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A Fireside Chat with Frances Klatzel and Chic Scott On November 1st, 2023, Frances Klatzel joined Chic Scott for a Fireside Chat at The Whyte. Frances Klatzel lives in two worlds. Born and raised in Calgary, she obtained a B.Sc . in Biology from the University of Calgary. An active outdoorswoman, she worked for the Canadian Parks Service for seven years. A trip to Nepal in 1980 changed her life, and she has lived in this country for many years, exploring the diverse cultures. Between 1983 and 1989, she lived in the Khumbu and helped to create a museum of Sherpa culture at the Tengboche Museum. She has helped with several projects in the Khumbu since. In 1999, she started her own company, Mera Publications, and has produced several books including about Sherpa culture, including “Gaiety of Spirit — The Sherpas of Everest” and “Daring to Dream — Sherpa Women Climbing K2” Frances has travelled widely in Nepal, working for a variety of development organizations, and has visited 65 of the 76 districts in the country. In 2005 she co-founded CORE International a non-profit registered charity which helps small groups of very poor and disadvantaged people by investing in education, literacy, skills and health. Frances has returned regularly over the years to the Bow Valley. In the early 90s she helped found BowCORD (Bow Corridor Organization for Responsible Development) whose mission was to protect the Bow Valley from over-development and to save the Wind Valley. The Whyte is grateful to have collaborated with the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival for this exciting Fireside Chat.

Fireside Chat with Rob Crosby Longtime Banff resident Rob Crosby (1921-2017) was interviewed on Oct 14, 2012 by historian and author Chic Scott. #robcrosby #banff #heritage #oralhistory Click to View

The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies is home to unique locations for an unforgettable mountain wedding and reception, all conveniently located in the heart of Banff. WEDDINGS The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies is home to unique locations for an unforgettable mountain wedding and reception, all conveniently located in the heart of Banff. Our venues are adaptable to both intimate and larger weddings, with scenic photo spots located right on the Whyte Museum grounds, or within a short walk or drive. To book your dream wedding in the Canadian Rockies, and for all other inquiries, please contact Clayton Smith at csmith@whyte.org . Venues Whyte Museum Grounds With two stunning natural spaces to choose from, the Whyte Museum offers a wonderful opportunity to host your outdoor wedding on the banks of the Bow River! Tucked away from the bustle of Banff, this area has been used for over a hundred years for everything from legendary Bill Peyto's horse corrals to a gathering location for special events. Choose from the expansive grounds located directly behind the museum, perfect for larger weddings, or the more intimate Abegweit Lawn nestled amongst trees and heritage homes for additional privacy. The Whyte Museum grounds are available for outdoor ceremonies exclusively. Outdoor ceremonies require a 3-hour minimum rental commitment. Location: 111 Bear Street, Banff, AB Area: 2890 sq. ft. / 268 sq. m Capacity: up to a maximum of 200 people Please note: receptions are not permitted on the museum grounds. Cascade Lodge #5 Host your wedding in the historic lodge of the Masons. This charming venue is brimming with character and has everything you need to make your special day a huge success. Constructed in 1924, this historical lodge includes the Grand Hall, a large upper level meeting space, and lower level. A commercial kitchen is available for use on the lower level. Packages and Pricing: Cascade Lodge is available for ceremonies and receptions. Indoor ceremonies require a 3-hour minimum rental commitment. Location: 103 Caribou Street Upper Level Capacity: up to a maximum of 50 people Lower Level Capacity: up to a maximum of 50 people *Local rate is only applicable for residents in the Bow Valley inclusive of the following communities: Lake Louise, Banff, Canmore, Harvie Heights, Dead Man's Flats, Exshaw, Lac des Arcs, Kananaskis, and the Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda community of Mînî Thnî. Evidence of permanent residency via applicable documentation in the Bow Valley will be required at the time of booking to secure the reduced rate.

Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte: An Eclectic Eye for Collecting By Anne Ewen, Curator of Art & Heritage Back to The Cairn Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte: An Eclectic Eye for Collecting June 16 — October 6, 2019 Main Gallery As well as being talented artists, Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte combined their resources to create this gem of a museum. It began in 1948 when Catharine and Peter initiated the process of creating the foundation that would eventually serve as the principle funding vehicle behind the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. Their desire to house an art gallery, archives and library has evolved into this current facility while their personal interests combined to create an eclectic collection of art and objects. Their vision manifested with the help of architect Philippe Delesalle, friends Philip and Pearl Moore, as well as Mary Alice Stewart who would later become the Museum’s first director. Their Stoney Nakoda friend Chief Walking Buffalo (George McLean) provided the foundation’s original name Wa-Che-Yo-Cha-Pa. Peter and Catharine’s love of the outdoors, visits to various international destinations and assorted inheritances form the basis of this exhibition. Many of the works exhibited in this exhibition are by artists who became mentors, friends or confidants of Peter and Catharine. Their continued willingness to encourage garnered an ageless array of creative companions and connections. Formally trained as artists at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in the 19th century academic tradition, portraiture was the primary focus. Their studies equipped them to paint formal portraits of family and friends. Between 1925-1929, Peter’s summer landscape painting excursions in Banff were in the company of either American artists Belmore Brown and Aldro Hibbard or Canadian Group of Seven painter J. E. H. MacDonald. From these experienced painters, Peter’s own artistic abilities developed. With landscape painting absent from the Boston school’s curriculum, Peter imparted his painterly insights to Catharine. Their interest in multiple cultures, the productivity of other artists and an insatiable quest to collect, has resulted in a diverse and abundant collection of art and artifacts, thus, works from the Whyte Museum's historic, Indigenous, Japanese and contemporary collections are included in this exhibition. Join us for the 50th Annual Back to Banff Day and celebrate the opening of our feature summer exhibitions Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte: An Eclectic Eye for Collecting and Recent Acquisitions on Sunday, June 16, 2 to 4 p.m. for free! Find out more here . Back to The Cairn

Big Skies and Lantern Slides Back to The Cairn Join us as we celebrate the opening of our 2020 Exposure: Alberta's Photography Festival exhibitions! Opening Reception — Friday, January 31 at 7 p.m., Free DANNY SINGER Danny Singer spent many of his early years visiting friends and their families in small prairie towns. The main streets of small towns in Alberta and Saskatchewan appealed to his sensibilities and ultimately became the source and content of his photography. PROJECTING ILLUSIONS The magic lantern show is a direct ancestor of today’s media culture. Lantern slides were fed through an early form projector, throwing an enlarged image onto a surface for public viewing. Developed in the 17th century, the first lantern slides were hand painted glass; through the 19th century lantern slides were produced through printing and photographic processes to create a positive transparency, and by the early 20th century lantern slides were created, bought, traded and used globally. Projecting Illusions reinterprets the spectacle of the magic lantern show offering stunning visuals from the archives. Projecting Illusions highlights the social history of lantern slides, underlining the practice of collecting and displaying slides in the Canadian Rockies. Back to The Cairn

The Canadian Mosaic, Archival Silences, and an Indigenous Presence in Banff Daniel R. Meister, PhD Lillian Agnes Jones Fellow (2019-20) Back to The Cairn In 1907, a Scottish employee of the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) visited western Canada for the first time. The country, and the Rockies in particular, captivated him. When I got back to London, I asked my European Manager to let me go out each summer on educational trips to Canada. I felt I must learn to know the Canadian way of life. Also, from what I had seen at Banff and Lake Louise, I felt I must learn to ride on a western saddle.[1] His wish came true, as by 1909 he found himself back in Canada, on a three-day trail ride to the Yoho Valley region, guided by Tom Wilson . But three days only served to whet his appetite. So, in 1913, when he was offered the chance to take a position in Canada, he seized it. That man was John Murray Gibbon (1875-1952), who would go on to become one of Canada’s most ardent promoters. [John Murray Gibbon – Head of C.P.R. publicity], Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Jean A. Hembroff McDonald fonds (V797/I/PA-29) Gibbon worked as a General Publicity Agent and was based at the CPR offices in Montreal. His position gave him an unparalleled freedom to travel and he took ample advantage of this, riding the rails extensively throughout Canada and into the United States. But the Rockies were still in his heart and he traveled west as frequently as possible to go trail riding, eventually constructing a summer residence in Invermere. [2] His love of the region and of trail riding led him to create a number of organizations and festivals that mobilized the resources of the CPR to elevate his passions into instruments of publicity for the railroad. Some prominent examples include the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies, an organization he founded in 1923 that exists to this day ; the Sky Line Hikers of the Canadian Rockies; and the Highland Gathering and Scottish Music Festival held at the Banff Springs Hotel (typically scheduled for late September, the event was held annually from 1927 through 1931). Highland Games – dancing and pipers, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, George Noble fonds (V469/I/1488) [Sky Line Hike/1938/Yoho Lake – Yoho Pass], Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Allan E. Crawford fonds (V131/I/PD1/9/1) Trail Ride along skree, 1926, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Mary Dover fonds (V769/lc-10) Gibbon felt that something unique was happening on the Canadian prairies, which he described as “Europe transplanted,” and he would later popularize one of the most enduring metaphors used to describe the country and its diversity. The term “mosaic” had been used before, in the early 1920s, but it was Gibbon who brought it to the public’s attention with his “Canadian Mosaic: Songs of Many Races,” a radio series broadcast over the CBC in early 1938. An expanded version of the series was published that December as a book entitled Canadian Mosaic: The Making of a Northern Nation, which went on to win a Governor General’s Literary Award. “I advise you all to win one of these medals,” Gibbon later joked to the Canadian Authors Association (an organization he helped found), “because, if you do, people will read your books.”