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Back to the Cairn This fall, the Whyte Museum's exhibitions are a celebration of community, and a successful opening on Friday, October 20th exemplified just that. Tom Willock: Celebrating and Exception Photographer and Bow Biennial: Four Unique Perspectives, featuring four Alberta artists Amy Dryer, Wanda Ellerbeck, Barb Fyvie, and Eillen Murray, are hosted at the Whyte Museum until January 21st, 2024. (Insert quote from Donna) About the Exhibitions Tom Willock: Celebrating an Exceptional Photographer In A Celebration of Tom Willock, a selection of his work captures the grandeur of his craft and his intimate connection to the mountainscapes, highlighting his distinct style and great passion for the natural world. For his photograph entitled "Dawn Mist Falls," Tom hiked for days foraging through streams to capture this image, his keen eye capturing the quiet stillness of the light hitting a cluster of leaves at just the right moment. Each of these photographs is a thoughtful capture; when the light is perfect and the scene reveals itself beautifully for just a fleeting moment in time. “My sense of myself is inseparable from the land. My photographs have no purpose, no intention beyond truthful expression… For each of us, the expressive print will hold its own meaning and beauty,” Tom explains in his 2003 biography. Tom Willock was raised in southern Alberta and attended the University of Alberta where he received a bachelor of science, going on to complete his master’s in science from Carleton University in Ottawa. He began his career in natural history and photography at the National Museum of Natural Sciences. Tom began photographing using a large format camera, creating his traditional black-and-white images of waterfalls, rivers, mountain peaks, flora, and fauna. Tom was the director of the Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery from 1978 to 1998. Since 1999, he, along with his wife Susan, have run the Willock and Sax Art Gallery. It was first in Waterton National Park before eventually relocating the gallery to Banff National Park, where he currently lives and works with his wife Susan Sax-Willock. Tom has published several articles for science, art, and history, and is the author of A Prairie Coulee published in 1990. He has had over 30 solo and group exhibitions and has been invited to lecture on photography and the natural sciences worldwide. His work is owned locally and internationally. Gallery 1 Bow Biennial: Four Unique Perspectives As we focus on our local community this fall, we bring back the Bow Biennial. This has traditionally reoccurred every two years here at the Whyte Museum and with a short pause due to the pandemic, we are happy to bring it back for our fall exhibition! Bow Biennial: Four Unique Perspectives highlights four artists from Alberta, Amy Dryer, Wanda Ellerbeck, Barb Fyvie, and Eileen Murray who have their own unique style of creating art. All share the same sense of place in their work expressed in distinctly different ways. Amy Dryer’s style is reminiscent of German Expressionism, with her gestural style conveying everyday experiences through line, form, and colour. The distortion and perspective of the view give a feeling of familiarity. Wanda Elllerback’s work has evolved from expressive dance to painting. In her approach, she is never sure where the ideas are coming from, but they seem to be attached to memory and a sense of place. She starts with simple colour, with shapes emerging and conceptually working through the piece. Barb Fyvie explores the relationship between humans and their interaction with the wilderness through a conceptual style of painting. Her paintings are an expression of how it feels to be in the forest. Barb likes to experiment with the endless possibilities of what can be put on a canvas in an attempt to convey a feeling rather than a visual representation of what has been experienced. Eillen Murray’s works walk the fine line between fine art and decoration, both influencing her craft with trending colours and vintage textures revolving around the domestic space. Murray explains, “Within my research-based practice, I play as a form of contemporary inquiry with representations of domesticity as well as domestic items within current home renovation and decorating trends. My interests include modes of representation that are commonly associated with the baroque period including, theatricality, bravado, and material excess.” Galleries: Gallery 1: Fall 2023 exhibition opening at the Whyte Museum. Photos by Katie Goldie. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn Joining the Whyte Museum this past summer as the Marketing and Communications Specialist, Katie Goldie has brought a fresh perspective to the museum's brand and online presence. With previous experience working with the museum to build our visual asset library, as well as being a long-time supporter of our programs and exhibitions (you may have seen her at some of our previous openings!), Katie's addition to the team has been a seamless and natural fit. "We are delighted to have Katie’s with us," said Donna Livingstone, CEO of the Whyte Museum. "She brings design and photography skills along with a boundless enthusiasm for what we do!" Mountain stories are the fabric of who we are, weaved into all areas of the museum's offerings. From day one, Katie jumped right in to learning more about Canadian Rockies history and the legacy of our founders Peter and Catharine Whyte, as well as the important work done by every department here, by attending educational tours, meeting with colleagues, and attending even more events and programs. Engagement in the museum's exhibitions, events, archives, tours, Indigenous programming, book shop, and more happen every day, creating no shortage of material to share with locals and visitors. With her creative eye and strong knowledge of digital content development paired with an avid interest in Canadian Rockies culture, Katie has communicated our myriad stories with enthusiasm, singing it from the rooftops and across the platforms. Katie joins us with a well-rounded background in influencer and destination marketing, working on campaigns with companies such as Travel Alberta, Destination BC, Banff and Lake Louise Tourism, Sherpas Cinema, Pursuit, CMH, and others. She also brings significant entrepreneurial experience in starting and maintaining a successful photography business. We’re delighted to have her with us - welcome, Katie! Images: Image 1 - Personal Collection of Katie Goldie. Back to the Cairn

Back to The Cairn Friends of the Whyte is a series celebrating community, featuring Whyte Museum members, donors, staff, and friends, to get to know them a little bit better. This past summer, the Whyte Museum partnered with Banff Community Bird Walk in celebration of our multi-artist summer exhibition For the Birds with a special bird walk hosted by volunteer Peter Poole. Renowned both locally and internationally for his passion for all things nature and culture, Peter was generous to share this passion with a group of locals and visitors on a Saturday morning this past June. The Banff Community Bird Walk is a volunteer-led group of birding enthusiasts, gathering since 1999. For this walk hosted by Peter and the Whyte Museum, about a dozen guests joined, mostly people wanting to learn about birds in the local area, with one couple arriving by car from Utah to Canmore the night before. The group started off around 8:15 a.m. along the marsh loop trail in Banff and soon found themselves immersed in the birdsong of warblers, sparrows, loons, and several other bird species. "We observed about 30 species of birds and chatted about connections on the walk to the fine poet Jon Whyte, the writers of the west Wallace Stegner and Ed Abbey," said Peter. "One experienced mountaineer wanted to be able to distinguish the Hermit Thrush, so we chatted about Ed Abbey’s love of the Hermit Thrush and composer John Luther Adams chamber music piece about the same. Though we heard Swainson’s Thrush, at this time of the migration we would have a better chance of hearing the Hermit Thrush in the alpine." "Much of our walk we (first) listened for birds, and then often found them," said Pete. "We heard the Yellow Warbler singing 'sweet, sweet, I’m so sweet,' and then saw the flying dandelion cross Warbler Alley. A well-behaved bear was