REGINA – If the souls of bison can hear, then 150 of the beasts might have shivered as aboriginal drumming songs echoed within the metal walls of Regina’s exhibition buildings.
Native drummers sang as dancers performed before a tepee and 1,400 people at Regina’s exhibition grounds Nov. 22. As the drumming faded, the story of the bison and its role in prairie aboriginal culture was told to crowd.
Mike Pinay didn’t miss a word of his presentation, even when the first of the bison charged past him four metres away.
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It was the start of the running of the bison and the first animal to come racing through the handling system drew a collective breath from people in the grandstand.
As one of the first events to start Canadian Western Agribition, there was a practical need to introduce the bison to the handling system before a Nov. 24 sale.
“Bison need to know that this is a safe place. Once they know it is OK they will be easier to work with,” said Adele Buettner, of the fair association.
Buettner said the process has always been done before the Canadian national bison show and sale but never before a crowd.
Buettner said making a link to the historic significance of the bison in prairie culture is a good fit for the agricultural event, and Pinay agreed.
“Once upon a time we (aboriginals) used to rely on the buffalo for survival. As a farmer I can tell you that with grain prices the way they are, I am thinking that it may not be a bad idea for me to revisit the bison of my ancestors and get a few head. They seem to be more profitable than any other area of agriculture I’ve seen lately.”
One pen at a time the animals passed before the crowd and the spotlights of the darkened sale arena. Then Pinay took a seat at the drum along with seven members of the Free Spirit Singers, of the Kawackatoose band from the Raymore, Sask., area, and began to sing again. Three young dancers began to step and sway to the music. Agribition was under way.
