you to help us." This speech impressed Denny who sent a copy to Queen Victoria who personally responded to the chief to thank him for his loyalty. While this was playing out in Canada, Sitting Bull had already routed General George Armstrong Custer at the Little Bighorn in Montana. However, rather than following up on their threats, the Sioux realized their time in American territory was finished and they fled north into the Cypress Hills within Canadian territory. Sitting Bull, who had threatened to wipe the Mounties from the landscape, instead assured these same Mounties that he would break no laws in Canada. Again, Sitting Bull sent gifts of tobacco to Crowfoot's camp. This time the message was one of peace and friendship. The chief refused to smoke the tobacco until he understood Sitting Bull's true intentions. To his surprise, a party of Sioux, including Sitting Bull himself arrived at his camp. They both pledged peace and smoked the tobacco. The following year, the Canadian Government arranged to negotiate a treaty with the Blackfoot. Colonel James Macleod and Lieutenant Governor David Laird were appointed as commissioners charged with negotiating a treaty with the nations of the Confederacy. The presence of Sitting Bull in Canadian territory helped hasten the urgency of cementing a positive arrangement with such a powerful nation. At the same time, cattle were beginning to make their presence known on the plains and many envious eyes were looking westward towards the plentiful grasslands of Alberta, or what would eventually be Alberta. To complicate matters, in 1872 the government had promised a railroad link to British Columbia to connect it with the rest of the nation. This meant that a ribbon of steel would have to cross the country; the territory of the Blackfoot lay smack dab along the future line. As the various groups of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Sarcee, and Stoney nations gathered, Commissioner Laird summarized the changing conditions on the plains: “in a very few years, the buffalo will probably be all destroyed, and for this reason, the queen wishes to help you to live in the future in some other way. She wishes you to allow her white children to come and live on your land and raise cattle, and should you agree to this she will assist you to raise cattle and grain, and thus give you the means of living when the buffalo are no more. She will also pay you and your children money every year, which you can spend as you please.” His speech essentially asked them to share their hunting grounds in return for some land, cows, potatoes, ammunition and a whopping $5.00 per year. In return, they would be signing a treaty that would essentially strip them of their rightful ownership of their traditional territories; territories won through generations of war, blood, and sacrifice. Laird had little empathy for these first nations and often belittled claims that, to the Blackfeet, were not trivial matters. One of the Blood Chiefs, Medicine Calf had already signed one treaty - with the Americans. He saw that treaty continually broken and the terms ignored. He spoke: “the Great Mother sent you to this country, and we hope she will be good to us for many years… The Americans gave at first large bags of flour, sugar, and many blankets; the next year was only half the quantity, and the following year grew less and less, and now they give only a handful of flour." When he asked about compensation for firewood used by the police and settlers, Laird responded: “Why, you Indians ought to pay us for sending these traders in fire water away and giving you security and peace, rather than we pay you for the timber used.”… The negotiations were hard and contentious. The many leaders of the various nations all had different ideas of what would be necessary to sign a treaty. According to one story, a white man spread a line of dollars on a table and informed Crowfoot that this was the currency by which the white man traded…not skins. Crowfoot took a handful of clay, made a ball, and placed it in the fire. He then looked to the white man and said: “Now put your money on the fire and see if it will last as long as the clay.” When the white man responded that his money will burn, Crowfoot retorted: "Oh your money is not as good as our land, is it? The wind will blow it away; the fire will burn it; water will rot it. Nothing will destroy our land. You don’t make a very good trade.” The chief handed the white man a handful of sand and asked him to count the number of grains of sand. When the white man admitted that he couldn't possibly count every grain, Crowfoot replied: “Very well, our land is more valuable than your money. It will last forever. It will not perish as long as the sun shines and the water flows, and through all the years it will give life to men and animals, and therefore we cannot sell the land. It was put there by the Great Spirit and we cannot sell it because it does not really belong to us. You can count your money and burn it with a nod of a buffalo’s head, but only the Great Spirit can count the grains of sand and the blades of grass on these plains. As a present, we will give you anything you can take with you, but we cannot give you the land.” Crowfoot showed that he truly understood the idea of ownership, but it is debatable as to whether he truly comprehended what the loss of all their land would mean to the Blackfoot. As negotiations continued to drag on, there were rumours that the northern Piegan were pondering massacring the government representatives. Crowfoot was against any violence towards the commission. The situation began to improve when the remainder of the leaders of the Blood tribe finally arrived at the treaty site. As the last of the great chiefs of the Confederacy arrived, even though the negotiations were difficult, the presence of the entire nation in one place helped raise spirits. Crowfoot consulted a medicine man for whom he had great respect. When asked if he should sign a treaty, the response was: “I want to hold you back because I am at the edge of the bank. My life is at its end. I hold you back because your life henceforth will be different from what it has been. Buffalo makes your body strong. What you will eat from this money will have your people buried all over these hills. You will be tied down, you will not wander the plains; the whites will take your land and fill it. You won’t have your own free will; the whites will lead you by a halter. That’s why I say don’t sign. But my life is old, so sign if you want to. Go ahead and make the treaty.”