[3] Gibbon was one of three central figures I examined in my PhD dissertation, which traced the intellectual origins of Canadian multiculturalism.[4] Yet I wanted to know more about Gibbon’s relationships with Indigenous Peoples and their place in his thought. So, when the opportunity arose to study the question further at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies on a Lillian Agnes Jones Fellowship, I eagerly accepted. I was particularly interested in understanding the seeming conflict between his knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and their cultures and his exclusion of them from his famous mosaic. Indeed, Canadian Mosaic seems to foreclose the possibility of their inclusion, with Gibbon writing that the “Canadian race of the future is being superimposed on the original native Indian races…” But Gibbon had long been guided on his trail rides by local Nakoda guides, and had even been made an honorary chief in 1944, with the title “Man-of-Many-Sides.” So what was the nature of Gibbon’s relationship with Nakoda Peoples? This is the question I set out to answer. John Murray Gibbon becomes honorary Stoney, Morley, Alberta, Glenbow Library and Archives: PA-1599-336j-1 I quickly learned about what theorists of archives refer to as “archival silences.” The term comes from an influential article by Rodney Carter, in which he discusses how archives have the power to allow voices to be heard but also have the power to exclude or silence others. Carter’s focus was primarily on State archives, which often reflect the former or ongoing marginalization and suppression of certain groups.[5] In private archives, silences are often a reflection of what was deemed important by the historical figures whose materials make up the bulk of the records preserved (though this cannot be disentangled from the larger process of settler colonialism). So it was that I found it very difficult to find out even basic information, such as the role that Nakoda Peoples played in the Trail Riders’ organization. T. R. Indian [sic] Guides,1944, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies fonds (V635/III/NA-22) This photo, later published in the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies Bulletin, identifies the figures as (left to right): “Johnny Bearspaw, Tom Simmion [sic], Horace Holloway, Peter Wesley, Lizra [sic] Wesley, and Nelson Rabbit.”[6] With the help of the fantastic staff at the Archives – particular thanks are owed to Lindsay Stokalko – I did find sufficient materials to answer, to some degree, the central question that I was posing. I intend to present these findings at an academic conference, when such events resume, and ultimately to publish them as a journal article. However, I ended up having to cast a wide net and, in the process, I ended up learning a lot about the broader history of Banff. I was particularly struck by the parallels between the past and present, as manifested in the Archive and in the town. Many Indigenous Peoples had connections to the area that became Banff National Park, including the Nakoda. Though Treaty 7, signed in 1877, was part of a larger attempt to assimilate Indigenous Peoples into a sedentary, agriculturalist way of life, Nakoda signers rightly understood that the Treaty would enable them to continue hunting and fishing as they had before. However, the Treaty also stipulated that these activities were subject to government regulation, and that certain tracts of land could later be exempted from these rights “from time to time,” for any purpose. As such, soon after the park that is now known as Banff was created, Indigenous Peoples were forbidden to hunt within its borders. As the park’s first superintendent declared, in his first annual report: ‘it is of great importance that if possible the Indians [sic] should be excluded from the Park.’ These sentiments were rooted in concerns about maintaining game within the Park’s borders. Historians Ted Binnema and Melanie Niemi explain: “There is little doubt that the construction of the CPR, fires set by railway locomotives, and the activities of non-native peoples caused much of the game depletion in the Rocky Mountains. But observers and government officials placed most of the blame on [Indigenous] people.” The land selected for the reserve at Morley was poor for the purposes of agriculture. This, combined with the dwindling number of game, meant that Nakoda communities found it increasingly difficult to obtain sufficient food, a condition that was made worse by the 1902 decision to greatly expand the Park, “to the point that it abutted the Stoney [Nakoda] reserve and included much of their hunting grounds.” In short, the combination of decreased game, hunting regulations, reduced territory, and the pass system (a policy whereby Indigenous Peoples were prohibited from leaving their reserves without the written permission of an “Indian Agent”)[7] meant that they were effectively barred from the Park.[8] Except, of course, on special occasions. Owing especially to the efforts of Norman and Georgina Luxton , Indigenous Peoples were regularly invited to Banff to participate in such events as the Winter Carnival and “ Indian Days ” (though the latter predated the Luxtons’ involvement). [Banff Winter Carnival – people around ice castle – crowd in foreground], 1926, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Mary Dover fonds (V769/lC-29) Of course, present-day scholars have raised a number of questions about the way Indigenous Peoples were employed, treated, and positioned during these events. Nevertheless, given this was a time when the Canadian federal government, through its Department of Indian Affairs, was actively attempting to assimilate Indigenous Peoples into Canadian settler society and eliminate their cultural practices, events like “Indian Days” represented something truly remarkable. But the tensions created by the contractual nature of the Nakoda’s invitation to Banff for “Indian Days” and decreased financial support for the event led to its demise, and it was held in Banff for the last time in 1978.