LEGENDS OF OUR TIMES: NATIVE RANCHING AND RODEO LIFE ON THE PLAINS AND PLATEAU DISPLAYED AT THE 1997 CALGARY STAMPEDE
Hull, Quebec, July 3, 1997 — Visitors to the 1997 Calgary Stampede will get a sneak preview of some of the components of the new exhibition, Legends of Our Times: Native Ranching and Rodeo Life on the Plains and Plateau opening at the Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) in Hull/Ottawa in May 1998.
The exhibition explores the long-standing relationship Plains and Plateau peoples have had with the buffalo, dog and horse. It traces the history of Aboriginal peoples as buffalo hunters, horsemen, ranchers and cowboys, as entertainers in motion picture industries, Wild West Shows and as participants in the sport of rodeo.
The exhibition highlights Native peoples' relationship with the natural and supernatural beings who occupy the sky, earth and underworld, among them the buffalo, dog and horse. They played significant roles in the daily life of the Plains and Plateau peoples, and accounts of their relationships are passed on from generation to generation through song, dance, ceremony and narrative. These are the "legends of our times." They are real in the ways they link people to their past and provide meaning for the present.
Today, Plains and Plateau peoples proudly continue a long tradition of "cowboying." As ranchers, stock contractors and rodeo participants, they maintain the special relationship their ancestors had with horses. As business people, artisans, poets and artists, they contribute to the richness of North American economic and cultural life. As entertainers and athletes, they provide enjoyment for millions.
The preview exhibit in the Calgary Stampede's Living Traditions Hall offers some 35 pieces from the world-class collections of Canada's national museum, presented in accordance with the exhibition's key themes. Artifacts include traditional beaded moccasins, saddles and painted parfleches, as well as work by contemporary silversmiths, fashion designers and saddlemakers.
The Canadian Museum of Civilization welcomes visitors to the Calgary Stampede and invites them to the preview to speak to the curators, who will be on site from July 3 to 15. We look forward to seeing many of these same visitors in the Hull/Ottawa region in May 1998 for the opening of Legends of Our Times: Native Ranching and Rodeo Life on the Plains and Plateau.
Information (media):
Media Relations Officer: (819) 776-7169
Senior Media Relations Officer: (819) 776-7167
Fax: (819) 776-7187
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