… In the end, the various chiefs trusted Crowfoot to make the final decision as to whether they should sign. Finally, Crowfoot rose to speak: “While I speak, be kind and patient. I have to speak for my people, who are numerous, and who rely upon me to follow that course which in the future will tend to their good. The plains are large and wide. We are the children of the plains. It is our home, and the buffalo has been our food always. I hope you look upon the Blackfeet, Bloods, and Sarcees as your children now, and that you will be indulgent and charitable to them. They all expect me to speak now for them, and I trust the Great Spirit will put into their breasts to be a good people into the minds of the men, women and children, and their future generations... The advice given me and my people has proved to be very good. If the police had not come to the country, where would we all be now? Bad men and whiskey were killing us so fast that very few, indeed, of us would have been left today. The police have protected us as the feathers of the bird protected from the frosts in winter. I wish them all good, and trust that all our hearts will increase in goodness from this time forward. I am satisfied. I will sign the treaty.” With Crowfoot's words, the other chiefs also made their mark upon the treaty. The next order of business was to decide where their reserves would be located. Crowfoot believed that a single large reserve would help to keep their nation strong and strengthen their negotiating power with the whites. When there was no resistance he selected a long strip of land four miles wide extending some 320 km east into buffalo country. While the whites wanted the Blackfoot to take up farming, Crowfoot could not see his people surviving by "scratching the land" to grow food. He picked rich hunting grounds, but poor land for farming. Crowfoot was the first to sign. He expressed the concerns many of the Blackfoot had: “Great Father! Take pity on me with regard to my country, with regard to the mountains, the hills and the valleys; with regard to the prairies, the forest and the waters; with regard to all the animals that inhabit them, and do not take them from myself and my children forever.” After Crowfoot, all the other chiefs, true to their word to him, also made their mark on the treaty. A missionary that was present at the signing, Father Scollen, was later asked if he thought the Blackfoot understood the magnitude of the document they had signed. He replied: “Did these Indians, or do they now, understand the real nature of the treaty made between the Government and themselves in 1877? My answer to this question is unhesitatingly negative… Crowfoot, who beyond a doubt, is considered the leading chief of the plains, did not seem to have a faint notion of the meaning of the treaty… All the other chiefs followed Crowfoot, and the substance of their speeches was that they agreed with him in all that he said…” How could they understand the implications of the treaty? Interpreters whose job it was to explain the terms had no words that would help the chiefs truly understand the concept of giving up vast territories to be settled on tiny plots of land. The Blackfoot would soon learn what signing this treaty meant. For generations, they had relied on winter snows to force the bison towards their winter hunting grounds in the foothills. This year the snows didn't come. Instead, winter fires on the prairies forced the bison to stay north of the Cypress Hills. The Blackfoot, as they had always done, had no choice but to follow the herds. Soon they found themselves on the edge of their territory and within spitting distance of their traditional enemies the Crees, Assiniboines, and Sioux. The winter was very difficult and starvation was a regular visitor to the camps. Sitting Bull once again visited Crowfoots camp and, while Crowfoot had no issues with the great chief, he advised that the Sioux stay away from their camps in such stressful times. He was worried that he would not be able to control his warriors. While spring brought a few buffalo back to the plains, Crowfoot could see that the future would no longer see them as master of territories occupied by vast numbers of buffalo. The bison were fewer and fewer and the many competing nations were all desperate for the same few animals. Crowfoot also learned that his friend Red Crow, chief of the Bloods, had decided, against the advice of Crowfoot, that he wanted a reserve farther south. This meant the joint reserve Crowfoot hoped for would not happen, and the single voice they might have with the government would now be partitioned. Crowfoot felt betrayed by his friend Colonel Macleod who had approved the request by Red Crow. He knew that this would weaken the power of the Blackfoot and was sure there was treachery on the part of the commission. The next winter was no better. The bison were scarce and the Blackfeet began to starve. Instead of bison, in desperation, they began to kill anything that was edible, whether it was a rabbit, ground squirrel, mouse, porcupine, or even badgers. If it had meat, it was fair game. Pleas to the government who had previously promised to feed the nation fell on deaf ears. Over the winter, they began to eat the camp dogs, and in time, began to eat anything made of leather, from moccasins, leather bags, and any piece of animal skin that might contain nourishment. The winter was terrible. In addition to the starvation, a party of 1,000 equally weak Crees camped just a few miles away. After a heated argument led to one of the Cree being killed, they finally moved on. Finally, in July of 1879, Edgar Dewdney was appointed as Indian Commissioner. He heard the pleas of Three Bulls and the other Blackfeet and brought beef along with flour and tea to offer relief to the starving. As he reported: “On arriving there, I found about 1300 Indians in a very destitute condition and many on the verge of starvation. Young men who were known to be Stout and hearty fellows some six months ago, were quite emaciated and so weak they could hardly work; the old people and widows, who, with their children live on the charity of the younger and more prosperous, had nothing, and many a pitiable tale was told of the misery they had endured.” That summer, the Blackfoot were advised by Dewdney and Colonel Macleod that many bison were being seen around the Cypress Hills. The Blackfoot followed their advice and sent the old and sick to Fort Macleod to be cared for by the police. As it turns out, those headed to the fort would fare far better than the warriors that headed out to hunt as their forefathers had done before them. As they approached Cypress Hills, Crowfoot met his foster brother Three Bulls who told him the animals that had previously been there had now moved out of the area. American hide hunters had set fires south of the border to prevent the normal northward migration of the buffalo, trapping them south of the border. While Crowfoot had never taken his people south of the American border before, the southern Piegan had always hunted there. Crowfoot had no choice but to head south into unknown territory. Unfortunately, his reputation preceded him and his arrival was heralded by a scalding news story in the American media: “Crowfoot has always been the leader of noted murderers, and is responsible for the death of more than one emigrant and prospector, yet this red butcher has been the pet of the Mounted Police ever since the latter arrived in the country” It hurts me to share quotes like this, but it's necessary to show the difference between Canadian and American views towards First Nations. At the same time, it was the Canadian government, with whom the Blackfoot had signed treaties with the promise of fair treatment and