Teepee bypassed

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For the Native people, an air of disappointment surrounded the royal visit of the Duke and Duchess of York when they officially opened the Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo Jump, here, July 23.

Elders Eddie Bad Eagle and Jim Many Bears had burned sweetgrass and prayed the night before in their teepees so that ideal weather conditions would prevail at the opening ceremonies instead of the predicted rainshowers. Sure enough, there was no sign of rain and the sun was out and smiled on the Duke and Duchess as well as the 4,000 people who flocked to the interpretive centre.

Before the Royal Couple arrived, a contingent of Southern Alberta Natives led by Peigans Eddie and Ruth Bad Eagle on horseback and dressed in traditional regalia had waited patiently in the hot sun, hoping to welcome Prince Andrew and Sarah in a Blackfoot traditional fashion. But the wait was in vain as the white cadillac carrying the Royal Couple bypassed the Indian Teepee village and instead headed straight for the mezzanine where the ceremonies were held.

In a later interview, Blackfoot elder Jim Many Bears, said he was very disappointed that the Royal Couple did not go through the Teepee village where the more people could have had a better view of Prince Andrew and Sarah. "They should have gone through the Teepee village," said Many Bears in Blackfoot.

Blood elder, Helen Cochrane, was also disappointed that the Royal Couple did not take the time to visit the teepee village. She recalled the 1977 Centennial visit by Prince Charles to Southern Alberta when he smoked the peace pipe, danced and tasted Native traditional foods. The visit was in commemoration of the 1877 signing of Treaty #7 when Southern Alberta Indian Bands ceded more than 500,000 acres of land to the Crown. During that time, Prince Charles was made an honorary Blood Chief and given the name Mikasto, or Chief Red Crow in a colorful ceremony at the sacred Blood Sun Dance grounds.

"I expected Andrew and Sarah to be as interested in Indians as Prince Charles," said Cochrane in Blackfoot.

According to the organizers, a tour of the teepee village was not originally planned. "We hoped the Royal Couple would have been attracted to the village by the Native music," said Reggie Crow Shoe, a supervisor at the Buffalo Jump. "Many people were disappointed, not just the Native people."

"The decision to tour the Indian village was the Royal Couple's," added Crow Shoe.

Both Peigan Chief Peter Yellow Horn and Indian Association of Alberta president, Gregg Smith, invited the Royal Couple to stop at the Indian Village before they left the Buffalo Jump. But due to a tight schedule, Prince Andrew and Sarah declined the offer.

However, the Native people were not the only ones disappointed with not getting a good view of the couple. The local media was filled with newstories about people who had to the Buffalo Jump early to get a close view or even a handshake from Prince Andrew and Sarah. Others were thrilled at just seeing the Royal Couple even from a distance.

The public sat on the hillside of the Buffalo Jump while only VIPs and the media were allowed on the mezzanine.