seen by others near Philosophers' Walk." Peter helped attendees attune their senses to the environment around them by bringing awareness to the experience of sight and sound, stopping from time to time along the walk to observe and listen. With a depth of experience and unwavering passion, Peter's profound appreciation for Banff's natural heritage ignited that same excitement amongst the attendees. Standing still on a sun-dappled path along the Bow River, with eyes and ears open to the melody of the wilderness, the group was spellbound as they soaked up the sounds of the morning symphony. "(Bird walk attendees) Naomi, Simon, and I had a marvellous view of a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet at eye level, with the sun shining brightly on his ruby crown," said Peter. "And then we spotted a family of baby Coots with orange beaks and heads. I’d never seen that. Not having a good photo to share, I’ll have to keep this image, like the birdsong, in memory. Nature, as McIvor says, gives us just enough to want to go back for more." The list of birds identified (most heard, many seen): Canada Goose Loon Mallard Common Merganser Coot Pied-Billed Grebe Sora Snipe Great Blue Heron Solitary Sandpiper Raven Grey Jay Magpie Red-WInged Blackbird Yellow-Headed Blackbird Brown-Headed Blackbird Lincoln Sparrow Clay-Coloured Sparrow Song-Sparrow White-Crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Pine Siskin Junco Chickadee sp. Ruby-Crowned Kinglet Golden-Crowned Kinglet Robin Swainson’s Thrush Yellow Warbler Common Yellow-Throat Orange-Crowned Warbler Northern Waterthrush Wilson’s Warbler (?) Townsend Warbler (? warbler sp. - Oven Bird?) Willow Flycatcher Least Flycatcher (Flycatcher - sp.? - Alder ?) Marsh Wren Downy Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Warbling Vireo The Whyte Museum extends our appreciation to Peter for his support and sharing his passion of the beautiful Bow Valley. Back to The Cairn

Back to the Cairn Discover the rise, fall, and tumultuous legacy of Silver City, a once-booming mining town nestled in Castle Mountain's shadow. By Kayla Cazes, Librarian/Reference Archivist Most people admire the towering fortress known as Castle Mountain along the eastern edge of the Trans-Canada Highway as they drive north towards Lake Louise. Originally named by Sir James Hector in 1858, this well-known landmark is a place with a tumultuous past. Before the railway was built through the Rocky Mountains the access to the region was either by foot or horse. In 1881, John Healy was shown a sample of copper ore collected from the base of Castle Mountain by a local Stoney Nakoda member. After having the ore tested, it was determined to contain high levels of copper and lead. In the same year, Canadian Pacific Railway surveyors were determining a route through the mountains. With the coming of the railway, the race was on to stake a prospect claim over an area. Healy returned to the area in 1882 and originally named it Copper Mine. It is uncertain how the name changed to Silver City, since no silver was ever mined there. Soon after, the railway would reach Siding 29—the original site of Banff. By November 1883, the railway had reached the site of Silver City and with it came a flood of prospectors. Shortly after, the town was booming with over 3000 residents. At its height there were at least five mines in operation. Hotels, pool halls, stores and homes seemed to spring to life overnight. The town would perish just as quickly. The beginning of the end seemed to come with the fraud of stakeholders of the Homestake Mine. It was rumoured that the owners Patton and Pettigrew planted gold dust on their prospected land in order to entice shareholders. They sold shares in the company for $5.00 per share and sold over 2000 shares. After collecting this money, the pair promptly left the country. With this drama, the town showed the first signs of slowing down and finally grinding to a halt by the end of 1885. In 1885, Silver City was officially surveyed and registered as Silverton. By 1888, there was no sign of life other than permanent resident, Joe Smith. A visiting English minister described the town as, "...[the] empty log houses were empty shells, the streets were grass grown and the station had little more than the water tower to supply locomotives. Two section men and their wives had a house they used, but of the prospectors and miners there were no signs." From 1886 to 1888 the towns structures were slowly torn down, moved or redistributed. Many were used to build C. P. R. section houses along the railway. Some of the materials also went into building hotels in Banff such as the Upper Hot Springs Hotel and the Grand Villa Hotel. During World War One those deemed enemy aliens were forced into internment camps. Near the old town site, a camp was constructed. These men were tasked to complete labour projects such as timbering, bridge building, quarrying, constructing fireguards and more. These men were responsible for the construction of the 1917 ice palace at the Banff Winter Carnival (see below). In 1924, Paramount Pictures produced and released the silent black and white adventure film, The Alaskan. Based on James Oliver Curwood's novel, the film was based heavily in the Banff area in particular at the old site of Silver City. The crew partially rebuilt the town in order to have an authentic set. The last resident, Joe Smith was forced to move into Calgary due to blindness in 1937. After Mr. Smith's death, Parks Canada burned the remaining buildings including Joe's home. Today, nothing but an informational plaque marks the spot of this boom and bust town. Over the years, there has been infrequent attention given to this old mining town. Through commemorations through local business like the Silver City Food and Beverage Company to interpretive brochures given out by Parks Canada. The history of Silver City was and continues to be a fascinating part of the local heritage of the Bow Valley. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn By Kayla Cazes, Librarian/Reference Archivist This October, the Whyte Museum Archives and Special Collections department offers a rare opportunity to add a bit of history to your library. Join the Whyte Museum for Back to the Community Book Sale: Copies of the Collection, a special book event held October 27, 2023, for Whyte Museum members and donors, and October 28-29, 2023, for the general public. Items will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. “I love the idea that people have the opportunity to add some hard-to-find titles to their own collection, with the added thrill of knowing that the book may have been part of someone’s personal library, with a historic connection to the Bow Valley,” said Elizabeth Kundert-Cameron, Director of Archives and Special Collections. An impressive array of publications will be available, sure to delight bibliophiles, historians, naturalists, cartophiles, and the curious. There are books of literature and poetry, of travel and mountain adventure. And from naturalist Ben Gadd, there is a bounty of books for the public to choose from pertaining to natural history. Maps range from early Rocky Mountains Park of 1922 to topographical maps of the 1980s, while vintage pamphlets showcase a Banff from many eras. Up to 1400 books, maps, magazines, and pamphlets dating from the late 1800s to mid-2000s will be available for sale, many of which would have lined the shelves of prominent historical figures like Bill Peyto, Pearl Brewster Moore, and Whyte Museum founders Catharine Robb Whyte and Peter Whyte. What someone reads can tell you a lot about them. This book sale provides the opportunity to own a little bit of Banff's famous locals' library and to step into their lives. Learn more about these well-known historical locals below. Dorothy Wardle (1913–2003) Dot, Dorie, Dorothy was a local woman who as a child attended the Mountain School (205 Grizzly St.) in Banff, run by Margaret Greenham. Her father was the Superintendent of Banff National Park from 1918-1921, Chief Engineer for Parks Canada from 1921-1935, and Deputy Minister of the Interior from 1935-1936. A passionate and proud protector of Banff National Park, she was also a long-term volunteer here at the Whyte. Lillian Gest (1898–1986) Lillian was not Canadian and lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, she visited the Canadian Rockies almost every single summer for over 60 years. She began her love affair with the Rockies in 1921. She was Director of the Lake O’Hara Trails Club, and often rode with mountain adventurer Caroline Hinman. Her last visit to Lake O’Hara was in1981. Sam Ward (1884–1973) Sam was a builder and finishing carpenter in Banff, Alberta. Sam and Louisa Ward, 1884-1970, came to Banff in 1912. Alongside Vern Castella, Sam worked on various carpentry work on the Whyte Home, which is still on our grounds today. He and his wife were close with Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte. Sam Ward was quite the singer and known for music hall recitations. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Rummel (1897–1980) Lizzie was a lodge owner and operator in Banff National Park, Alberta and Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. Rummel was born Elisabeth von Rummel to an aristocratic German family. Her forty-two year career in the mountains included: working at Mount Assiniboine Lodge until 1942; managing Skoki Lodge and, at various times, Temple Chalet and Lake Louise Ski Lodge, ca.1943-1950; owning and operating Sunburst Lake Camp, 1950-1970; and working as assistant and oral history interviewer at the Archives of the Canadian Rockies (now the Archives of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies) from 1966 to 1980. Catharine Robb Whyte (1906–1979) Born in Concord, Massachusetts, growing up amongst the wealth and creativity of the Robb and Morse families, she began her studies at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925-1929. Here she would meet the love of her life Peter Whyte, eventually marrying and moving to Banff. Catharine was an artist, photographer, traveller, outdoor enthusiast, and philanthropist, she was heavily involved in the Banff community. She was also co-founder of the Whyte Museum alongside her husband, Peter Whyte. Peter Whyte (1905–1966) Peter, also known as ‘Pete,’ was born at Banff in 1905 to settler merchant Dave White and Annie (Curren) White. He was an accomplished skier and ski jumper and one of the region's first local-born painters. He had an intimate knowledge of the mountains and was an active photographer throughout his life. Peter Whyte studied art at the Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles, 1923-1924, and at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston, 1925-1929. He was co-founder of the Whyte Museum alongside his wife, Catharine Robb Whyte. Ebenezer William (Bill) Peyto (1868–1943) Bill was a guide, outfitter, prospector, and national park warden at Banff, Alberta. He was prominent among the early trail guides of the Rockies, beginning a colourful career around 1893. He led a number of mountaineers into climbing regions until ca.1910. Bill served in both the Boer and First World Wars, worked a talc mine on the edge of Banff National Park, and was a national park warden for over twenty years, retiring in 1937. Peyto Lake, Peyto Glacier, Peyto Peak, and Trapper Peak were named in his honour. Norman Bethune Sanson (1862–1949) Norman was a naturalist, meteorologist, and museum curator in Banff, Alberta. Born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of a prominent clergyman, he developed a life-long interest in natural history as a boy. In 1896 he was appointed curator of the Park Museum and also worked as zookeeper for the Banff Zoo. From 1896 until 1931, Sanson was meteorological officer and curator of the Park Museum. In 1903 an observatory was built on Sulphur Mountain on a site chosen by Sanson. During the period 1903-1931, Sanson made one thousand ascents of Sulphur Mountain to collect weather records. In 1948, the Dominion Government acknowledged his many years of service by naming a peak on the mountain for him. Nicholas (Nick) Everard Morant (1910–1999) Nick was a professional photographer based in Banff, Alberta. He was a Canadian commercial photographer of international repute and Canada's premier railway photographer of the 20th century. Nick served as Special Photographer to the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1929 to 1935 and again from 1944 to 1981. Nick had a prolific career as a freelance commercial, portrait, magazine, landscape, and documentary photographer. He married Ivy May "Willie" Young in 1936 when he was a photographer with the Winnipeg Free Press. Willie was his travelling and working companion until 1986. Justin James McCarthy (Jimmy) Simpson (1877-1972) Jimmy was a trapper, guide and outfitter, and lodge owner in Banff and Bow Lake, Alberta. Born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, Simpson was sent to Canada by his family in 1896. He worked briefly at Laggan (Lake Louise), Alberta for the Canadian Pacific Railway, travelled extensively and returned to the Rockies. By the early 1900s, he was a successful guide and outfitter with Carl Rungius and the Alpine Club of Canada as clients. Starting in 1920, Simpson began building Num-Ti-Jah Lodge at Bow Lake as a base for hunting and climbing parties. Simpson and Williamina (Billie) Ross Reid, 1891-1968, married in 1916 and had three children. The lodge was run mainly by Billie Simpson and in 1945 the business was turned over to Jimmy Simpson Jr., 1922-2003 . Daughters Margaret Simpson, 1917-1941, and Mary Simpson (Hallock), 1919-2002, were internationally-famous figure skaters. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn By the Whyte Museum Summer 2023 Interpreters, Abi Franceschetti, Athena Ivison, Kiera Bandy, Denver Graling, and Wendy Bradley For the summer of 2023, the busiest in Banff’s history, the five of us worked as interpreters to engage with visitors and share what the Whyte Museum has to offer. Here are ten things we learned this summer at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies! 1. As Interpreters, we answer more than history questions! As guides, we have not only answered questions about the history of Banff, but also about the locations of the nearest cool shops and bus stops. We’ve found that the essential skill required in answering questions is the ability to care and inquire about the person’s specific needs. Asking about exactly what a visitor is looking for can help us give them advice that will feel genuinely helpful for them. 2. Everything has a story. Three guides—Athena, Abi, and Kiera—had the opportunity to work in the curatorial and archives departments. In curatorial, Athena and Kiera would come across objects that appeared quite ordinary. However, they learned that any object can have its own unique and interesting history! Through her time organizing news files, info files, and bio files, Abi also encountered interesting documents and papers in the archives. Every item (whether big or small) holds meaning. Furthermore, the meaning of many objects change depending on who you ask or talk to. 3. History evokes shared memories. One of the reveals in our heritage homes on site is an orange linoleum floor. This reveal often evokes a response: “Oh, I remember this!” It’s wonderful how historical places and artifacts can bring back memories and create shared experiences for people. 4. The lines will be memorized! At the beginning of our roles, we received several scripts to be memorized come tour season. This was certainly intimidating, as we all wanted to do well! However, with plenty of practice and repetition, all five of us graduated from training and began delivering tours. The hard work paid off, and we felt great satisfaction in engaging with guests from all over the world. 5. There’s always more to learn. No matter how many times we’ve run through our tours and looked over the information available, we’ll always encounter people who ask new and challenging questions. Being an interpreter requires a continual gathering of information to become experts on local history! 6. History requires multiple perspectives. History is made by people interacting with each other and the world around them. As a result, understanding the different historical, cultural, environmental, political, and social threads woven into the makeup of Banff requires learning about as many perspectives as possible. Being open and receptive to learning about different perspectives and views that people have had throughout history has been an important foundation to have while in this role. 7. Every tour is a new experience for visitors. Although the information shared with visitors may seem repetitive to a guide delivering a tour for the 100th time, our visitors have never heard what we are telling them! Seeing visitors’ first reactions can bring a fresh perspective to the tours we run every day. The looks of mesmerization and chuckles that come from engaged visitors truly are priceless moments. 