supplies of food, that had forced them to be there in the first place. The Americans resented the presence of so-called Canadian Indians and they had a good reason. Dewdney, in private correspondence, admitted as much: “I advised them strongly to go and gave them some provisions to take them off. They continued to follow the buffalo further and further south until they reached the main herd and there they remained… I consider their remaining away saved the government $100,000 at least.” Americans saw their territory swarmed by natives of every affiliation, from Blackfeet to Sarcee to Gros Ventres, and on and on. Each of these nations had no other choice, except starvation. The bison were quickly vanishing and these were all people of the bison. In addition to the scorn and risk of cavalry attacks from travelling south of the border, suddenly they were back in the lands of the whiskey trader. No sooner were their bellies full, did the whiskey wagons arrive in their camps. Suddenly, in addition to the whiskey, there was a new voice trying to whisper into their heads, a Metis by the name of Louis Riel. Riel had been a leader of the Metis when confederation transferred the lands of the Red River Settlement to the fledgeling Canadian government. He understood that the transfer of lands would be done with little consultation to the first nations and Metis that were already living there. In 1869, when the government sent surveyors to partition and run the area, Riel led his people in a rebellion. The government sent out soldiers and Riel fled to the U.S. to escape prosecution where he continued to promote mixed-blood rights. His resistance led to the founding of the province of Manitoba, and despite living in exile, he was elected three times to the federal government in absentia. Also in his absence, his colleague Father Nol Ritchot, managed to stare down John A. Macdonald and his Conservatives in negotiations and have the province of Manitoba established in May of 1870 while Riel was still in hiding. It was just a tiny postage stamp in terms of its present size. While merely one-eighteenth the size of modern-day Manitoba, it accomplished its goals of protecting the Red River settlement and the Metis for whom Riel had fought. Riel was gone from the political scene in Manitoba, but he was still working to coordinate a much larger rebellion that would take control of the Northwest Territories. While in Montana, Riel met with Crowfoot. As Crowfoot described the meeting: “He wanted me to join with all the Sioux, and the Crees, and half-breeds. The idea was to have a general uprising and capture the North-West, and hold it for the Indian race and the Métis [mixed-bloods]. We were to meet at Tiger Hills, in Montana; we were to have a government of our own. I refused, but the others were willing…” Riel had persuasive words, but Crowfoot could see they led only to ruin for his people. Like Sitting Bull a few years earlier, he was able to see past the passion and the fervour to the ruinous results. Somehow, despite being starved into another country, he still had confidence in the Mounted Police. In his conversations with Riel, there was an interpreter present, a false-priest by the name of Jean L’Heureux. While L'Heureux had never been ordained as a priest, he roamed the plains preaching the gospel. Despite this official stature as a false-priest, others like Father Lacombe hired him as an interpreter due to the very close relationship with the first nations of the plains, in particular, the Blackfoot. He was a confidant of Crowfoot and he described Riel's words: “I soon learned the whole plan of the affair, which was nothing less than the invasion and taking possession of the North-West Territories, with the help of a general uprising of all the Indian tribes, united to the half-breeds… That R…was to be governor, and Riel the first minister of his cabinet, where a seat was to be given to the Indian chief who, with his people, would help the half-breeds most in the contemplated invasion… Riel planned for his allies to meet at Tiger Hills and from there to march on the Canadians. Unfortunately, the Americans in whose territory Crowfoot's people were currently residing, also heard these stories of war parties. Like Sitting Bull, Crowfoot didn't want anything to do with Riel's rebellion and soon Riel realized that with the Americans aware of his plans, it was best for him to make tracks for the Judith Basin in Montana and talk no more…for now of rebellion. Oddly enough, Sitting Bull also met with Crowfoot in Montana. He had slipped south of the border as he had done numerous times to hunt. His people, like the Blackfoot, were also forced south of the Medicine Line in the quest for bison. He wanted no quarrel with the Blackfoot as he knew that he needed to return to Canada as soon as possible. He said to Crowfoot: “my children will be your children and your's mine. From now on we will never fight again and we will be on the same side at all times.” He even named one of his children Crowfoot. Unfortunately, within days, a Sioux war party raided Crowfoot's camp and stole numerous horses. The two men never spoke again. While Sitting Bull's people were officially still in Canada, the situation for them got increasingly worse. Prime Minister John A Macdonald didn't like having the Sioux warrior on Canadian soil and he believed that Major James Walsh of the fort that bore his name in the Cypress Hills, was too lenient with Sitting Bull. However, Walsh had gained a great respect for the old Chief, as long as he kept his people peaceful. Macdonald had Walsh transferred to Fort Qu’Appelle, some 250 km distant. He was replaced by an officious inspector Lief N.F. (‘Paddy’) Crozier. He was instructed to convince Sitting Bull to go back to the U.S. Finally, in July of 1881, Sitting Bulls remaining followers rode south and surrendered at Fort Buford on the Yellowstone River. In the meantime, Walsh had taken vacation time and travelled to Chicago to meet with an American Indian Agent with whom he was friends. He pleaded for fair treatment for the Sioux. Sitting Bull was imprisoned for 20 months at Fort Randall in South Dakota and was freed in May of 1883. The following year, while touring Canada and the U.S. he met Annie Oakley. The Minnesotan sharpshooter deeply impressed the old chief and he adopted her as his daughter, giving her the name "Little Sure Shot". She continued to use that name throughout her career. He joined the Wild West Show of Buffalo Bill Cody in 1885 but only stayed for four months before returning to his reserve at Standing Rock. Around this time, a new native religious movement called the ghost dance became popular. The military was fearful of it and became convinced that Sitting Bull was an instigator. They ordered him arrested and during the scuffle, the old chief, along with numerous other Sioux, were killed. The plains had lost another great chief and songs of mourning filled the air at Standing Rock. Like Crowfoot, Sitting Bull was a man trapped in time. He was from a once proud and powerful nation that saw his way of life destroyed. While he chose a different path than Crowfoot, he did so with the conviction