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BUFFALO
CHILD STONE

As First Nations people, we arrive on Mother Earth as visiting spirits for a short amount of time. During our visit, we begin a physical journey that involves learning about ourselves, our people, and our relatives. SICC was born out of the need to protect this sacred journey.

SICC focuses on developing and maintaining traditional and contemporary cultural skills of First Nations people, preservation and revitalization of First Nations languages, and the promotion of cross-cultural awareness of First Nations historic and current role in Canadian society. Along the way, SICC develops relationships with both First Nations and non-First Nations organizations to assist in achieving this work. The Buffalo Child Stone sacred site is one such example.

Buffalo Child Stone, widely known as mostos-awasis asiniy by the Cree people, is a sacred stone that has deep spiritual value to the nations of the great plains. Many gathered at the sacred stone for ceremonial purposes and each nation carries traditional oral history regarding its origins.

In December of 1966, the federal government blew apart Buffalo Child Stone to make way for the Gardiner Dam and Lake Diefenbaker despite resistance from First Nations and non-First Nations people alike. It was a devastating loss for First Nations people.

Today, pieces of Buffalo Child Stone lie at its original spot under Lake Diefenbaker but also in the possession of others who had wished to preserve what they could after its destruction.

Almost 54 years later, under the direction of First Nations Elders and leadership and with the help of SICC’s partners, a permanent site has been chosen for the remaining pieces of Buffalo Child Stone to call home.

SICC is bringing home pieces of the original stone from the Elbow marina and from the Western Development Museum. SICC obtained lands nearby the original location to be a place where First Nations people can gather again. There is both commemorative (educational) and ceremonial (gathering) lands.