8. Visitors are (mostly) confused by Banff’s garbage receptacles. One fun tidbit we find amusing is that no matter how long we’re here, there will always be visitors confused by the bear-proof garbage cans—both here in the Museum on display or around town! Very understandable, as they are a unique design and solution for circumventing a compelling challenge of wildlife and safety around garbage. 9. There isn’t enough time to do it all. For a few of us, this summer was our first time visiting Banff and we wanted to do it all! The reality is we will never be able to do everything, but we can enjoy and appreciate the adventures we do get to experience. 10. Museums are enjoyable for all ages! We heard responses from both kids and adults that they enjoyed the museum and learned something new while visiting. All kinds of people enjoy learning about local and personal history, and that is something that interpreters can foster with visitors of all ages. We wanted to thank the Whyte Museum for giving us the opportunity to contribute to such an amazing organization. We’re grateful for the chance to work with the museum guests, to support public education in Banff, and to bring every visitor the best experience possible. We’ve learned far more than just a few fun facts, and hope that the people we spoke to learned something too! Interested in learning more about captivating Canadian Rockies history? Book your spot on a summer tour today, or inquire about booking a private tour. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn By Kate Riordon, Collections Processor & Digital Technician For the past year and a half, I’ve had the pleasure of working on a truly massive collection of prints, negatives, slides, and motion pictures bequeathed to the Whyte Museum Archives by Bruno Engler at the time of his death in 2001. Spanning nearly 60 years of his life and amounting to almost 5,000 database entries, the Bruno Engler collection is a treasure trove of wildlife, mountaineering, skiing, rescue, climbing, and Hollywood content – just to name a few. This part of his collection that I got to work on – what we dubbed the “Retained File” – pertained to the work Bruno held on to after two initial donations/purchases acquired by the Archives in the 1980s and 90s. Beautifully alphabetized (for my convenience) in old photo paper boxes with hand-written labels, it was just a matter of taking out the contents of each box, numbering them, digitizing select images, rehousing them in acid-free folders, storing them in the vault, and making detailed database entries. Easy. All said and done, Bruno’s Retained File amounted to 281 database entries containing 9,203 print photographs, 11,096 negatives, 156 transparencies, and 14,981 feet of motion picture films. I counted. Some of my favourite topics to work on were the Parks Canada Wardens and, of course, the movie prints. Bruno was a highly skilled skier, ski instructor, and guide and often accompanied Parks Canada Wardens and Wardens-in-training on climbing courses, helicopter rescue missions, and avalanche control operations (aka: dropping charged explosives out of helicopters or firing very large guns at the mountain). It was a treat coming across photos of people I’d read about in Sid Marty’s books and, since a lot of Wardens in the 60s and 70s were also members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG.), Chic Scott was an invaluable resource when it came to identification. Gallery 1 The pièce de résistance though were the shots from all the movies Bruno worked on. As an experienced mountain man, his role on some productions amounted to making sure the cast and crew got to remote shooting locations without incident. But he also often served as the on-set photographer – snapping shots of cast and crew from behind the scenes. Gallery 2 I learned a lot about 1970s direct-to-home-video movies and spent several weeks lamenting how hard these titles are to find on modern streaming services. The shots of downtown Banff during the 70s and 80s that featured in a few of these movies were some of my absolute favourites! A period of time we don’t have as much on in the Archives, it’s always a treat to explore the shops, ogle the cars, and wonder at the tightness of people’s pants. Big projects like this one feel daunting when you’re in the middle of them, but now that I’ve finished I find myself missing Bruno. At least we know exactly where to find him. Interested in learning more about Canadian Rockies history? Book a research appointment at the Whyte Museum Archives and Special Collections Library. Images: Image 1: [Bruno Engler], 1980, (V190 / VI / P / vii / PA – 19 detail) Image 2: [Helicopter rescue mission], [ca. 1985], (V190 / VI / L / v / PA – 46) Image 3: [Sketching a curious deer through the window], [ca. 1960], (V190 / VI / A / iii / PA – 02) Image 4: [Unidentified skiers at Sunshine], [ca. 1945-1955], (V190 / VI / H / iv / b / NS – 01 / 04) Image 5: Stacked empty photo paper boxes used by Bruno Engler, 2023, photo by the author Image 6: [Rimrock Hotel], [ca. 1960], (V190 / VI / B / vii / PA – 39) Image 7: [Helicopter fighting a wildfire], 1971, (V190 / VI / F / ii / PA – 02) Image 8: [Still from B-roll footage for the movie Ski Lift to Death], 1977, (V190 / VI / A / ii / PA – 33) Image 9: [Rooster statue in Canmore], [ca. 1990], (V190 / VI / L / v / PA – 505) Image 10: [Sight-seeing gondola cars on the North America chair at Norquay], [ca. 1960], (V190 / VI / N / i / NA – 33 / 02) Image 11: [Sausage dog and child at the Maycroft Ski Meet], 1954, (V190 / VI / M / xi / PA – 05) Gallery 1: Image 1: [Association of Canadian Mountain Guides group portrait], 1980-1992, (V190 / VI / A / v / PA – 27) Image 2: [Avalanche gun at Norquay Ski Hill], 1956-1979, (V190 / VI / A / vi / c / PA – 03) Image 3: [Helicopter sling rescue coming in to old Mineral Springs Hospital, 1972, (V190 / VI / B / viii / PA – 19) Image 4: Edward Feuz, 1962, Lake O’Hara, 1962, (V190 / VI / O / v / PA – 05) Image 5: [Monty Rose, Park Warden, during a climbing exercise], [ca. 1970], (V190 / VI / P / ix / PA – 44) Image 6: Platform improvised by Banff Rescue Team, on foot of cliff where victim will be picked up after team lowered victim from mountain cliffs [Climber fractured a leg while climbing Mt. Blaine], [ca. 1960], (V190 / VI / W / i / PA – 43) Image 8: [Still from B-roll footage for the movie Ski Lift to Death], 1977, (V190 / VI / A / ii / PA – 33) Image 9: [Rooster statue in Canmore], [ca. 1990], (V190 / VI / L / v / PA – 505) Image 10: [Sight-seeing gondola cars on the North America chair at Norquay], [ca. 1960], (V190 / VI / N / i / NA – 33 / 02) Image 11: [Sausage dog and child at the Maycroft Ski Meet], 1954, (V190 / VI / M / xi / PA – 05) Gallery 2: Image 1: [Hans Gmoser and Dustin Hoffman on a shoot in the Bugaboos], [ca. 1961], (V190 / VI / M / x / a / PA – 04) Image 2: Raider Chuck Moody in the film “Across the Great Divide.” Taken around Canmore-Spray Lake & Morely. Sept 1976. Photo Bruno Engler, 1976, (V190 / VI / M / x / a / PA – 119) Image 3: [Behind-the scenes shot of Richard Gere in the movie “Days of Heaven”], 1976, (V190 / VI / M / x / c / PA – 01) Image 4: Double for [Charles] Bronson Tim Auger. “Death Hunt” 1980, (V190 / VI / M / x / d / PA – 02) Image 5: 3 point landing, Spray Lake. “Death Hut” 1980, “This was not in the script,” 1980, (V190 / VI / M / x / d / PA – 14) Image 6: [Mike Farrell, Margo Kidder, Elliott Gould, and Fred Gwynne on the Bow River during the filming of Vanishing Act (aka: Hoax)], 1986, (V190 / VI / M / x / k / PA – 23) Image 7: [Elliott Gould throwing a snowball during the filming of Vanishing Act in Banff], 1986, (V190 / VI / M / x / k / PA – 62) Image 8: [Film crew for Vanishing Act on Banff Avenue], 1986, (V190 / VI / M / x / k / PA – 90) Image 9: [Cast members on horseback during the filming of Across the Great Divide (aka: Mountain Maverick)], 1976, (V190 / VI / M / x / o / PA – 104] Image 10: [John Cusack posed on train tracks during the filming of The Journey of Natty Gann], 1984, (V190 / VI / M / x / p / NA – 17 / 01) Image 11: [Cast & crew members of Ski Lift to Death on Banff