that he was doing what was best for his people. Next week, I'll finish the story of Crowfoot and the Blackfoot as they are eventually forced back to Canada amidst Cavalry threats, sickness, and starvation. Yellow Ladyslipper Orchid A few episodes back, in episode 60, I talked about the Calypso orchid and how it tricked bumblebee queens into pollinating it without providing any nectar reward. This week, I want to look at another related orchid, the yellow ladyslipper orchid. Orchids are a very old family of plants, and along with the dandelion or daisy family, represent the two largest plant families on the planet. There are more than 28,000 different orchid species on the planet today. Each one has evolved a slightly different strategy to attract their specific pollinator. Few plant families have diversified as much as the orchids in order to attract a very specific insect to act as courier to transplant pollen from one flower to another. Orchids are also part of the major plant group called monocotyledon. This includes most of the grasses and sedges, along with lilies and irises. Monocots, as they are commonly referred, usually have grass-like leaves, with the veins running parallel to the leaf margin. Their petals are also usually arranged in multiples of threes, for instance, three or six petals. Most flowers reward pollinators with treats of nectar or pollen. Pollen is one of nature's most perfect foods. It contains everything that a honey bee needs to survive: sugar, proteins, enzymes, minerals and vitamins. The nectar is used to make honey to feed the larvae in the hive. So many plants have evolved specifically to provide one or both of these as a reward for pollinators visiting the plant and taking a bit of pollen to another plant to assist in cross-pollination. Across the orchid family, there are both nectar rewarding species and food deceptors like the Calypso which trick the bee into visiting but leave them hungry when they leave. Most orchids have three petals and three sepals. Unlike most plants though, where the sepals are usually nondescript, in orchids, often the sepals look just like the petals. This is particularly true of the ladyslippers. The yellow ladyslipper has three sepals that resemble the petals. One rises vertically above the plant and the other two fall behind and below the flower. It also has three petals, although the third one is modified into the pouch so distinctive in ladyslipper orchids. The other two petals, which resemble the sepals, tend two twist and curve forward as if they were the shoelaces that would tie the slipper onto the imaginary foot was this really a slipper. Above the pouch is a yellow triangular structure used to guide the bees into the pouch. Just in case they need further direction, there are purple markings that literally point down on the lip. To the bee, this means "follow this arrow to get pollen and/or nectar". Unfortunately for the bee, it gets neither. Like the Calypso, the yellow ladyslipper doesn't produce any nectar for the production of honey. That's alright, then a feed of pollen will do just fine. Unfortunately for the bee, the pollen of these orchids is all packed together into a single sticky mass. This allows a single bee visit to produce thousands of tiny seeds. When the bee follows the arrow on the lip into the pouch, it becomes trapped. Inside the pouch though, there's another series of purple lines that guide the bee towards the rear of the flower where there are two exit points for bees that are the right size. Too large and they may find themselves trapped in the pouch. Tiny angular hairs also serve to nudge the bee in the right direction towards these exits…oh and yah…the orchids reproductive organs. First, it passes the stigma or female part of the plant. If the bee has visited another orchid previously, the sticky pollen mass will be deposited here. Then, just before it exits the flower, an additional pollen mass will be placed on its back where it can't access it for feeding purposes. It will just stick there on the hopes that the bee gets duped once again. Without a pollen or nectar reward, there is little to motivate bees to keep visiting these orchids. That's why allowing a single visit to produce thousands of seeds is a good strategy - it makes every visit count. Why do bees come back? In part because of the seductive fragrance of the flower. It resembles the bees own pheromones. In addition, any bees that have already visited and escaped, leave their scent as well. This also serves to attract other unwitting bees. Once the flower is pollinated, it will produce a hard, vertical pod that contains thousands of tiny, wind-dispersed seeds. Once the seeds are released, for most plants the story would end. They would hopefully find their way to a place with good soil and germination would take place. For orchids, the story is not quite that simple. The seeds of the yellow ladyslipper are tiny and have very little in the way of food reserves. All plants need help in obtaining nutrients from the soil. Their roots need nitrogen and phosphorous to promote growth. Specialized fungi in the soil called mycorrhizal fungi are able to make these minerals available to the plants in return for a little of the sugar produced by the leaves. The fungi wraps itself around and, in some cases, within the roots. The plant provides sugar in return for these essential nutrients. Some 90% of all plants on the planet rely on these beneficial fungi for their growth. There are thousands of species of mycorrhizal fungi, and for most plants, they are not too fussy as to which species their roots associate with. They have sugar to trade, and the fungi have nitrogen. You give me yours and I'll give you mine. Some plants, as in the case of orchids though, are very particular. The yellow ladyslipper only associates with a small number of fungi species. It also needs their help to even germinate. Each of the seeds of the orchid are tiny and lack any food reserves. They need to land on just the right soil, which contains just the right fungi. Before they can germinate, the fungi have to wrap themselves around the seeds and provide not just nitrogen at this stage but also sugars. The plant seed has none so the fungus has to sustain the seeds until they can germinate. Essentially, at this time, the plant is parasitic to the fungus as it's not providing any sugars in return for the nourishment it is taking. Later, as the fungus feeds the seed until it germinates and grows, a period that can take years, The plant will begin to reciprocate and provide sugars to the fungus. In most plant relationships. Essentially, the relationship varies between one of parasitism and one of mutual benefit. Yellow ladyslippers also take hiatuses at different times in their lifespan where they won't sprout at all for several years. During these dormant times, it will, once again, rely on the fungi for nourishment. Unfortunately, this intense reliance on very specific soil fungi means that you can't transplant ladyslippers. The plants produce thousands of seeds specifically because the chance of germination is very rare. Only those few seeds that land in the right place, which