Buffalo Jumping

 We left the lot behind the Petrol Canada in Crowsnest after a restless night. This is the only section of road we had traveled five years ago during the original "veggie voyage" (see archives) except we made a foray off the road to meet the Old Man River at these falls and then skirted the Old Man Reservoir to our destination seeing this leaning house and barn telling the story of the relentless prairie winds and the fragility of man made things.

... If we hadn't been able to tell about the winds from the untold hundreds of wind turbines stretched along the skylines and in linear groups like this. The sound of their static whirr wasn't so bad today as I appreciated again the sweet smell of the open rural land.

 But we met cousins Tobias and Celeste who are Peigan (of the Blackfoot Confederacy and deeply rooted in the history, geography and politics of the region and geo-politics, in general.) We learned about the water shortages in this section of Alberta (which leans heavily on the Old Man River system) and about how much the First Nations have not been in consultation or leadership roles in the development of the wind industry or the tourism business built on the Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump, where we met them today. We took in a lot of information today but for me, already with a "beef" about the Alberta government.. the reality that local First Nations do not administer this 12 million dollar tourist stop is almost as important as the history and knowledge of all the oral history, artifacts and what the archeologists had to say. (Deep honor to these creatures -below- and all who have gone before.)

 We are in Fort Macleod, at a Tim Horton's (a Canadian institution that is sort of like every person's Starbucks.) It's getting dark. We don't know where we will spend the night but I did darken up the lines on the map for you because tomorrow we head back into the country where we were born, which claims our allegiance even when we don't really feel it..our cultural identifier. We leave behind the Canada we Love and Care for and send out a huge wish for her People--- Be Good to the Earth. Pay attention to all you are losing to the extractive industries and to the greed of the wealthy who are exploiting the future of the land and your children. Work together. As First Nations, as environmentalists, as workers and outdoors enthusiasts to save habitat and species and not go down the path of further money grubbing in the name of "jobs." It is a false promise and a false future and only fattens the pockets of the filthy rich.
So, tell us Chris, what do you really think? Goodnight from one who loves you all and needs a place to park a veggie powered truck for the night. (Click on the map to see it better. Thanks.)

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