Avenue], 1977, (V190 / VI / M / x / s / NA – 23 / 01) Image 12: [Airborne filming of Ski Lift to Death], 1977, (V190 / VI / B / ii / PA – 02) Image 13: [Christopher Reeve as Superman holding a child newly rescued from a tree while filming Superman in Calgary], 1977, (V190 / VI / M / x / t / NA – 21 / 01) Image 14: [A fake US Navy missile truck crosses the old train bridge during the filming of Superman III in Canmore], 1982, (V190 / VI / M / x / t / NA – 43 / 01) Image 15: [Christopher Reeve as Superman taking a picture of the crew of Superman III, 1982, (V190 / VI / M / x / t / PA – 17) Image 16: [Kitten helping film Wild Horse Hank], 1978, (V190 / VI / M / x / x / PA – 383) Image 17: [Linda Blair relaxing on horseback during the filming of Wild Horse Hank], 1978, (V190 / VI / M / x / x / PA – 392) Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn While today's photographs are available with just the tap of a phone, Norman Luxton went to great lengths to document his ocean travels over a century ago, despite sensitive gear and precarious conditions. Brittany Staddon illustrates these remarkable feats through his recently digitized photographs. By Brittany Staddon, Digital Imaging Technician Intern When looking at photographs in an archive, I often take a moment to appreciate the photographer’s skills, foresight, and the inconveniences overcome to create them. Beyond the images’ content, the objects themselves lend us insight into their history. This summer, I had the pleasure of completing my summer internship at the Whyte Museum archives as a student from Toronto Metropolitan University’s Photography Preservation and Collections Management graduate program. With an interest in the preservation of early 20th-century photographic mediums, digitizing Norman Luxton’s 1901 Tilikum voyage from Vancouver Island to Fiji gave me a new appreciation of the practice of photography at the turn of the century. Inspired By a Single-Mast Sailboat The origin of Norman Luxton and Captain John Voss’s ambitious voyage was, in part, a response to Captain Slocum’s solo round-the-world trip in a sloop, a single-mast sailboat, called the Spray. Slocum returned home to America with much fanfare and publicity, giving lectures, showing lantern slide shows, and having several books published. Norman Luxton and Captain John Voss’ challenge was to circumnavigate the globe on a smaller vessel than the Spray. The fame Slocum received on the completion of circumnavigating the world and the inclusion of photographs to share his journey may have inspired Luxton to document their trip through photographs. While Luxton couldn’t complete the circumnavigation of the globe on account of an injury he sustained when thrown from the boat into coral, he spent five months aboard the Tilikum, photographing the journey. Sailing With Turn of the Century Camera Gear The first challenge Norman would have faced was the undertaking of transporting the camera and negatives in a dugout retrofitted Nuu-chah-nulth canoe measuring 38’ in length and 5’6” in width at its broadest point, where space was a luxury (Figure 1). Captain Voss states in his memoir that one camera was onboard.[1] While emulsions were sensitive enough at this time to allow for handheld snapshots, photographs in the series with longer exposures, flash images, and self-portraits indicate a tripod may have also been onboard. The Luxton family fonds contains 174 gelatin dry plate negatives taken by Norman on the Tilikum voyage – for reference that is approximately two shoeboxes of breakable glass plates, and it is likely more were taken and did not survive the journey. These glass plates were previously light-sensitized and must remain in complete darkness before and after exposure before development. Simply transporting 174 negatives and photographic apparatus across the Pacific Ocean, onto various islands, and back again on the return trip to Canada is a feat in itself! The difficult storage conditions may account for broken glass supports (Figure 2), gouge marks through the emulsion (Figure 3) and dirt embedded in their emulsion prior to development, as indicated by the dark shadow-like streaks (Figures 4, 5). Surviving the Elements The bulk and the fragility of the glass negatives were just some of the complicating factors Luxton would have faced. The light-sensitive emulsion on the glass plates is made of gelatin, a material highly susceptible to swelling and contracting in response to changing temperature and humidity, two conditions which inconveniently promote mould growth. These less-than-ideal conditions perfectly align with a cramped boat crossing the equator. Voss wrote of the mid-journey condition: "It finally got so hot that it was next to an impossibility to sleep in the cabin. As soon as we lay down, the sweat would just run out of us.”[1] In addition, most supplies were likely exposed to hot, damp conditions, further degraded by the exposure to salt water.[2] For a medium that is recommended to be stored at a temperature no higher than 20°C, and never exceeding 50% relative humidity, while definitely avoiding fluctuations in both conditions, it almost seems a wonder Luxton managed 174 legible images at all! The small selection of images had pockmark-like indentations, likely due to the gelatin swelling and temporarily adhering to nearby negatives, giving a jigsaw-like appearance (Figures 6, 7); others showed signs of mould growth (Figure 8). The final factor was the poor development of the negatives. While I could find no record indicating where Luxton’s negatives were developed, in Voss's accounts, he shares of displaying photographs they took on the South Sea islands when he stopped in Australia, so it is possible the negatives were developed before Luxton’s return to Canada.[1] In the developer’s haste, some negatives show signs of reticulation, a honeycomb-like separation suggesting a sudden temperature change when developing (Figures 9, 10). Others had fingerprint marks (perhaps from when the photograph was taken or developed) (Figure 11) and a solvent that ran along the negative, creating a cascading effect (Figure 12). Norman Luxton’s Tilikum glass negatives travelled across the world and back again 120 years ago. While the images they show are extraordinary, I am fascinated by the deterioration that speaks to their remarkable journey. The glass slides featured in this article, as well as other materials related to the Tilikum voyage and the Luxton family, can be accessed through the Whyte Museum’s online database or by appointment by contacting archives@whyte.org. More information about Norman and other members of the Luxton family can be found on the Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation’s website. Images Figure 1: Norman Luxton and John Voss inside the Tilikum, 1901. Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds. LUX/I/B1/12/b/NG-27 Figure 2: Unidentified men pearl diving, 1901. The modern diving suit was used by Captains George Dexter and Joe Winchester on the schooner Tamari Tahiti (Children of Tahiti), Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds, LUX/I/B1/12/a/NG-9 Figure 3: Unidentified [Captain John Voss?], 1901, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds, LUX/I/B1/as/a/NG-51 Figure 4: Six unidentified men on unidentified schooner, 1901, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds, LUX/I/B1/12/a/NG-52 Figure 5: Dirt embedded in glass negative. Image produced by Brittany Staddon. Figure 6: The trading post of Mr. McKenzie at Dodger Cove in Barkley Sound, 1901, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds, LUX/I/B1/12/a/NG-43 Figure 7: Close-up view of indents in emulsion. Image produced by Brittany Staddon. Figure 8: Unidentified location photographed during Tilikum voyage, 1901. Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds, LUX/I/B1/12/a/NG-25 Figure 9: Schooner Excelisor, one of two boats the Tilikum met in the North Pacific, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds, LUX/I/B1/12/a/NG-63 Figure 10: Close-up view of textured emulsion on glass negative. Image produced by Brittany Staddon. Figure 11: Unidentified women fishing near the village of Alberni. The Tilikum is featured on the left, 1901, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds, LUX/I/B1/12/a/NG-27 Figure 12: Aboard the Tilikum, off of Cape Flattery, 1901, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Luxton family fonds, LUX/I/B1/12/a/NG-10 Endnotes [1] John Claus Voss, The Venturesome Voyages of Captain Voss (London: Martin Hopkinson & Co., 1934), 49, https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/voss-venturesomevoyages/voss-venturesomevoyages-00-h-dir/voss-venturesomevoyages-00-h.html. [2] Voss, 70. [3] John M. MacFarlane and Lynn J. Salmon, Around the World in a Dugout Canoe: The Untold Story of Captain John Voss and the Tilikum (Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing, 2019), 62, 82. [4] Voss, The Venturesome Voyages of Captain Voss, 117. 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