contains the right fungal partner, have any chance of survival. It's important to think of orchids as a kind of compound species. The flower is only one component of the living plant. The fungi is intricately wound around and within its roots. One cannot exist without the other. If you see people tempted to dig them up or pick them, please let them know just how fragile these flowers are and that picking them today may mean that we never again get the pleasure of seeing another flower in that location. The more I learn about orchids and the orchid family, the more impressed I am. They are one of the most uniquely diversified group of plants on the planet. Because most don't offer nectar to their pollinators, they have to develop innovative ways of attracting them and making sure that each visit counts. And with that, it's time to wrap this episode up. Remember that Ward Cameron Enterprises is your source for all things Rocky Mountain. We offer nature, hiking, step-on, and photography guides to make sure your visit is a memorable one. Expert guides share the stories behind the scenery. If you'd like to reach out to me personally, you can hit me up on Twitter @wardcameron, or drop me a line at info@wardcameron.com. Don't forget to check out the show notes at www.MountainNaturePodcast.com/ep063 for links to additional information, and while you're there, don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you never miss another episode
Crowfoot The First Nations of the plains were a diverse and powerful collection of Tribes that were often at war with one another. Wars over territory, the best hunting areas, the theft of horses, and many other grievances kept the borders of various nations constantly in flux. One of the most powerful groups were the Blackfoot Confederacy of southern Alberta and northern Montana. The Confederacy was formed by three nations, the Siksika or Blackfoot, Piikani or Piegan, and the Kainai or Blood Nation. The Piegans are further separated into their Canadian and American counterparts with the Northern Piegan or Pikani and the Southern Piegan known as Piikuni. Later, they allied with the Tsuut'ina or Sarcee nation of Alberta, and the Atsina or Gros Ventre's from Montana. Early life on the plains was centred around the bison. European contact across the American West changed the life of the Plains Indian dramatically. As horses and guns made their first appearances in the 17th and 18th centuries, those nations with larger quantities of each could alter the balance of power between tribes. The Blackfoot Confederacy became masters of the horse and gun and used this to control large areas of southern Alberta and northern Montana. Their territory stretched from the North Saskatchewan River to the Yellowstone in Montana. East to west, they occupied areas from the Great Sand Hills in Saskatchewan to the Continental Divide. Their alliance became incredibly powerful, but they were often at war with the First Nations that surrounded their lands. The Blackfeet also controlled the trade of guns to their enemies on the British Columbia side of the Continental Divide. Back in Episode 53, I shared the stories of David Thompson trading with the Kootenay or Ktunaxa in British Columbia and running for his life when the Piegans discovered he was violating their prohibition of trading guns. You can listen to that story at www.MountainNaturePodcast.com/ep053. Into this landscape was born one of the most influential leaders of the Blackfeet, a man that would later take the name of Crowfoot and who would be one of their greatest leaders at a time when they needed him most. Hugh Dempsey, in his book Crowfoot, offers an intimate glimpse into the world of this amazing leader. The year was 1830. The buffalo were still plentiful on the plains, and while smallpox had decimated the Cree of eastern Saskatchewan, it was still unknown to the Blackfoot Nation. In a tipi somewhere in the Piegan nation, a Woman known as "Attacked Towards Home", the wife of Piegan warrior "Packs a Knife", gave birth to a healthy little boy they named "Shot Close." In these First Nations, a child may have several names throughout their life as major events prompted a new identity. Shot Close was simply the childhood name of Crowfoot. Names in Blackfoot culture were transient affairs. They changed with maturity, experience, and significant accomplishments. They were family possessions and had value. Great names could only be claimed by someone achieving something worthy of claiming the name. At this time, white men were of little concern to the Confederacy. They avoided the territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy, especially since David Thompson had narrowly escaped after trading with the Kootenay on the west side of the Divide. Additionally, a member of Lewis and Clark's expedition had killed a Blackfoot and so this also led them to exclude white men from their territory. At the same time, the Blackfoot did want the guns and horses that trade with the whites provided. And unlike most of the other native groups, the fact that the Blackfoot had plentiful bison meat to trade meant that the whites didn't try to coax them into trapping as had been done to many other nations. Crowfoot's father died when he was still an infant after joining a raid on the Crow Nation of Montana. Crowfoot was raised by his mother and his grandfather, "Scabby Bull." Crowfoot learned the history of his people and the skills needed to be a great warrior. After a long period of mourning, Crowfoot's mother Attacked Towards Home married a Blackfoot known as "Many Names". Crowfoot, his younger brother and grandfather all joined their mother and they left the Piegan to became a part of the Blackfoot Nation. With a new nation, Crowfoot was given a new Blackfoot name, "Bear Ghost." Soon after Crowfoot's family arrived in the Blackfoot camp, the nation was introduced to the ravages of diphtheria. Crowfoot was just 6 years old, and this terrible disease spread from child to child throughout the camp, taking many of the youngest, but somehow Crowfoot and his brother survived. Diptheria was followed by the Blackfoot's first experience with smallpox in 1837. The disease arrived on a steamer owned by the American Fur Company. First, it ravaged the Mandan, almost wiping them out, then it spread to the Assiniboine, and finally to the Blackfoot after a member of the nation was allowed to board the diseased steamer. Smallpox hit the Blackfoot camp in a way never witnessed by them before. Before long, white traders noticed a lack of Blackfoot at Fort McKenzie on the Upper Missouri River. Chief Trader, Alexander Cuthbertson went to look for them. Dempsey shared: "After travelling for a few days, he found a camp of about sixty lodges from the Piegan tribe. There was no sound and as he approached, a horrible stench permeated the air. When he came to the first tipi, he saw the grim results of the white man's disease. 'Hundreds of decaying forms of human beings, horses and dogs lay scattered everywhere among the lodges,' he recorded. 