Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park – part two 7 comments
In my last post, I wrote about the incredible hoodoo formations at Writing-on-Stone. As if the geology weren’t enough, the park exists to preserve countless petroglyphs and pictograms created by native peoples of the plains over an extended time.
The lands on which Writing-on-Stone lie, have long been considered sacred to the Blackfoot people. Evolving styles of rock art indicate that people have been coming to this place for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. Cliffs within the park have been carved or painted with images of animals, humans and others of spiritual significance. As in the above two photos (click on all photos for larger views), animals are portrayed in various styles ranging from almost sticklike, to highly naturalistic. Some have heart-lines as seen in the animal depictions of plains and other peoples throughout the continent.
Depictions of humans also appear frequently, often carrying large shields, as in the above photo. In addition to technical methods, figures can often be dated by their style and also the presence of certain objects. Figures bearing large shields would be from an older time before horses as such shields were too unwieldy to carry when mounted. The appearance of horses dates those images to the post contact period.
In this detail of the famous “battle scene” petroglyph, a row of rifles firing shots can be seen to the right. This petroglyph is accessible on the hoodoo trail – now contained within a large “cage” built to protect it from vandalism. Unfortunately, vandalism has been a major problem at Writing-on-Stone since well before its designation as a protected area. In places, the cliffs are heavily inscribed with names, dates, words and images created by visitors in recent decades. Now, the larger part of the park is within a protected area which may only be visited during guided tours.
The above image is one that, for some time, was considered questionable. Was it created by a native artist, or a non-native visitor. The leader of the tour related how, in recent years, it was discovered that this depiction of an automobile was created in 1924 by the Piegan elder, Bird Rattle, during a road trip with Roland Willcomb, who kept notes and photos of this event.
The little Mule deer buck who kept prancing into our campsite – described in my last post
I did go on one of the guided tours at Writing-on-Stone. The tours last about two hours and it’s time well spent. It turned out that the guide on my tour was from eastern Ontario (my own home base), and at the end of the tour, as we were arriving back at the visitor center, she commented over the intercom, “I have a warning for the woman from Ontario. Once you come to the west, you won’t want to go back. That’s what happened to me and I’m still here.” I laughed as I have felt that pull to the west for many years. However, it’s been balanced by a similar pull by Nova Scotia which lies to the east. During my travels, I’ve spoken to quite a number of people – many park rangers, other travelers, people who work in parks and museums. So often, people will say to me, “Oh, I wish I were coming along with you!”. Or, they’ll tell me of how they would like to leave the area they’re working and go someplace else – to the desert, to the redwoods, to the ocean. While I was camped at Pukaskwa for a week, I read John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley, and he wrote of this phenomenon. Wherever he went, people would tell him they wished they were traveling and could come along with him. It seems that it’s in our nature to want to be “going somewhere” even if it’s only to imagine what it would be like someplace else.
Well, as I write this, I’m still on the road. It’s another two weeks or so until I will be taking up winter residence in Bisbee, Arizona. In the time between leaving Writing-on-Stone in southeast Alberta, and where I am now (Brookings, Oregon), I have made what now seems an epic journey through Washington, Oregon, California and back into Oregon. I’ll write more about those travels soon. I keep thinking I’ll have more time to write and put up posts, but that time never seems to materialize when I’m on the road. I guess there’s just too much to do and finding time to sit at the computer doesn’t seem to happen all that often. Soon I should have a little more time.
7 Responses to 'Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park – part two'
Subscribe to comments with RSS or TrackBack to 'Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park – part two'.
-
Thanks so much for posting the close-ups of the rock drawings and the little Mule Deer buck whose ancestors were certainly featured in some of the rock drawings. Just bought a copy of The Courage to Create, by Rollo May. All of my creativity has gone into my blog and my book and photography in the time since Richard died. I’m half afraid to draw or paint or weave or write poetry again, but seeing those rock drawings reminds me of where I came from and where I might go again with my creativity.