Back to the Cairn From backcountry hammocks to riverside park benches, Banff National Park abounds with beautiful spots to relax with your next summer book. And while summer in Banff can be chockfull of bucket list hikes and weekend adventures, it's essential to carve out time to rest and reflect with a good read. The Whyte Museum Book Shop has stocked the shelves with books perfect for your summer reading list. With a variety of genres available, there's something to pique everyone's interest! From ecology to historical fiction to Indigenous literature - we've hand hand-picked a few of our top favourites. Look no further than this local Banff book shop for the latest summer reading! 1. What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman Birders will love the research brought to life in Ackerman's recent publication on this complex species. For millennia, owls have captivated and intrigued us. Though our fascination goes back centuries, scientists have only recently begun to understand in deep detail the complex nature of these extraordinary birds. Jennifer Ackerman illuminates the rich biology and natural history of these birds and reveals remarkable new scientific discoveries about their brains and behaviour, illustrated with her own personal field observations. Be sure to check out our summer exhibition For the Birds when you stop by! 2. Daughters of the Deer by Danielle Daniel In this haunting and groundbreaking historical novel, Danielle Daniel imagines the lives of women in the Algonquin territories of the 1600s, a story inspired by her family’s ancestral link to a young girl who was murdered by French settlers. The Whyte Museums' project archivist Nicole Ensign reviewed this novel - read her account of this historical fiction inspired by the lives of the writer's French and Indigenous ancestors. 3. Outsider: An Old Man, A Mountain and the Search for a Hidden Past by Brett Popplewell This read is sure to inspire anyone drawn to the outdoors - from dirtbag trail runners to off-the-grid daydreamers. Journalist Brett Popplewell tells the story of Dag Aabye, an aging former stuntman and super-athlete who lived alone inside a school bus on a mountain, running day and night through blizzards and heat waves. What Popplewell witnessed on a secluded mountain perch led him on a six-year odyssey to uncover the true story of the 81-year-old man. Outsider takes readers on a remarkable journey from Nazi-occupied Norway to Argentina and British Columbia. From a child born during World War II to the big screen in Hollywood and eventually into the depths of the wilderness. 4. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born in the mountains of southern Appalachia to a teenage single mother in a single-wide trailer. Told from his personal perspective, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labour, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Originally written from Charles Dickens' personal experience with institutional poverty and its damage to children in his society, Kingsolver evokes Dickens’ anger, compassion, and faith in the transformative powers of a good story in this Pulitzer Prize winner. 5. Oldman's River - New and Collected Poems by Sid Marty Well-known for his writing on environmental advocacy, local natural history, and Western Canadian culture, Sid Marty's most recent publication, a book of poems entitled Oldman's River, marks the 50th anniversary of his first collection of poems, Headwaters. Beloved for his intimate, lyrical poetry, Marty's depiction of selfhood, connection to place and to landscape have proven him a unique and dissenting voice in Canadian literature as well as a consistent presence in the Canadian environmental movement. These are poems, often strongly resonant of western speech, that celebrate all the vicissitudes of rural life, the loves and losses, the valleys and peaks of life on the prairies, foothills and in the mountains of Alberta and British Columbia. 6. Trust by Hernan Diaz In this early 1900s New York story of class and capitalism, Benjamin and Helen Rask are at the peak of wealth before the boom of the 20s comes to an end. He is a legendary Wall Street tycoon; she is the daughter of eccentric aristocrats. But at what cost have they acquired their immense fortune? This is the mystery at the center of Bonds, a successful 1937 novel that all of New York seems to have read. Diaz puts these competing narratives into conversation with one another, into a novel that spans over a century and becomes more exhilarating with each new revelation. 7. Women Talking by Miriam Toews The sun rises on a quiet June morning in 2009. August Epp sits alone in the hayloft of a barn, anxiously bent over his notebook. He writes quickly, aware that his solitude will soon be broken. Eight women—ordinary grandmothers, mothers and teenagers; yet to August, each one extraordinary—will climb the ladder into the loft, and the day's true task will begin. August, like the women, is a traditional Mennonite, and he has been asked to record a secret conversation. Gradually, as we hear the women's vivid voices console, tease, admonish, regale and debate each other, we piece together the reason for the gathering: they have forty-eight hours to make a life-altering choice on behalf of all the women and children in the colony. Acerbic, funny, tender, sorrowful and wise, Women Talking is composed of equal parts humane love and deep anger. 8. Fire Weather by John Vaillant Fire has been a partner in our evolution for hundreds of millennia, shaping culture, civilization, and, very likely, our brains. Fire has enabled us to cook our food, defend and heat our homes, and power the machines that drive our titanic economy. Yet this volatile energy source has always threatened to elude our control, and in our new age of intensifying climate change, we are seeing its destructive power unleashed in previously unimaginable ways. In May 2016, Fort McMurray, the hub of Canada's oil industry and America's biggest foreign supplier, was overrun by wildfire. The multi-billion-dollar disaster melted vehicles, turned entire neighbourhoods into firebombs, and drove 88,000 people from their homes in a single afternoon. Vaillant warns that this was not a unique event, but a shocking preview of what we must prepare for in a hotter, more flammable world. The Whyte Museum Book Shop is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. - and we offer more than just books! Stock up on art supplies, stationery, journals, and artisan gifts to make the perfect Banff souvenir or gift. