Bears and Research
in the Canadian
Rockies

Bears and
People

 Bears and Cultural Connections

"Bears have held a special place in the human imagination for tens of thousands of years.  More than almost any other animal, the bear is deeply rooted in our art, folklore, myth, religion, literature and history." 1

People are fascinated by bears. In parts of the world where bears still exist they are regarded by different cultures, and by individuals within a culture, with varying combinations of admiration, respect, fear, annoyance and sometimes even envy.  In areas where they once existed but no longer do, bears continue to be represented in local culture and people continue to have varied perceptions of them, despite their physical absence. 

In North America, and particularly the Canadian Rockies,we do not have to look far to find evidence of the bears’ presence in our psyche – books, movies, art, science, toys, advertising and stories told around the campfire – all reveal the bears’ enduring ability to capture and hold our imagination.

The following are selected resources on bears and human culture in the Canadian Rockies and beyond.

Books

Bears in Local Folklore
Patton, B. ed. 1998. Bear Tales from the Canadian Rockies. Calgary: Fifth House Ltd.

Bears in North American First Nations’ Cultures
Rockwell, D. 1991. Giving Voice to Bear: North American Indian Myths, Rituals, and Images of
the Bear. Toronto: Key Porter Books.

Bears in Popular Culture (plus scientific information on bears)
Van Tighem, K. 1997. Bears. Canmore: Altitude Publishing Canada Ltd.

Bears in Contemporary Art
Thomas D. and Enns, M. 1995. Grizzly Kingdom: an Artist’s Encounter. Calgary: Detselig
Enterprises Ltd.