'Two old women, too feeble to travel, were the sole living occupants of the village.'" The Blackfoot had been a proud people who had fought for the right to hunt buffalo for generations. In the course of a single year, some two-thirds of the nation, or six-thousand people, perished from this deadly plague. That's like the population of Calgary dropping from 1.2 million people to just 400,000 people in a single year. For the Blackfoot, it was a population apocalypse from which they never fully recovered. Sure, those that survived and recovered continued on. Somehow the people close to Crowfoot survived, but they were one of few families left directly untouched by this pestilence. In time, as Crowfoot grew into a young man, he was drawn to be a part of a war party heading out to challenge one of their enemies. With this raid, he earned the right to claim a man's name, and he immediately the name of his father: "Packs a Knife". It took him little time to demonstrate his bravery in battle. To the nations of the Blackfoot Confederacy, brave acts were retold around the campfire. Counting coup was one of the greatest signs of bravery in many First Nations. It involved heading out into battle and instead of trying to kill your enemy, you simply try to touch them or their defences and then escape alive. In the case of Crowfoot, the Blackfoot attacked a camp of Crow Indians along the Yellowstone River in Montana. In the camp, they recognized a Piegan tipi by its markings and realized that it had been captured in battle. In Dempsey's account, the Blood Chief leading the raid said: "See that painted lodge? Whoever gets to it and strikes it will be the future leader of his people in hunting and in war." Crowfoot took this challenge to heart and when they attacked, he ran straight towards the camp, straight past numerous Crow warriors who fired at him. One of the balls hit his arm and, despite stumbling, he continued on. He managed to touch the tipi before anyone else, and in doing so, gained great prestige among the warriors. With this achievement, he chose a new name. "Crow Indian's Big Foot", which was later shortened to Crowfoot. This was indeed a great name. Only one man had previously used it. As Dempsey put it: "According to tribal tradition, only one person had previously held this honoured name. He was a relative of Many Names, perhaps an uncle or older brother, who had been a victim of treachery two years before the young Crowfoot was born. The first Crowfoot had been a brave man whose exploits had made him a chief. One day he and his companions in a war party found a camp which recently had been abandoned by the Crows. Prowling into the clearing, the Blackfeet saw a large footprint in the mud near the edge of a stream. Curiously, each of the other Indians placed his own foot within the imprint, but in each case his foot was too small. Then the chief tried. To the amazement and delight of his comrades, his foot fitted perfectly in the large imprint made by the unknown Crow Indian. Because of this incident, he took the name Crow Indian's Big Foot." In 1828 though, as the original Crowfoot travelled to a peace summit with the Shoshone, he was ambushed and killed. His bravery as a man, when coupled with the deceitful way in which he was killed, left a name that could only be claimed by a great man. During his lifetime, Crowfoot was a part of nineteen battles and was wounded 6 different times. He showed his bravery, but more importantly his leadership. To lead raids, you need to muster followers and he always had plenty of men willing to follow him into battle. In one battle, Crowfoot was shot in the back, and while he recovered, it was a wound that stayed with him throughout his life as the ball was never removed. Crowfoot gained a reputation as a formidable warrior. During the 1840's, it seemed that there were enemies in every direction. As Dempsey put it: "To the north were the Crees, to the east the Assiniboins [sic], to the south the Crows, and across the mountains the Kutenais [sic], the Shoshonis, Nez Perces, Flatheads, and the Pend d'Oreilles. Other battles were fought from time to time with the Sioux, Ojibwas, and mixed-blood buffalo hunters." The Blackfoot were wealthy and controlled some of the best Buffalo hunting grounds. They also had access to European trade goods and plenty of horses. The Cree and Assiniboine usually had few horses and the Crow, along with the nations on the far side of the mountains, usually had few guns. Access to both horses and guns made the Blackfoot the most powerful nation on the plains. As missionaries made their way onto the plain, Crowfoot didn't oppose them bringing their message to his people, although he never paid much attention to it. This tolerance for the whites helped to strengthen his reputation with them. He took every person, native or white, at their word. If you are true to your word then you had little to fear from Crowfoot. During the 1850s there were three principal chiefs of the Blackfoot, each with a large number of followers. Crowfoot was led by Three Suns. The others were Old Sun and Old Swan. Time took their toll on these great men and gradually they passed away. As each man's rule ended, they were succeeded by others. First, in 1858, Old Swan died and soon after, Old Sun also passed away. They were both replaced by much more warlike chiefs who saw white traders as enemies. The forts of the prairies began to see more and more attacks from the Blackfoot. The Chief Factor of Fort Edmonton wrote in 1861: "…the Blackfoot have been un-bearable [sic] for the last 3-years or more, always getting worse and worse destroying our crops, stealing our horses, and doing everything they could to annoy us, in order to provide a quarrel so as to kill us. They now threaten openly to kill whites, half breeds, or Crees wherever they find them and to burn Edmonton Fort…". When Three Suns died, Crowfoot succeeded him. Unlike the two other high chiefs, he had built relationships with the traders and knew that his people needed the trade goods that the whites provided. To Crowfoot, as long as you are true to your word, you had nothing to fear. Crowfoot did not care what colour you were. If you were a benefit to his people, you were a friend. You didn't want to be his enemy. Crowfoot was fearless in battle but wise in his council, and these traits made him beloved by his people and respected by white traders. Crowfoot became so welcome at white trading posts, that he was treated as though he was the principal chief, regardless of his actual rank in the tribal hierarchy. Over time, Crowfoot amassed a large herd of horses, making him a man of means among his people. At the same time, he was a man who was "one of the people". He was generous with his wealth and was always willing to help those in need. This would be critical when smallpox once again visited his people in 1869. In an almost identical story to the outbreak that hit Crowfoot's camp when he was just seven years old, the disease arrived with an American steamer. The boat docked at the mouth of the Milk River and a Piegan crept aboard. As a Montana newspaper wrote: "to purloin a blanket from the couch of one of the smallpox patients, while the steamboat discharged its freight at the mouth of that turbid stream…the dreaded