It was an interest in Aboriginal history that lead Ron Hoar to tomahawk throwing.
Hoar, who had a tomahawk display at the Fort Whoop Up Canada Day celebration, said you wouldn’t know by looking at it, but the sport itself is actually quiet calming.
“It’s kind of relaxing actually and there’s quite a feeling of accomplishment,” said the tomahawk expert.
Hoar enjoys being able to teach people about the tomahawk by getting them to try it out for themselves.
“If they can come and make the history live by trying things like this out then it just works that much better.”
For those who wanted a little bit more of a cowboy experience, Alex Onoday was teaching cattle roping.
“It’s the same as guys that go play baseball, or go play hockey, it’s just another way of relaxing yourself,” the roper said.
Not only is roping important to Onoday, but the history of Fort Whoop-up has a special place in his heart. “It’s part of our heritage many years ago this was a way of life,” he said.
Fort whoop-up, originally Fort Hamilton, was built by the Americans in 1869. It was established as a fur-trading base, but then it became one of the most notorious of the “whiskey forts,” dealing in contraband liquor and firearms.
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