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn By Kate Riordon, Collections Processor The Whyte Museum contains endless stories – thousands of letters, shelves of sketchbooks, and artifacts that comprise people’s entire lives. Hidden amongst this treasure trove of paper and graphite and paint are more than a fair few gems. While cataloguing and digitizing Peter Whyte’s sketchbooks, Collections Processor Kate Riordon came across one such find. During World War II, Pete (as he was called by his wife Catharine Robb Whyte) was enlisted as a war artist with the Air Force. One unexpected side effect of Pete’s time with the military branch that focused on planes was that he became quite interested in Jeeps. However, as a still-new feature on the scene, Jeeps were not commercially available to Canadians and, outside of commandeering one from a military base. While this was not advisable, there wasn’t really an easy way for them to get one. Pete and Catharine, who loved travelling and camping as much as the modern-day van lifer, jumped on the opportunity to buy one thanks to Catharine’s continued dual-citizenship in the United States, and retrofit it for their needs. Camping aside, in the 1940s and 50s a Jeep was a powerful vehicle to own. First brought on the scene in 1940 by Willys-Overland on commission from the United States Army as a light reconnaissance vehicle, these 4x4s quickly became an icon They were sturdy, easy to drive, easy to fix, and could tackle almost any terrain in all kinds of weather. Following the war, Jeep pivoted into marketing towards farmers as a work vehicle in the United States, but in Canada they remained a more elusive ride. But Pete and Catharine had one and boy did they put it to good use. In the summer of 1956, Pete and Catharine embarked on a road trip still considered epic by today’s standards. Utilizing newly completed, and sometimes still partially-completed, highways, they drove from their home in Banff, through Whitehorse and Dawson City, to Homer, Alaska. They drove the whole thing, there and back again. Catharine was also a known letter writer. She wrote to her mother Edith Morse Robb in Concord, Massachusetts, several times a week for more than 30 years. And that habit did not change while they were on this trip. Written by hand with a pen that needed to be refilled with ink, usually balancing the papers on her lap, Catharine detailed every leg of their trip to her mother, including this particular anecdote, dated July 22, 1956 from Dawson City: I forgot the most exciting part of Friday’s trip. As we drove along one very twisty bit of highway where we made dozens of figure S’s around & between muskegs, we met a car coming too fast who passed us & a little further on a man was standing beside the road, a car right off & into the ditch. The front wheels dug into the mud. We stopped thinking maybe they had been forced off the road, but they had just been driving a bit too fast themselves & the shoulder was a bit too soft & they had landed in the ditch, must have had quite a bump over a lot of big boulders or round stones, but the 3 men weren’t hurt. They hoped we could pull them out but it looked pretty doubtful. It was a job for a wreching [sic] truck, but there are none on the highway. The Army now charges $25 an hour to do it as too many people they helped previously for nothing sued them later for damaging the cars. So unless a big truck happens along you spend many hours in the ditch. Pete was willing to try & we hooked our chain to their smaller chain only to break theirs on the first pull & not even budge the car. By then a man from Colorado towing a great 27 foot new trailer with a small truck came along & he stopped. He was delivering the trailer to someone in Anchorage Alaska, charging 31 [cents] a mile to do it. He said his truck wasn’t powerful enough but he had a heavy chain like ours, so they attached that. The driver & owner of the car in the ditch was a nice chap & knew how to do things. So he jacked up one wheel at the back out of the mud. Had to put the jack on rocks. Then he drove his car while Pete started to pull gradually. The car was at least 8 or 10 feet below the road level & nosed into the mud & the chains 20 feet long. The man started his car backing & had snow tires I think & Pete pulled in low compound & out it started to come with much bouncing [?] & grinding over the big rocks. It would not move until Pete pulled & it was so rough & noisy coming over the boulders Pete paused thinking he was pulling the bottom out of the car. So then they made a shorter hitch & 2nd pull it was on the road. They offered to pay but of course we wouldn’t take anything. It was all quite an experience. [M36/I/A/2b/139/09] Pages 5-7 Back in 2021 I helped digitize these letters in the archives, so when I found this sketch from Pete two years later, I knew it rung a bell. A quick sketch for sure, bearing all the trademark style and quirk I’ve come to love from Pete. I also find it extremely interesting that of all the sketches in this book, this one of the cars is the only one he went back in with colour to. You can only guess at which figure is who, but its my personal opinion that the one on the far right in the brown pants and black jacket is Catharine, supervising the men scrambling around down in the muskeg. Catharine’s letters are housed in the Archives & Special Collections, while Pete’s sketchbooks are kept in Art & Heritage. Not a large distance for sure, but far enough apart to make finding these two sides of the same story feel like a treat. I’m fortunate that in my position I’m able to explore and mine both of these departments for little treasures like this one, and to share them with you. Want to discover your own treasure trove of Canadian Rockies stories? Book a research appointment with the Whyte Museum Archives & Special Collections or explore the collections online from the comfort of home. You can also volunteer to help researchers through our online transcription project - delve into the stories of notable historical figures like Catharine Robb Whyte and Lillian Gest by transcribing their handwritten letters. By increasing readability and keyword searching, you can help open new doors to both researchers and the general public to access and use our collections. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn By Kate Riordon, Collections Processor Brand new pieces of art have graced the grounds of the Whyte Museum and Cave & Basin National Historic Site for the summer of 2023. From mid-June to early July, nine Indigenous artists were hard at work painting the four new mural boxes and seven picnic tables on display in beautiful outdoor spaces of significance to Indigenous peoples. Bird Box Murals Artists Tiffany Wollman (Métis) of Calgary and Hali Heavy Shield (Blackfoot-Kainai southern Alberta) began their collaboration on what became known as the Bird Box in the Whyte Museum board room. Keeping warm and dry inside amongst the early June rainstorms, the two artists, along with mentor AJA Louden of Edmonton, worked on wooden cut-outs of birds to be attached to the 8x8' cube located between the Sinclair Cabin and the Whyte Home on the museum grounds. In addition to the cut-outs, both artists worked on two sides—painting details on the backgrounds as well as a Canada Goose in beautifully reflective water (Woolman) and a reference to the Seven Brothers/Big Dipper (Heavy Shield). The birds chosen to be included all hold significance to the artists, whether that be to their nations, their homes, or the environment. The sharp-tailed grouse for example is at risk of extinction due to rapid loss of habitat throughout the prairie lands they call home. Both artists commented that they enjoyed listening to the various birds that flit around the museum grounds and along the Bow River as they worked. The Bird Box was also designed with the exhibit For the Birds in mind – once you’ve identified all the birds Wollman and Heavy Shield painted, head inside for round two! Picnic Table Paintings Back again after their inaugural painting session in 2021, Bruno Canadien (Dene) and Cheyenne Bearspaw (Iyethka - Stoney) revisited their picnic tables. Swapping his original pastel pallet for brighter hues this time around, Canadien, originally from Fort Providence and now based out of Diamond Valley, took inspiration from the floral motifs often found in Dene bead and quill work. Gently rounded and fitting together perfectly, it’s easy to picture his painted flowers as 3D moose hair tufted or embroidered ones the women of his family often include in their work. Bearspaw, of Calgary, also went for a bolder colour pallet this time around. Touching up one of their original designs, Bearspaw also incorporated geometric designs inspired by Iyethka moccasin designs they researched in the museum collection, as well as a celebration of the LGBTQ2S+ community by way of a table completely covered in the Pride flag. A riot of colour easily spotted from sidewalks and pathways around the Museum, these tables were popular spots amongst families looking for outdoor lunch spots, places to read and to chat, or even just a moment of rest even before the paint was dry! Cave and Basin Mural Project Over at the Cave & Basin National Historic Site, intermittent rain made things interesting for artists Brandon Atkinson (Métis), Lillian Rose (Ktunaxa), Tania Willard (Secwépemc), their assistants and mentor AJA Louden, as they each worked on their own Mural Boxes alongside the old swimming pool. Working with paint and brushes, paint pens, and spray paint, it was an ongoing battle to make sure the works – and the artists – stayed dry. Broadly