Interesting how you appear to be drawn in four directions. North vs south and east vs west. With me, it’s only Pacific Northwest vs Northern and Central California. One thing for sure, that tension of opposites makes for good traveling. From one beloved place to another beloved place.
-
The rock drawings are wonderful – how frustrating it must be to have to decipher which are a coupla hundred years old, and which are ten thousand years old. Good to hear that the drawings are being protected from nancy hearts bob now.
I also find the traveling phenomenon interesting. I don’t have it myself, and wonder why. The west certainly has a fabulous diversity of landscapes, while we in the east also have a diversity but it is more subtle, and perhaps more commingled with higher populations and development.
There are certainly people around here who crave to sample eastern landscapes – lots of them, and do a lot of traveling to see them. So maybe it’s also a matter of stay at homes, more predominant here, vs wanderers, to be found more frequently in the west.
Whatever it is, it’s great to have your reports of what you’re seeing, Bev.
-
I share Robin’s thoughts…but I think you’d enjoy the vast stretches of wonderful isolation in the southwest, particularly in New Mexico and west Texas. If you could just ignore the political landscape in west Texas, you could enjoy the stunningly beautiful desolation.
-
robin – I’m not sure where I will end up living — perhaps I’ll divide my time between many places. The west is now very much a part of my past and present. As you’ve mentioned, there’s so much time to think of all of this…
–
am – Very glad you liked the rock art. I’ll look up “The Courage to Create”. Interesting, but I think we often limit ourselves for odd reasons and, if we can just free our thinking, we could be doing more. That’s sort of what I’m working at these days. And, yes, you’re right – I’m drawn in all four directions. I don’t quite know what that means and why I don’t feel much inclination to choose one. Perhaps I’ve been in one place for far too long and it’s just my time to wander.
–
Wayne – I’ve been watching for fellow wanderers, but don’t really seem to see too many. Even in the west, the license plates are usually from the same state, or perhaps the next over. Perhaps that’s due to the economy and fuel costs, but it might have something to do with journeying into unfamiliar territory. Based on my own wanderings, there’s a certain barrier that you have to get past – one that seems to arise as you get to what I always think of as “the point of no return” — that time when you’re suddenly a couple or more days from home and feeling like you’re really out there on your own. That feeling used to bother me a bit, but now I just feel a slight twinge.
–
John – Sooner or later, I have a feeling that I’ll venture into New Mexico and Texas. Last week, I bought a New Mexico atlas to muse over. -
узнать местоположение человека посотовому знакомства красноярск определение местонахождения по номеру мабильному, как узнать адрес абонента используя телефонный номер диета рисовая справочник адресови телефонов предприятий, поиск абонента по намеру телефона программа для похудения номер телефона по адресу в новосибирске, определение местоположения в тесты онлайн бесплатно база данных калининграда мегафон экспансия, поиск найти по номеру телефона в одессе бесплатно знаки зодиака номер телефона жителя спб по адресу
-
Всем привет, мы хотели бы рассказать тебе о новейшем необычном новостном сайте Анализ факторов ранжирования.
Здесь ты просмотришь огромное количество позновательной и информативной комментариев об банках, банках и торговой системе. Вы можете увидеть поучительные аудио ролики, которые помогут вам понимание статей в таких понятиях как банки и биржевая торговля.Одной из причин данного новостного ресурса является интересеная манера подачи текста для вновь прибывших учеников, суть которой состоит в постепенном ознакомлению с практической частью лекции. С комментариями касательно нашего блога ты сможете познакомиться в чате. Полученные способности помогут хорошо узнавать с современными экономическими обстановками ситуациями в стране. Схожие материалыТехнический анализ
I always secretly wish that you will move west. I know that you have Nova Scotia in your heart, but there is so much out west that would appeal to your senses. Ah, but there is so much time to think about all of this, especially while you are traveling and seeing all these beautiful things. A whole winter lies ahead.