[9] Detail of page 4 of scrapbook: Indian Days – July 21-22 ’30 Stoney Indians from Morley, Alta all dressed up for the pleasure of the tourist in the court of the Banff Springs Hotel, 1930, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Allen E. Crawford fonds (V131/I/PD1/4/1 and V131/I/PD1/4/2) Learning this history helped me understand the Banff that I walked around in, somewhat bleary eyed, when I emerged from my long days in the Archives. While my stay coincided with the Snow Days festival, during which I could sample craft spirits, view snow sculptures, and witness skijoring, it seemed that there was essentially no Indigenous presence in the town like there had formerly been, like I had witnessed in photo negatives of the Archives. Some of the only signs were “Indigenous-inspired” art, most of it made in China, in many of the little shops I browsed (though there is still an anachronistically-named “Indian Trading Post”). On January 29, a bus from the Morley Reserve arrived in Banff for an “ Evening of Indigenous Food & Cultural Learning. ” There, Nakoda Elders and leaders spoke to a small group, including the mayor and other dignitaries, about their connection to the land. Several spoke of their exclusion from Banff, of feeling unwelcome, and of the financial barriers that hindered them from regularly accessing the Park. Many people brought up Indian Days, and they spoke of it only in positive, longing terms. One Elder described Indian Days as “a fantasy, a dream; it was a place I could be Indigenous.”[10] In his work on archival silences, Carter reminds us: “It is only in the awareness of silence that we can begin to remedy it.” Fortunately, the Whyte Museum Archives have been working to fill in the gaps in their archival collections, by inviting in those groups who have been excluded and marginalized. So far, one of the main ways this has been done is through the “ Recognizing Relations ” project. Realizing that one of the major collections of records relating to Indigenous Peoples were photographs that were in many cases uncaptioned or inappropriately captioned, the Archives have worked with Nakoda Elders to help identify the figures portrayed.[11] Special mention must also be made of the ongoing and tireless efforts of Dawn Saunders Dahl, the Indigenous Program Manager at the Whyte Museum, who helped with the evening of learning. [Indian mother and child] [Stoney mother, Gussie Abraham with child at Kootenay Plains, Gussie was also known as Mrs. Silas Abraham], Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, George Noble fonds (V469/I/2205). This photo was one of many whose captions were updated during the Recognizing Relations project in 2014. Much like the way in which archives, once they have recognized silences, must extend the invitation to all marginalized groups, so too must physical places that have excluded certain peoples also extend the invitation to allow them back in. Although Carter cautioned that some groups might choose not to accept this invitation, Nakoda Peoples are clearly expressing a desire to return to Banff. It is my hope that the process of reconciliation continues, so that the spirit of the Treaties might be fulfilled – for the sun still shines, and the rivers still flow. [Tipis along Banff Avenue], Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Iva and Len Smith fonds (V590/PA-339) Footnotes: [1] John Murray Gibbon, “Scot to Canadian: One of More Than a Million” (unpublished autobiography), p. 56, M454, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. [2] On this property, see Alex Weller’s blog post from their time at the Windermere Valley Museum. [3] “The Fly Leaf,” Globe and Mail (27 May 1939), 25. [4] Daniel R. Meister, “The Racial Mosaic: Race, Cultural Pluralism, and Canadian Multiculturalism” (PhD diss., Queen’s University, 2019); an abstract is available online . [5] Rodney G.S. Carter, “Of Things Said and Unsaid: Power, Archival Silences, and Power in Silence,” Archivaria 61 (September 2006): 215-33. Carter’s accessibly-written article can be freely read online . Women are one group who have been excluded from archives; see Courtney Maxwell-Alves’ article , also published in The Cairn . [6] “Introducing Personalities Behind the Scenes,” Trail Rides of the Canadian Rockies 77 (February 1945), 14. Tom’s surname is properly spelled “Simeon.” Nakoda Tribal Historian Lloyd “Buddy” Wesley suggested to me that the “Lizra” referred to was probably Lazarus Wesley. [7] On the pass system, which administrators recognized was not rooted in law, see Sarah Carter, Aboriginal Peoples and Colonizers of Western Canada to 1900 (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999), especially 162-64. See also the award-winning documentary The Pass System (2015); the trailer is available online at http://thepasssystem.ca/. [8] This paragraph, and the two that precede it, are based on Courtney W. Mason, Spirits of the Rockies: Reasserting an Indigenous Presence in Banff National Park (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2014); and Theodore Binnema and Melanie Niemi, “‘let the line be drawn now’: Wilderness, Conservation, and the Exclusion of Aboriginal People from Banff National Park in Canada,” Environmental History 11 (October 2006): 724-50, quotes at 726-27, 728, 729, and 735. Unfortunately, while online, this article is behind a paywall. Spirits of the Rockies can be found in the Whyte Museum’s library, though it is very theoretically informed and somewhat less accessibly written. [9] Jonathan Clappterton, “Naturalizing Race Relations: Conservation, Colonialism, and Spectacle at the Banff Indian Days,” Canadian Historical Review 94, no. 3 (September 2013): 349-79. This article is also available online, albeit behind a paywall, though the PhD dissertation on which it is based can be freely accessed . Indian Days was later restarted by Nakoda Peoples as a private event, with only one day open to the public. See Jenna Dulewich, “ Nakoda Banff Indian Days returns to traditional land ,” Cochrane Today (7 August 2019). [10] I attended the event and made notes afterwards, upon which this description relies. However, the evening was recorded by the Nakoda AV Club , and may possibly be made available for viewing upon request. [11] This project was the brainchild of Dagny Dubois; see her “ Histories in Relation: Viewing Archival Photographs of Banff Indian Days with Stony Nakoda Elders ” (Integrated Studies Final Project, Athabasca University, 2018). Back to The Cairn

Thank you, Junko! By Janet Boger, TAM Systems Coordinator We want to thank Junko Yokura for her service at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies! Over the past 18 years, Junko was an important part of our museum shop and visitor services operations. Her contributions included merchandising the shop, serving visitors, and behind the scenes, she helped significantly with product selection and purchasing. Her many years of experience in the retail sector in conjunction with her consumer knowledge gave her a keen eye for finding products that sold which in turn, contributed greatly to the success of our museum shop operations. Junko is a longtime resident of Banff, and she is looking forward to spending more time with her family at home and abroad. We wish her well in her new chapter in life with her long-time husband Kohei, three daughters, and granddaughter. We also look forward to seeing her around town or out on the tennis courts during the summer months. Thank you again for all your hard work and service!

