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Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump






Dear friends,

You may be surprised by the title of this post and wondering what the heck is this?

Last Sunday we visited a UNESCO world heritage site. It is a testimony of prehistoric life and the customs of aboriginal people in prairies.

The interpretive centre at the site has a well organised museum and a mini theatre that screens a short documentary film. In-depth understanding of buffalo (American Bison) mentality, innovative methods used for mass killing of buffalos and cruelty of the tribe men was both fascinating and also shocking.

The local aboriginal community in prairies (Blackfoot tribe) depended on buffalo’s meat, fat, skin and bones for their survival through the long and chilly winter. During fall season, after performing customary rituals, tribes men used to identify a herd of buffalos for the kill and drive it towards the cliff in a systematic and organised manner. Elaborate arrangements used to be made by posting tree branches and rocks for marking the track and to ensure that the herd drifted towards the cliff through a narrow channel. Finally the entire herd was tricked by the tribes men wearing Wolf and Buffalo calf skins and made them jump from the 10 metre high cliff. It is believed that, this method of killing buffalos was practiced for about 5500 years. During excavation, researchers found buffalo bone deposits about 10 meters deep at the bottom of the cliff.

According to legend, a young Blackfoot wanted to watch the buffalo plunge off the cliff from below, but was buried underneath the falling buffalo. He was later found dead under the pile of carcasses "where he got his head smashed in!

Thus the site is called- Head Smashed in Buffalo jump!

Few snaps of the site are attached. Conical shaped tents made from animal skins called Tipi, used to be home of Blackfoot families. Now a days these tents are made from Canvas and are used by campers near the site.

Best regards

Zero

Comments

  1. Maya04 August, 2009 21:44

    THT WAS INFORMATIVE,,

    ITS KIND OF THE SAME METHOD USED BY MOGHLI AND THOSE WOLVES IN JUNGLE BOOK.. OR MAY BE IT WAS SOME OTHER CARTOON I DONT REMEMBER...

    ReplyDelete
  2. IdleMind04 August, 2009 22:37

    Hoho, what a wonderful place to camp! I guess these buffaloes are gone, so are the tribesmen, but the legacy of those days still are preserved fresh. Wonderful travelogue, indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous05 August, 2009 01:02

    wOw...

    ab to gayi BHAINSH paani me :P

    ek equestion aa pu6na hai..
    "meri bhainsh ko andaa kyun maara?"

    hum sab bechari bhainsh ki utaarne me hi lage rahete hai... kabhi bhi unko jaan ne ki koshish hi nahi ki...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Chhaya05 August, 2009 03:59

    I wish i get a chance to visit this awesome place!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ruhani Yatri 08 August, 2009 03:33

    Interesting info. Glad to know that all this is so nicely preserved. Pics r wonderful.

    ReplyDelete

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