disease broke out among the copper-colored [sic] devils, and spreading like wildfire from tepee to tepee and from camp to camp, has made a great havoc in their strength and numbers - sending them to perdition in quicker time than bullets and bad bread could do the work. " Once again, smallpox ravaged the camps of the Blackfoot. The death toll was unimaginable. As bands split up in a futile attempt to outrun the trail of death that followed them, one after another they fell to the dread disease. Trading forts closed their doors to keep out the pestilence and neighbouring tribes were warned to stay far away lest they be routed as well. The death toll began to wane the following spring and the three tribes of the Confederacy began to tally their losses. Hugh Dempsey described the devastation: "The Piegans, who were the most severely affected, counted more than a thousand dead, the Bloods and Blackfeet over six hundred each, and the tiny tribe of fifty Sarcee lodges was reduced to only twelve." Somehow, Crowfoot once again escaped the disease. But he lost a quarter of his camp. The Blackfoot were never the same. Their undisputed rain on the plains had been dealt a mortal blow. In time, perhaps they could recover, but time was not a luxury they were afforded. The plains were changing, white settlers were moving in and their ability to stem the tide of incursions into their territory were never the same. In the following years, while some Blackfoot continued to wage war on their enemies, Crowfoot tried to remain a largely peaceful man. One of Crowfoot's sons died when out on a raiding party, but his wife Cutting Woman told him that she had met a young man that looked almost just like their lost son. While he was a few years older than their boy, as soon as Crowfoot met him, it was obvious that the similarities were remarkable. Crowfoot had suffered so much loss in his life that he invited the young man named Poundmaker to visit his camp. While Poundmaker was a Cree, he became Crowfoot's adopted son. As was the way on the plains, before long the Blackfoot and the Crees were at war again. Eventually Poundmaker had to return to his people but before he left, Crowfoot gave him horses and gifts, but more importantly, he shared the importance of wisdom. On the plains, so many wars were caused by tempers and emotion when wisdom could have brought peace instead. Crowfoot always seemed able to see beyond the emotion and look towards what was best for his people. In 1867, the nation of Canada was created. Up until this time, the plains had been under the purview of the Hudson's Bay Company whose forts had provided the only semblance of white rule to the west. By 1869, negotiations were in place to turn over these western lands, formerly known as Rupert's Land, to the fledgling nation of Canada. As the fur traders vacated the territory, it left a vacuum in terms of British control over the west. Well, nature abhors a vacuum, and whiskey traders in Montana began to cast envious glances northward. The state had prohibited the sale of alcohol and so, if there was nobody there to patrol Canada's prairies, then they would take advantage of the opportunity. Forts with names like Fort Whoop-Up began to open and sell whiskey to the members of the Blood tribe within who's territory it was built. Now when I say "whiskey", there was a bit of whiskey in those barrels, along with turpentine, strychnine, red ink, and red pepper. Within a short time, the fort had grossed $50,000 and more posts began to open in other areas. Infamous forts like Slide Out, Standoff, and Robber's Roost spread the liquor to Blackfoot country. Along with whiskey, they also offered repeating rifles for trade. As alcohol spread through the camps, fights between both friend and foe broke out. Even Crowfoot was not immune to the draw of whiskey. He visited forts at Blackfoot Crossing as well as Spitzee Post on the banks of the Highwood River. The missionaries that witnessed the illicit whiskey trade urged the fledgling government of Canada to do something…and so they did…they created the Northwest Mounted Police, the pre-cursor of the mighty Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The march west of the Mounties is a story I'll share in another episode, but suffice it to say that the word of these red-coated policeman riding westward travelled far in advance of the columns. When Reverand John McDougall met with Crowfoot to tell him of the impending arrival of the Mounties, he assured them that, although they would be building forts in Blackfoot territory, the Mounties were here to protect them from the whiskey. He also assured Crowfoot that white-man's justice would treat all people fairly, regardless of whether they were Indian or white. Crowfoot replied: "my brother, your words make me glad. I listen to them not only with my ears, but with my heart also. In the coming of the long knives, with their fire water and their quick-shooting guns, we are weak, and our people have been woefully slain and impoverished. You say this will be stopped. We're glad to have it stopped. We want peace. What you tell us about this strong power which will govern with good law and treat the Indians the same as the white man makes us glad to hear. My brother, I believe you, and am thankful." Crowfoot had earned enough respect that the other chiefs supported his words. The first red-coats arrived in the fall of 1874. Colonel James Macleod was in charge and Crowfoot developed a strong relationship with him. Prior to meeting Macleod, Crowfoot sent his foster brother, Three Bulls to test the truth of Rev. MacDougall that the policemen were here to help them. Three Bulls told Macleod of the whiskey trading post at Pine Coulee, and then led the police to the fort. The traders were arrested and from the first time Crowfoot met Macleod, he saw in him an ally. It was at this time that Crowfoot the warrior had to transition to Crowfoot the politician and peacemaker. The presence of the police meant that the debauchery associated with the whiskey trade quickly waned and the powerful Blackfoot began to grow in numbers again. Instead of whiskey, valuable buffalo hides were traded for horses and within two years the Blackfoot had purchased more than 2,000. Yet all was not rosy on the horizon. Crowfoot saw that with the police, more white men were moving onto their lands and, at the same time, the buffalo were becoming more and more scarce. When Crowfoot spoke to Rev. MacDougall, he was told that First Nations in other parts of the country had treaties that set down the rights of the tribes and the lands that belonged to them. Crowfoot could not understand the implications of what a treaty might mean, but he did appreciate the fact that some form of accommodation would be made for them. He could also see how rapidly things were changing and that the lives of the Blackfoot would never be as they once were. Next week, I'll look at how the expansion of white men and police, along with the loss of the buffalo, forever changed the Blackfoot Nation. Next up…tracking track bears Trains and Bruins For decades, train tracks have been graveyards for black and grizzly bears, as well as many