Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park Welcomes Home Two Sacred Ribstones
Published June 17th, 2025
Located just over an hour east of Calgary is a Canadian National Heritage Site, steeped in tradition, history and story. Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park (Soyopowhako) is located on Siksika Nation, and is home to a significant and architecturally stunning education centre, nature trails, tipi park, and it is also the Historic Site of the signing of Treaty 7.
It is a place of significant reflection for anyone who visits, and now, it is also the resting place of two significant historical pieces that have come home after more than 100 years.
Earlier in June, more than 100 people gathered at Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park for a repatriation event involving the return of two sacred items called ribstones.
The ribstones, which were removed from Siksika land more than a century ago, were named X-C: 12 and X-C: 37, and were most recently housed at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau.
Knowledge Keeper Martin Heavy Head shares information and stories about the significance of the ribstones. Photo courtesy of Adam Solway.
The recent gathering, known as the Calling the Spirits Home Ribstones Returning Event, included a homecoming for the stones, which hold deep meaning for the Siksika community, symbolizing their connection to the buffalo, the land and ancestors.
Young dancers perform as part of the Calling the Spirits Home Ceremony. Photo courtesy of Adam Solway.
Says Shannon Bear Chief, CEO of Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, “Repatriation is not just about reclaiming objects, it’s about reclaiming identity.” She adds, “These ribstones are teachers and symbols of our spiritual connection to the land.”
A detailed image of the two ribstones, recently repatriated by Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park and Siksika Nation. Photo by Paula Worthington.
Ribstones were often used for meditation, prayer and good omens for the buffalo hunt.
Adds Bear Chief, “The return of these stones is a reclamation of culture, spirit and sovereignty."
The event included an opening ceremony, performances, significance of the ribstones as told by elders, a traditional feast, dancing and cultural demonstrations.
Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park is home to exhibits, nature trails and is home to the signing of Treaty 7. Photo by Paula Worthington.
The park, freshly prepped for summer, boasts an expanded tipi village (available for overnight camping for a unique cultural experience), renovated kitchen, and new exhibits—testaments to its growing role as a living heritage site and Indigenous tourism destination this summer .
The site of Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park is both beautiful and significant, and the facility is continuing to invest in programming, exhibits and additions as it prepares for the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 7 in 2027. A 25-year cultural master plan is also underway to further its responsibility towards cultural revitalization and long-term economic growth.
A repatriation centre under development will ensure more sacred items can follow these ribstones home.
A visit to Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park is more than learning about culture - it’s about gaining a sense of Blackfoot history, ways of knowing and sharing in the stories and culture that help build connection and understanding.
For more information, visit blackfootcrossing.ca.
Paula Worthington
Paula Worthington is a storyteller at heart. By day she steers the ship at her communications agency, Worthington PR & Story, and also mentors the next generation of storytellers as an instructor in the public relations program at Mount Royal University.
She has been a freelance writer, photographer and contributor for a variety of publications for 15 years, with a focus on off-the-beaten-path experiences.
She's the author of wanderswild.com.