A Taste of Wanuskewin
Our community has been on pause. But a moment of pause can be a good thing, allowing our city and province to do the hard work of making this place safe and welcoming. Now is a great time to celebrate Wanuskewin, a cultural and spiritual centre that honours Indigenous voices both from the past and to today. Here you will find a deep connection to the land through art, prayer, food, and the people and animals that live upon it.
Each item in the box you’ve received is an authentic taste of the heritage and culture you will experience at Wanuskewin. Along with Tourism Saskatoon, our friends at Wanuskewin are eager to welcome you to the historic site and interpretive centre that is, not surprisingly, a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site.
While you are sampling and learning, we urge you to take a virtual journey through Wanuskewin with videos that follow.
Hyi Hyi!
Thank you!
Inside the Box
Sage Oil & Diffuser – Prairie Sage grows wild across the plains and has a wonderful calming fragrance to it. Sage is burnt in smudge cleansing ceremonies and the smoke would be wafted over your body and your space to cleanse it and to take your prayers upwards to the Creator.
Muskeg Tea with brewing instructions and description - Harvested from the marsh areas in Northern Saskatchewan, muskeg tea is staple drink at grandpa and grandma’s house (mushum and kokum in Cree language)
Saskatoon berry package - The City of Saskatoon’s namesake berry that grows in abundance here in the Opimihaw Valley at Wanuskewin.
Bannock Mix and preserves with baking instructions and description - Bannock has Scottish origins and was adopted by Indigenous nations, throughout North America
Bison Blend Coffee - Developed in partnership with local entrepreneur Alisha Esmail, Road Coffee helped capture the majesty of our beloved bison. Alisha’s company is built on an ethos of supporting fair trade coffee operations and goes to support the Indigenous growers in S. America
Bison Pin - Hand beaded pin, designed and created by Senior Interpretive guide Honey Constant. This pin honours the sacred relationship with the bison, and celebrates their return to the land at Wanuskewin for the first time in over 150 years.
Honey Constant nitisîyikasôn, ninêhiyaw-iskwêw. pakitahwâkan-sâkahikanihk ochi niya. I am Honey Constant, a Plains Cree artist and archaeologist from Sturgeon Lake First Nation. As a Plains Cree woman, this Wanuskewin bison pin beaded in the iconic burgundy and white represents reconciling those lost relationships with the bison and reclaiming and revitalizing our Indigenous cultures. In December 2019, Plains Bison returned to the land for the first time in over 150 years. I hope you wear this pin in celebration of the bison returning home.
Wanuskewin A Step Back in Time Walk
Senior Interpretive Guides Honey Constant and Katie Willie take you on a walk through the Opimehaw Valley where you can witness a tipi raising, dance performance, and medicine and archaeological highlights.
Wanuskewin Bison Tour
Join Dr. Ernie Walker and Senior Interpretive Guides Honey Constant and Katie Willie as they tell the story of the bison and the animal’s powerful relationship with the people of this land.
Han Wi Moon Dinner at Wanuskewin
Watch the sunset and moon rise over the Opimihaw Valley as you savour the flavours of the land. Listen to the sacred stories and feel your spirit soar with traditional songs around a cozy fire and a mug of muskeg tea.