Peigans journey to China

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It will be ten days of sharing. The sharing of two distinct cultures and the sharing of two distinct eras. And there to take part in it will be Joe and Reggie Crowshoe of the Peigan reserve.

On Sept. 16 the Crowshoes left for northwestern China where they will participate in a cultural exchange with the Kazakh people, the natives of that country. The Crowshoes took with them four tipis which they will give to the Kazahks in the first part of a cultural exchange which will see two traditional dwellings of China, called yurts, brought to Alberta next summer.

"I'm really excited about it," said Joe Crowshoe, a Peigan elder. "I've travelled a lot before, but this is a communist country." While Crowshoe admits to being somewhat hesitant about going to a communist country, his son Reggie helped ease his mind.

"The more we discussed the trip the more comfortable he got with the idea," said Reggie Crowshoe, who jokingly added, "but we're not supposed to start any political riots while there."

The Crowshoes are accompanying a Canadian Dinosaur fossil expedition in Xinchiang Province in Northern China. "The Canada-China Dinosaur Project" will bring together the world's leading authorities on Canadian and Chinese dinosaur fossils.

Between 65 and 100 million years ago North America and Asia were one large land mass. It is believed that dinosaurs wandered across the territory. Many of the dinosaurs found in Canada are remarkably similar to those found in China, while many are quite different, explains a brochure put out by the Ex Terra Foundation, who started the project.

Like dinosaurs, the native peoples of China are believed to have wandered across this territory as well, thus the Native involvement in this expedition.

Reggie and Joe Crowshoe's active participation in the project began on Sunday, Sept. 13 when they began the long and meticulous process of painting the tipis to be presented as gifts. The day bgegan with blessings by Elder Joe Crowshoe. Reggie Crowshoe, Rosemary Crowshoe, Gordon Many Guns and Damian Little Moustache painted the tipi.

"We are painting on the traditional design of my grandmother," explained Reggie. It is a snake design. It tells the story of how our Creator first put the snake people on earth. But they died off and He then put man on earth."

Reggie explained that this design was choosen for its parallelism to the purpose of the trip. "The snakes are like the dinosaurs."

The tipi painting began with a pencil outline of the design drawn onto the canvas. The frame, the upper and lower part of the tipi were then painted. Seven stars representing the big dipper were painted in the upper two flaps of the tipi. The bottom frame depicts the foothills, and the evening and morning stars. And twisting its way around the centre is a brilliant yellow, red and green snake.

Overseeing the operation was Joe Crowshoe. "They're not doing it exactly right," he laughed. "But I don't want to say anything."

For Reggie Crowshoe, painting the tipi was an enjoyable experience. "I'm curious to see what they (the Kazahks) think of tipis," he said in anticipation of the gift-giving ceremonies.

"It's going to be really interesting," he said. "I think this project will be of great cultural value."

While in China the Crowshoes will have a full agenda including numerous ceremonies and some sightseeing. And in the summer of '88 it will become their turn to play host to the Kazakhs who will present their yurts.

Reggie explained that yurts are wood-framed tent structures, as well, but more in the shape of an igloo. Yurts were also once made of hides, but like tipis are now usually made of canvas. They are still decorated with paintings.

While both Crowshoes were excited about the trip, Joe Crowshoe did have one worry about leaving home. "I'm sure gonna miss my moose meat and pemmican."