Peigan recounts past: Royals told of legends

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To meet a member of the Royal family is certainly memorable, but when you have a second chance, it's a thrill of a lifetime.

It's even more thrilling if you have the opportunity to escort the Duke and Duchess of York during their private tour at the recent opening of the Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump Interpretive Centre.

For Peigan band member, Reggie Crow Shoe, escorting Prince Andrew and Sarah was the second time he had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with a member of the Royal Family on an informal basis. The first time was when he also escorted Prince Charles during his 1977 Centennial visit to the Peigan Reserve.

In an interview after the opening ceremonies, Crow Shoe said the Royal couple were more relaxed and asked many questions about Native people and the significance of the Buffalo Jump.

"They didn't know too much about the Buffalo Jump but they were really interested," said Crow Shoe. "They were surprised at how the Natives were able to adapt and how they used the environment to survive."

"They were also alarmed and felt sad when the buffalo almost disappeared from the Plains," added Crow Shoe.

During the tour, Crow Shoe told the Royal Couple about a popular, mischievious trickster called Napi. Napi is a ficticious character known for his (or her) comical and wise escapades in Blackfoot stories.

"They laughed at Napi stories because they have never heard about how Natives relate characters in stories," said Crow Shoe.

The Couple were so interested in the interpretive centre that they went beyond the time allocated. "Their organizers kept telling them that they had a schedule to follow," said Crow Shoe.

But they still didn't have time to view a 40-minute film depicting the buffalo and horse culture of the Plains Indians.

Upon leaving, Prince Andrew told Crow Shoe that he will tell his brother, Prince Charles, to come and visit the Buffalo Jump some day.

As for Crow Shoe, a supervisor at the Buffalo Jump, he said he will long remember this enjoyable experience.