Crowchild Award cause to celebrate

At Calgary City Hall

Page 3

CALGARY - It was a day of rejoicing, a day when people came together in memory of a remarkable Indian chief, a day which will not only lie in people's hearts and minds, but also in the huge sculptured pillar which keeps Calgary's new City Hall from tumbling down. The Chief David Crowchild Memorial Award celebration started early on the morning of January 21 as the traditional Crowchild tipi was erected by members of the Crowchild family inside the City Hall atrium.

Later, information booths were erected around the central City Hall pillars. Indian arts and crafts work was gently arranged across the long tables and pamphlets and buttons were set in neat patterns. The first City Hall workers walked past curiously, hesitating now and then to examine the beadwork on a brightly decorated moccasin or to feel the softness of a fur-lined parka.

Then, as lunchtime approached, the crowds gathered, asking questions, buying memberships, fingering beadwork.

"We've been so busy," said Calgary Friendship Centre Co-ordinator Shelley Bergstrom. "Everyone is asking questions and taking information booklets."

"I've sold about 20 memberships so far," said Alberta Native Women's Association (ANWA) President Donna Weaselchild, "and given away lots of bumper stickers and buttons."

"We're doing well," said Sarcee People's Museum Director Helen Meguinnis. "We've sold a lot of beadwork, mainly earrings."

Then, as the afternoon closed in, chairs were placed in neat rows and the sculpture was gently wheeled in, still hidden beneath a blue velvet cover.

People crowded into the chairs. The Elders, from all Treaty 7 bands were given the place of honour. Photographers from the major- and no-so-major -newspapers, vied for a good position, awaiting Calgary Mayor Ralph Klein, who would open the ceremonies.

The mayor and Native Urban Affairs Committee (NUAC) Chairman Andrew Bear Robe arrived and opened the celebration. After giving thanks to the many respected Elders in attendance, they unfurled the blue velvet cover to reveal the brightly painted and sculptured Crowchild Memorial Award monument which will be carved into the pillar within the next two months.

Bear Robe described the monument for those at the back of the hall. It depicted the traditional Crowchild tipi and the Crowchild beadwork.

Then a nervous but smiling Pauline Dempsey was called up to receive the award, given to the person who has worked hardest to bridge the gap between Native and non-Native people in Calgary last year. Dempsey is a Blood band member and daughter of the late Senator James Gladstone, the first Indian senator.

"I am very proud to have received this award," said Dempsey, "and particularly as Chief David Crowchild was a personal friend of mine.

Then the dancing began.

Members from all Treaty 7 bands took part. The echo from the drums reverberated around the huge atrium of City Hall and people leaned out from their offices to watch the dancers as they swayed and moved to the beat.

It was getting dark outside. A warm Chinook breeze whipped around City Hall as the booth owners packed away their possessions and folded the table.

Now Chief Crowchild Day had become an annual event, along with the memorial award named after the Sarcee chief who had travelled the award as a missionary of the doctrine to find the answer to ultimate peace in people's minds through honest, purity, unselfishness and love.

Crowchild was a Sarcee life chief and head chief for five years. He travelled the world in pursuit of religious and social goals.

Calgary's Crowchild Trail was named after the chief, and when he cut the ribbon opening in 1968, Crowchild said he hoped the trail would be "a symbol. of cutting all barriers between all people for all time to come."

The symbol of the trail, which Crowchild travelled many times as the original road to Banff, which symbolizes the road we all share, along with the new symbol of the pillar which holds up and maitains everything built after, is not lost on the members of the NUAC.

We didn't want just a memorial, we wanted something that would symbolize Chief David Crowchild's life work. And I think we've done that with this memorial, said Chairman Andy Bear Robe.

Due to a clerical error, the January 16 edition of "Windspeaker" identified the chairman of the NUAC as Andy Blackwater. Andrew Bear Robe is in fact the chairman of the committee. Our apologies to both gentlemen.