The Pablo-Allard Buffalo Herd and Indigenous-led Conservation Back to the Cairn By Keara Lightning Long, 2022/23 Lillian Agnes Jones Fellowship Recipient Elk Island National Park, Alberta; March 2023 -- We stood on a metal platform overlooking the park’s bison corrals. Positioning ourselves behind wooden planks attached to the overlook, which shielded us from the herd’s view. After a long, quiet wait, we saw the herd being directed onto a fenced path. In a short flurry of activity, the herd rushed past our perch and into a metal chute and a waiting horse trailer. The sound of hooves passed within seconds, and then the herd was loaded up neatly for transport to Samson Cree Nation. Ravalli, Montana; circa 1909 -- “It took pretty well all that summer of 1909 to corral enough buffalo to load thirteen cars. The loading of these animals that weighed from a thousand pounds or more for the cows and a ton or more for the bulls was a job that would enjoy any rancher... patience was the password always. The corrals were so constructed that from the big yard where the main herd stood, a small corral led from it and from this smaller yard a chute led into the car.” (Recalled by Norman Luxton writing in 1937; edited slightly for readability) [1] The bison of Elk Island National Park began with the Pablo-Allard Buffalo herd, which were raised by Michel Pablo and Charles Allard and sold to the Canadian government in 1907. As I watched the small herd loaded up for repatriation to Samson Cree Nation that morning in March 2023, the pattern of the corrals reminded me distinctly of the accounts and photos I’d read of the original herds being loaded out of Ravalli, Montana in 1907-1912. While it took a few park staff only a few minutes to load up a herd that morning, it took teams of 90 or more cowboys over five years to round up 700 bison from the Flathead Reservation to Ravalli and onto train cars up into Canada [2]. While many tellings of the sale of the Pablo-Allard herd praise the forward thinking of the Canadian government officials in purchasing and conserving the largest buffalo herd in existence at that time, I see how the strategic actions of Indigenous peoples kept that herd alive so that we can see their descendants restored back to our nations today. According to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes [3], although a Pend d’Oreille man named Samuel Walking Coyote is usually credited for raising and selling the herd to Pablo and Allard, it was actually his stepson, Latatitsa (Little Peregrine Falcon Robe) who captured the herd and carried out the plans of his father Atatitsa (Peregrine Falcon Robe) who had years earlier proposed that the tribe save a herd of bison. Latitsa raised the small herd on the Flathead reservation, but while Latatitsa was away, Walking Coyote sold the herd from under his stepson [4]. Both Michel Pablo and Charles Allard were mixed-race Indigenous men who married into the Confederated Salish tribes and ranched on the Flathead reservation. Michel Pablo’s mother was Blackfoot and Charles Allard’s mother was Cree from Fort Garry. The two of them entered into business and purchased Latatitsa’s herd of 13 bison from Samuel Walking Coyote. By the time of Allard’s death, they had raised the herd to at least 300 head, which was split between them. When Pablo sold his share in 1906, he estimated he had 400 bison, but in the end he shipped more than 700 bison to Canada. The buffalo were able to range freely across the Flathead reservation, which had natural boundaries as well as cowboys employed to keep them in the area. According to Pablo’s son in law, he was not growing this herd for profit — he saw them as “symbolical of the real soul of the Indians’ past... the buffalo had always been the greatest benefactor of the Indians” and so he “would protect the mighty monarch and provide the remnant a secure paradise” [5]. It was only after it was clear that the US intended to turn the Flathead reservation into allotments and the herds would no longer be able to freely range that he tried to sell them to the U.S. He hoped that the government would set aside a new refuge for them, and when Congress refused, “he was moved to manly tears” and “only as a last resort did he sell them to the Canadian officials” [6]. There’s no way to know exactly what Pablo’s wishes and intentions were, but after the news about the sale came out and Pablo received many higher offers from Americans, he still held up the deal with Canada [7]. Some say this commitment was motivated by spite towards the U.S. government, but I believe it’s more likely that he sought a buyer he trusted to protect the whole herd. He did not sell them off piecemeal for profit and instead made the best choice he could to transfer them where they would continue to prosper for future generations. While the Canadian government created the Buffalo National Park specially to house this herd, the first shipments from Montana were temporarily held at Elk Island National Park. The majority of buffalo were eventually transferred to Wainwright, but 40-50 bison were left behind in Elk Island as a demonstration herd. Buffalo National Park’s herd grew rapidly, peaking at 8,832 in 1921 -- far beyond the park’s estimated carrying capacity of 5,000 [8]. Overgrazing and overcrowding provided conditions for disease and parasites to thrive, and the park’s management struggled to keep the population under control. Buffalo National Park was closed and its remaining animals were killed or sold off in 1939, after which the park was turned into a military base. It is that small herd which stayed at Elk Island that remained healthy and provided the nucleus by which bison restorations are still happening today. The bison transfer of 1906-1912 was not a simple economic event that incidentally allowed for the buffalo to survive. Many of the Buffalo alive today are the result of a number of Indigenous people stewarding this herd the best they could in the throes of oppression. They were entrusted to Canada to ensure the Buffalo would continue to survive - and only by chance or blessing was there a surviving herd which has become a resource for Indigenous-led restoration projects today. This herd is evidence of the depth and power of the unbroken relationships to buffalo that Indigenous people continue to sustain, which we have the opportunity to restore today. Endnotes 1: Luxton, Norman. Luxton family fonds, LUX-I-D4-3/4. Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Banff, AB, p. 5 2: George D. Coder Fonds. M 288 Ref. Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Banff, AB. 3: Glick, Daniel, dir. 2018. In the Spirit of ʔAtatíc̓eʔ The Untold Story of the National Bison Range . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1K2NQV3WyU . 4: Locke, Harvey. 2016. “Banff National Park and Plains Bison Conservation.” In The Last of the Buffalo: Return to the Wild , 8–51. Banff, AB: Summerthought Publishing. 5: George D. Coder Fonds. M 288 Ref. Folder 1. Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Banff, AB, p. 6 6: George D. Coder Fonds. M 288 Ref. Folder 1. Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Banff, AB, p. 6-7 7: George D. Coder Fonds. M 288 Ref. Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Banff, AB. 8: Markewicz, Lauren. 2017. Like Distant Thunder: Canada’s Bison Conservation Story . Gatineau, QC: Parks Canada. About the Lillian Agnes Jones Fellowship In 2001, the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation/Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies received a bequest from the estate of Lillian Agnes Jones. From this bequest, a fellowship was created to promote the study and research of materials related to Western Canada. Initially, this fellowship was administered through the University of Calgary. The Whyte Museum began to oversee this fellowship in 2019. The Call for Applications for the 2022-2023 year brought forth a variety of unique and exciting research topics. From the many applicants received, three individuals were chosen by the Lillian Agnes Jones Fellowship Committee. Kate Hanly, from Canmore, Alberta, explored the concept of how iconic mountaineering routes are changing in the Canadian Rockies due to climate change. Keara Lightning Long, from the Edmonton region, delved into the complex relationship of Indigenous ecology and the history of environmental management. Lastly, Amanda Foote, who lives in Mînîthnî facilitated a group of Îethka (Stoney Nakoda) people in hands-on archival, library, and curatorial research on a variety of topics. Want to read the full research reports from each recipient? Please visit whyte.org/fellowship . In the coming months be sure to watch for our upcoming events as these recipients will be presenting on their topics soon! Are you looking to submit and application for an upcoming fellowship call? Stay tuned to our social media and newsletters. Announcement coming soon! Interested in learning more about Canadian Rockies history? Book a research appointment at the Whyte Museum Archives and Special Collections Library . Back to the Cairn

Pandemic VogueNathalie Bertin Pandemic Vogue Nathalie Bertin Pandemic Vogue Artist Statement Pandemic Vogue (2020), Nathalie Bertin For my second mask, I explored the concept of vanity which ultimately led me to reflect on privilege. This custom made mask is based on the tattoo designs on my arm. This mask is all about me, to protect me and others from me. The designs on my tattoos are based on traditional beadwork designs. In a sense, the designs have come full circle – from beadwork on a traditional garment, to my tattoos and back to beadwork on a contemporary article for me to wear. As I worked on the mask, I had heard or read someone asking what it would take to normalize wearing masks so that everyone would finally wear one. I also found it interesting that couturier Yves St Laurent was making masks for the front lines. I wondered if they put their logo on the masks. I also wondered when we might see Dolce & Gabana or Channel ads for masks or models wearing some masks on runways. I chose to create a mock ad for my mask as a way to try to answer the question of how these masks could become normalized. However the bigger question is whether it could ever be a normal thing to wear a mask on a day-to-day basis. And normalized for whom? There is often-violent history against women who chose to wear a Niqab, even here in friendly Canada. Many non-Muslim people of colour who might want to wear a mask may not do so for fear that they may be mistaken for a criminal. Therefore, is it really possible for us to normalize the wearing of masks or is it only for a certain group of people? Return

Standing in LineFrance Poliquin Standing in Line France Poliquin Standing in Line Artist Statement Standing in Line Third world war is declared and we are all at war against a Virus. It’s a Pandemic, which is what, what does that mean really. I start knitting to past the time, I read books, but this is not feeding my soul. I am watching the news, not understanding what is this all about. The first time I am expose to something similar is when I am in my early 20s and I teach in Constant Lake treaty no 9. Hepatitis C is among the children and the adults are scared. At the time the Federal Government runs the school and we are lucky since they send a group of two nurses that check each child. We are asked to get the vaccine for Hepatitis C I refuse I just don’t believe in it. I was learning bead working then and I remember that this practice had filled my soul while I did get sick with rheumatism fever, which is in the same family as Hepatitis C; I did beading to get my soul filled with colours and create different small beading projects. Now I am 67 years old all these memories come back to me and I am asking myself how did I deal with the situation almost 50 years ago. I start observing the people around me what is going on, the halls are empty we are not allowed to go to our common activity room, the door is wrap with a yellow ribbon boned with danger. At the beginning you are sort of paranoid about meeting someone in the hallway, especially a stranger. The only strangers coming in our 60 and up social housing are Home Care workers visiting three out of 31 persons twice or three times a day. I am watching these strangers with a critical eye what if, what if, what if? Why are they always different? After two weeks I am out of fresh produces, ok, now how are we suppose to get those if we are not suppose to go out? Ok I hear on the news that if we must go out shopping to do so early in the morning. To my surprise when I get to the grocery store there is a line up of white hair mostly women. We all have a worried face, some have a mask and some do not, but we are all in line waiting being patient. This makes me nervous because we do not know what this virus is all about. Are we lining up to get the virus, are we lining up to die? Is the virus here, right here creping up my pants or my sleeves where is it? In my hair, on my hands or on my shoes I pray to Mother Earth to help me cope with this enemy, this invisible enemy. April 07 Paula 85 years old passes away