hoofed animals unlucky enough to be struck while wandering the tracks. The area surrounding train tracks offers a number of benefits for both bruin and herbivore alike. Train tracks mean openings in the forest canopy. Openings in the canopy mean opportunities for plants to grow. New growth attracts animals looking for forage. In the winter, train tracks offer easier travel corridors than walking through deep snow. For bears, the area around tracks can be very attractive. In July, the open area allows buffaloberry bushes to thrive. These bushes are one of the key summer foods for black and grizzly bears. In the spring, dandelion blooms offer a similar enticement. Trains all too regularly cost animals travelling them their lives. Their carcasses serve to attract other bears, coyotes, and other carnivores looking for an easy meal - unless they too don't recognize the danger that the tracks represent. Canada's railroads have a single track running coast to coast with periodic sidings to allow opposing trains to pass. The longer a train sits on a siding, the more opportunity there is for grain to leak out of hopper cars. For bears, after meat, seeds and nuts represent the next most nutritious food source. This makes grain spills an irresistible attraction for bears and serves to attract bears back to the tracks after experiencing these easy calories. Back in Episode 19, I mentioned a study that has shown that as much as 110 tonnes of grain is spilled along the tracks within Banff and Yoho National Parks annually. That's enough to supply the annual caloric needs of 50 grizzly bears. With numbers like this, it's easy to see that bears would find the tracks to be an enticing place to explore. In Episode 46, I described a study that showed that while not all of our bears regularly use the tracks, those that do, like the Boss, use them a lot. Researchers satellite collared 21 grizzlies and they found that only 4 were regular users of the tracks, but they popped by the rail line on 20% of the days they were being monitored. They also found that bears used the tracks much more in the fall. During autumn, 85% of scat samples near tracks contained grain as compared to only 14% in the summer and 17% in the spring. This likely reflects the seasonal availability of other food options at other times of the years. Now, just because scat samples don't include grain, the bears that left these samples were still hanging out near to the tracks. They may have been looking for elk and moose carcasses or feeding on dandelions and buffaloberries that are also plentiful near the railroad right-of-way. In fact, this same study found that scat found near tracks had a much higher likelihood of containing the hair of elk, deer, or moose. Banff's most famous bear, Bear 122, also known as "The Boss", is the current king of the tracks. His reign was almost cut short in 2010 when he was clipped by a passing freight train and somehow survived. The Boss is one of the heaviest users of the major transportation corridors in the park, spending much of his time around the train tracks and the Trans-Canada Highway - often munching on dandelions along the highway fences in the spring. He also spends time wandering near Highway 93S, through Kootenay National Park. This is another high-risk place to hang out, especially with cars exceeding the speed limits in some cases by as much as 30 or 40 km/h, all in a race to get to cottage country in the Columbia Valley. More than 1,200 large animals have been the victim of train impacts in Banff and Yoho since 1982, and since 1998 they have represented the number one cause of death for grizzlies in both parks. In just one 80 day stretch over the winter of 2015-16, 26 animals were killed along the tracks through Banff. This included 14 white-tail deer, six elk, two moose and four mule deer. During the last week of May of this year, two black bears died in separate incidents within Banff National Park. Parks is also looking into particularly dangerous spots for bears along the tracks. Morant's Curve, near Lake Louise, along with Five Mile Bridge west of Banff are two of the worst. Five Mile Hill represents a straight stretch after a series of curves have slowed the trains down. Here they begin to accelerate and this has resulted in at least 7 deaths. Three more grizzlies have died on Morant's Curve. Parks is building additional travel corridors away from the tracks to encourage bears near these danger zones to take advantage of other convenient trails. The trails at Five Mile are finished and work is currently underway at Morant's Curve. Fire is another tool that Parks staff will take advantage of this year, with an 800 ha burn planned for the Baker Creek area this fall. Numerous studies have shown that forest fire sites provide excellent forage for bears and the open canopy makes for a perfect home for buffaloberry bushes. Canadian Pacific Railway has been working very closely with Parks Canada in terms of redesigning the areas adjacent to tracks in order to give animals more options to escape when they see an oncoming train. Hopefully, with this ongoing collaborative effort, we will see the numbers of fatal strikes of bears and other animals begin to diminish over the next decade. And with that, it's time to wrap this episode up. Next week, I'll carry on with the story of Crowfoot and his people as the Blackfoot Nation signs Treaty Seven is settled onto reserves and struggles with the disappearing buffalo. As always, be sure to check out the show notes at www.MountainNature.com/ep062 for links to additional stories, as well as for a convenient way to subscribe to the show so that you never miss an episode. If you'd like to reach out to me directly, you can hit me up on Twitter @wardcameron, or drop me a line at info@wardcameron.com. Don't forget that Ward Cameron Enterprises is your source for step-on, hiking, photography, and nature guides in the mountain west. Why not give us a call for your next mountain experience. We'd love to hear from you…and with that said, the sun's out and it's time to go hiking! I'll talk to you next week.
Francis Boyle is a professor of international law at the University of Illinois College of Law. Professor Boyle has served as counsel to Bosnia and Herzegovina and to the Provisional Government of the Palestinian Authority. He has represented the Blackfoot Nation, the Nation of Hawaii, and the Lakota Nation. He drafted the U.S. domestic implementing legislation for the Biological Weapons Convention, known as the Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989. And he has been a strong advocate over the years for the proper use of the power of impeachment.
World Footprints goes inside “The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth”—the Calgary Stampede. Hitch your horse to a chuck wagon as the Stampede’s Keith Rutherford shares the heritage of a signature event, the chuck wagon race. Then meet the young Canadians who charm their way into the hearts of all during the Stampede extravaganzas. They will share what it takes to be a member of this Broadway style glee club. Finally, World Footprints visits the
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