speaking, each Mural Box features two panels of original art, a panel of text, and a panel featuring the piece’s name. Brandon Atkinson (Métis) Atkinson, originally from Edmonton and now based in Buffalo Lake, took inspiration both from his home and the area known as Banff National Park for his panels. Working for the first time on this scale, his intricately hand-painted panels feature the Park’s two most famous bears – nicknamed The Boss and Split Lip – as well as wolves, eagles, trapper cabins, lakeshores, mountains, forests, and so much more. A visual puzzle in black and white, it’svery easy to lose time working out all the details. Of his work, Brandon writes: We all share the land. During the workshop to research this project, I listened to stories that the Whyte Museum and the Cave and Basin staff shared about what represents this area. I heard about the plants, the invasive species, the animals and the healing properties that are here that connect everyone who visits, to spirituality. This is a sacred place. I wanted to include my specific interest in Metis history and the coming together of Indigenous and settler communities to survive this climate and place. I heard about mountains and ranges being named after Metis men – Piche, Norquay and Howse – names that are of great importance to the Metis Nation. Images of these places are reflected in this mural, my way of paying respect to those who were here. I spoke to other Metis Elders who talked about the importance of the Metis being the first entrepreneurs on this land, inventors of the York boat and the Red River cart. Without these inventions travel would have been almost impossible. I also heard about the local celebrity bears, Split Lip and the Boss, and I wanted to recognize the contributions Parks Canada staff have made to protect the parks, the animals and plants. I am grateful for the staffs’ respect for all the animals, especially the grizzlies who call this place home. Grizzlies represent strong medicine for many Indigenous cultures and are important to me. I grew up in Edmonton and I did not get a lot of chances to be native and learn about my native side of the family. Slowly I was able to learn about Metis and Cree culture by helping with sweats and ceremonies, as well as listening to my relatives. The native faces I have drawn in this mural reflect another way of showing who I am. I am honored to have been selected for this project, to create artworks that reflect Metis connection to Banff and the Mountains. I strive to ensure that Metis artists continue to be supported and inspired by my artwork. It is my hope that young artists see this mural and feel encouraged to make and tell their stories. Lillian Rose (Ktuanxa) Rose, from the Akisqnuk First Nation (Ktunaxa/Kootenay) near Invermere, traditionally works with fibre. However, along with her assistant Elisha Jimmy, she has created stunning depictions of bison, berries, and salmon eggs in vibrant paints. Exploring themes of loss and renewal, the pair have dedicated a panel to a bison, alone in a yellow field, gazing out at the viewer. Using the size of the panels to their advantage, Rose has created a piece that forces the viewer to contemplate not only the physical scale of what’s being depicted, but also the scale of loss suffered by bison, salmon, and bears due to habitat destruction. Intrinsically linked to that are also the losses suffered by Indigenous Peoples under a colonial system that still works against them more often than not. Rose explains her work further: We lost access and connection to Banff and the hot springs due to the Parks and pass systems. We lost the connection to the buffalo due to the fur trade. We lost the connection to the salmon due to river dams. Prior to the decimation of the buffalo, the translocation of Indigenous tribes was as a result of the westward expansion of colonization and the beginning of the provincial and international boundary lines and in turn, the establishment of Treaty Areas. The Ktunaxa are trans mountain buffalo and salmon people that have successfully lived and thrived in this region. Banff and the Bow Valley is known as Qatmuk. Banff Indian Days is important to the Ktunaxa as it offered a space to gather, connect and trade with Stoney and Blackfoot relatives and friends. This mural reflects the loss felt by Ktunaxa Indians. Images of buffalo, salmon, flowers and petroglyphs (located in Canal Flats, BC) are depicted in this mural to tell traditional stories to the mountains and connections to this place. The bison, the salmon, access to traditional lands and the hot springs have been lost. The large image of the Prairie Rose and salmon eggs tell the story of the signs of Swagmus (Salmon) return. The worms in rosehips are a sign for the Ktunaxa to leave the mountains and head home, as the salmon were on their way to the headwaters of the Columbia river. It is important to recognize this loss of connection to the land, and find ways to tell our stories and encourage the establishment of future cultural spaces to access traditional lands. The Ktunaxa are now leading efforts to educate and restore the buffalo and salmon to the mountain areas. Tania Willard (Secwépemc) Willard, from the Neskonlith Reserve (Secwépemc – Shuswap), with help from her assistant Anita Rose (Snutetkwe Manuel), took inspiration for her Mural Box from a beautifully woven cedar root basket on display in the Moore Home. Working from detailed photographs of the box’s panels, Willard recreated each stitch, so to speak, by hand in order to create a template – thereby copying the exact pattern and texture of the original box onto the 8x8' panels using spray paint. Photos by mural artist Tania Willard (Secwépemc). Often overlooked as artistic items and instead more often viewed as household items, it was Willard’s desire to draw attention to woven baskets by utilizing the large scale of the Mural Box. By doing so, she also creates a celebration of labour and the ecological aesthetics of natural materials like the cedar root – the harvesting of which is a time-consuming and delicate form of living forestry that has been practiced by Indigenous Peoples since time immemorial. Willard writes of her work: This work is based on a cedar root basket in the collection of the Whyte Museum labelled ‘storage basket’ (1870-1900). I am often thinking about ancestor artworks in basketry and I have been learning cedar root basketry with Secwepemc Elder artist Delores Purdaby, I wanted to elevate, amplify and really value this art work. I traced each stitch of this basket and made that into a stencil and spray painted the 4 sides of the mural at Cave and Basin historic site. Despite dislocation of many Indigenous groups from Canada’s first park which meant dispossession of the land, Secwepemc people have a connection today and historically to this area and I think about travel, migration and exchange and how we might carry our goods to share and trade across territories in baskets like this one. This basket is not labeled Secwepemc in the museum but this type of basketry is common throughout the Interior and I am interested in awakening these art forms. Stitch by stitch these baskets are art, philosophy, history, ecology, relationality and more. When I read ̓storage basket on the museum label I think about the knowledge, relations, gratitude and beauty these baskets hold. I am downloading the data from this storage basket to share with this land and to awaken these ancestor artists, Kukwstsemc to Snutetkwe for all her assistance, and to the ancestor artists, once known, who made this basket. I loved having a chance to connect Secwepemc art and relations here and I do so in deep respect for all Indigenous Nations who use this area and to claim and assert a future of our ongoing connections to this place. Like the works of Wollman and Heavy Shield seen over at the Whyte Museum grounds, Atkinson, Rose, and Willard were working alongside a public path often frequented by pedestrians, cyclists, and the occasional horse-drawn wagon. Chatting with the public passing by, Parks Canada employees manning the site, and listening to the wildlife in the nearby marshland filled the days, rain or shine. Check out these vibrant, informative, and beautiful pieces of public art at the Whyte Museum and the Cave & Basin National Historic Site until October! Back to the Cairn

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