Covid 19. April 10 Judith 77 years old passes away Covid 19 April 15 Monique 79 catches Covid 19 is very sick I have to do something with my hands to keep them busy so I do not get scared and panic. Tout va bien allé, it will be fine. Beading, yes I have to start a project. I made some cloth masks for my brother and his partner and I sold a few at the residence where I live, but I must be part of something to help me cope with this Pandemic. I discover BREATH on CBC Indigenous but it is a close group and quite difficult to find. There is so much happening about breathing; I have asthma, this black man dyes because he cannot breathe. Wearing the mask keep me from breathing properly, I will survive this craziness. The Mask: I decided to make a mask that tells a story of three women of different nationality who wait in line since everywhere they go there is a line up. This is quite sad to see all these older people waiting in line for their meals, to take their weight and for their medication and to finally to pass. The colours I have use for the beading project is very symbolic to me. Pink that represents friendship, affection, harmony, inner peace, and approachability. My ladies are surrounded by the colour green, which symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. And to finished we have the colour blue that symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven. Return

Q&A With Artist Elise Rasmussen On "An Alpine Trilogy" Back To The Cairn By Tera Swanson, Marketing and Communications Manager Image 1 Across generations, mountain landscapes have been influential foundations of identity and meaning, rooting a spectrum of experiences and cultures within a shared sense of place. Yet many of these perspectives are intertwined in complex histories, creating layered narratives behind how these landscapes are celebrated, romanticized, contested, and claimed. What are the roots of these perspectives, and how might we re-evaluate them differently today through a more nuanced lens? Opening November 1, 2025, at The Whyte, Elise Rasmussen: An Alpine Trilogy takes this question into the heart of the Alps. Through three interlinked bodies of work that resonate deeply in Banff, Rasmussen reframes histories of conquest, grandeur, and nostalgia. Rasmussen asks us to look past the postcard alpine sublime and notice the instruments, both scientific and cultural, that made those views possible. — Christina Cuthbertson, Chief Operating Officer and Curator The trilogy incorporates several different media, culminating throughout The Whyte's gallery walls and spaces as a multi-room presentation of photographs, cyanotypes, and film installations, featuring collective works from three projects. Born in Edmonton, Canada (Treaty 6, Amiskwacîwâskahikan), Elise Rasmussen lives in Los Angeles, California (Tovaangar, homelands of the Gabrielino-Tongva peoples) and is currently an artist-in-residence at Triangle in Brooklyn, NY. We connected with Elise to get her first-hand perspective on her works in her own words, and to learn what she's hoping audiences at The Whyte will take away after visiting. Image 2 For readers new to your work, how would you introduce this project in a sentence or two? What ties the three works in An Alpine Trilogy together? An Alpine Trilogy is comprised of photographs, cyanotypes and film installations from three projects created between 2017-2025: Did You Know Blue Had No Name? , The Year Without a Summer , and Nostalgia: A Return to the Alps in Five Vignettes . These works juxtapose historical narratives related to the Alps with contemporary concerns regarding land stewardship, post-colonialism and the climate crisis. This will be the first time showing works from all three of my Alps-related projects together. What sparked the initial idea, and what core question are you exploring through your work? The genesis for creating these projects came from time spent on an artist residency at the Banff Centre as a Barbara Spohr Memorial Award recipient in 2017. While on the residency, I was looking at the origins of Banff as a National Park, and I learned about the role that Swiss Mountain Guides played in the creation of mountain culture and tourism in the Canadian Rockies. I began to trace this history back to the origins of mountaineering in Europe, and this led me to the story of the first ascent of Mont Blanc. I became particularly fascinated by Horace Bénédict de Saussure’s cyanometer (a colour wheel used to measure the blueness of the sky) and how Saussure’s desire to test this and other scientific instruments became a driving force in his quest to conquer Europe’s tallest mountain. This research led me to the creation of my first work on the Alps: Did You Know Blue Had No Name? which weaves together various epistemologies related to “blueness,” examining the colour blue and its influence on mountaineering, early photographic technologies, art history, and how knowledge is ascribed and recorded. Image 3 How did research or lived experience shape what we encounter in the final work? My research-based practice weaves together disparate histories mediated through my subjective experience. In all of my projects, I spend time in archives and in the geographical location which I am researching (in this case, the Alps), and this permeates into what is shared through my photographs and films. In Nostalgia: A Return to the Alps in Five Vignettes , I revisit sites in Switzerland that were vital to the creation of literary works by Rilke, Fitzgerald, and Mann, looking at how these places occupy a space that is simultaneously physical as well as imaginary. In The Year Without a Summer, I investigate the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia, which resulted in an environmental anomaly on the world’s weather patterns between 1815 and 1816. This had a great influence on art coming out of this period (such as in the works of Turner and Friedrich) and influenced Mary Shelley’s writing of Frankenstein . For this project I hiked to the top of Mount Tambora in Indonesia to film the site of the eruption, filmed Turner’s sketch books housed at the Tate in London, and I spent three months on an artist residency on Lake Geneva (which was the same amount of time Mary Shelley spent on the lake in the Summer of 1816). My experiences in all of these places are woven into the narrative of the film. Image 4 Was there a challenge or surprise that changed the direction of the project? A research rabbit hole or on-the-ground moment? While I was on my residency at La Becque working on The Year Without a Summer , I