By Shilo Clark
Our land holds important stories and traditions that have been passed down for generations. For Siksika, protecting sacred places is about respecting our history and honoring the spirits of our ancestors. As time moves forward, it is more important than ever to keep these special places safe.
One of these sacred sites is the Chief Crowfoot Cemetery. This cemetery is a place of great meaning for our people. Siksika Public Works, in collaboration with the Arcadis team is now working on a plan to guide its future. This plan will help make sure the cemetery remains a place of respect and tradition for years to come. In addition to Chief Crowfoot Cemetery, the plan looks to enhance and beautify the eleven cemeteries within Siksika. The Cemetery Upgrade Project will begin with a pilot phase at Crowfoot Cemetery. Planned improvements include Parking facilities, Pathways, Lighting, Fencing, and Landscaping.
These upgrades will help create a welcoming and peaceful space for families to honor their loved ones while preserving the cultural and spiritual importance of these sites.
Arcadis wants to hear from the Siksika people to understand what traditions should be included in this plan and recently sent out a questionnaire to the nation for important feedback. This will help keep our ways alive and ensure our ancestors are honored properly.
Siksika Nation is home to many sacred places that hold deep spiritual meaning. Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, where Treaty 7 was signed in 1877, stands as one of the most significant. Nearby, Old Sun Residential School Site remains a place of remembrance, honoring those who endured the hardships of the residential school system. Of course, Castle Mountain – Miistukskoowa, in Banff National Park, served as a site for ceremonies and vision quests for the Blackfoot Confederacy. Writing-on-Stone Áísínai’pi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where petroglyphs and pictographs tell the stories of Blackfoot history, spirituality, and teachings. Chief Crowfoot’s Campsite marks the land where he and his people lived before and after the signing of Treaty 7.
Keeping these sites safe is about more than just protecting the land—it is about keeping our culture strong. We must work together to make sure these places are respected and passed down to future generations.