fractured my hip and was on crutches for the last six weeks of my stay. This meant forfeiting shoots I had planned, and it threw a wrench into my plans for the project. I began to consider the similarities of my experience in the summer of 2019 to that of Mary Shelley’s experience in the summer of 1816. Due to terrible weather, she and her literary friends were forced indoors instead of boating and hiking around Lake Geneva, and to pass the time, they created a ghost story competition, which resulted in her writing Frankenstein . Because my mobility was limited, I decided to turn my camera inward and use the site of the residency itself. My fellow artists-in-residence became my stand-in for Mary Shelley and her circle. Had I not fractured my hip, the work would be a completely different piece. I was also lucky that La Becque is remarkably beautiful and a great place to convalesce, and it was through this convalescence that I started considering the relationship between the Alps and health, and how this concept has been propagated through literature and tourism. I began investigating sanatorium culture and how the Alps have cultivated the promise of being a place where one’s physical and mental health is restored. This became the premise for Nostalgia: A Return to the Alps in Five Vignettes , and three years later I returned to Switzerland to attend the Villa Ruffieux residency where I began shooting this piece. What do you hope visitors notice first, and what reward is there for a slower look? I attempt to make my work accessible for viewers in that they do not have to come to the show knowing all of these disparate histories to which I am referencing. The works can unfold on many different levels. The photographs and cyanotype installation have a visual quality which will invite viewers into the gallery, and the more time spent with the films will lead to a deeper understanding of the works and how the stories represented have universal themes. Who did you collaborate with in producing this work, and how did that shape the outcome? I am greatly influenced by attending artist residencies and all of these projects were created with support from residencies which have provided time, space and community, which have ultimately shaped my work. What parallels can you draw from this particular piece of work within the context of Banff National Park? What drew you to present your work at The Whyte? I am really excited to show this work at The Whyte as it feels like it is coming full circle in returning to the place where it was first conceptualized. Although the works relate directly to the Swiss/French Alps, there are nods to my roots of having grown up in Alberta and having spent a lot of my childhood in the Rocky Mountains. I do think there are a number of parallels that can be drawn between the Alps and Banff, not only with regard to mountain-scapes and mountaineering, but also in considering how tourism has shaped these places and how climate change is a visible threat to these environs. The Whyte has an incredible collection of archives, which I have only recently discovered, and this is a wonderful resource that fits nicely with my working methodology (and may lead to future work). Aside from the upcoming exhibition at The Whyte, what’s next for you and where can people follow or engage with your work? Right now, I am in a group show, “Femicide,” at the Shiva Gallery at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY, which runs from September 3 to October 24. People can always have a look at my website or follow me on Instagram @eliseseye to see more of my work and keep up with what I have going on. Elise Rasmussen: An Alpine Trilogy is on at The Whyte from November 1, 2025, to April 12, 2026, curated by Christina Cuthbertson. To learn more about this exhibition and plan your visit, visit whyte.org/exhibitions or stop by in person at 111 Bear Street, Banff, Alberta. Images: Image 1: Still from “Did you know blue had no name?”, 16mm film transferred to HD Video w Stereo Sound, 6:36 (looping), 2018 Image 2: Still from “The Year Without a Summer,” 16mm film transferred to 4K Video w Quadrophonic Sound, 20:05, 2020 Image 3: “Frankenstein,” 40x50in C-Print, 2020 Image 4: Still from “The Year Without a Summer,” 16mm film transferred to 4K Video w Quadrophonic Sound, 20:05, 2020 Back To The Cairn

Happy Summer, Everyone! We opened on Canada Day for our members to preview our new exhibitions. It was gratifying to see the response Catharine Robb Whyte continues to evoke in people, and we heard many wonderful stories of the impact she had. One visitor said she was once asked which person, living or dead, she would most like to have dinner with, and her immediate response was, “Catharine Whyte.” She was thrilled to have a detailed glimpse into the life, art, and accomplishments of our remarkable founder in the exhibition: From Mansions to Mountains: In Conversation with Catharine Robb Whyte . Special thanks to Grit and Scott McCreath for their generous support of this exhibition. As overheated dogs stand happily in the river these days, we offer a glimpse into summers past in our Archives Reading Room. Beautiful and whimsical photos drawn from collections showcase the swimming fun and weird bathing suits of summer visitors to Banff over the years. The Recognizing Relations initiative is receiving a dedicated area in the Archives lobby showcasing the names of individuals that have been identified so far since 2014 through consultations with the Stoney Nakoda community. Images that we are still hoping to identify are also included as we continue this important work. We have refreshed the Heritage Gallery with a beautiful exhibition of Indigenous belongings from this area. Local artist and Whyte installation contractor, Mike Cameron, took a photo of Sleeping Buffalo Mountain and recreated the outline of it on our walls, painted in the blue and orange colours used by the Stoney Nakoda. It’s an evocative beginning to a larger living project on the traditional Indigenous Trade Routes in this area. A stunning display of Recent Acquisitions is a vivid proof of the growing strength of our collections. We are particularly grateful to Rod Green was able to secure many outstanding works, including a beautiful H.G. Glyde painting which was in our recent online auction! Comfortable seating, new exhibitions, and displays, fabulous summer reading in the Shop (and we have air conditioning). We’re giving you all kinds of good reasons to join us, or re-join us – as Members! Looking forward to seeing you all on July 15. Warm summer wishes, Donna