REGINA – Thanks to a troop of actors a significant chapter of mid-19th century Saskatchewan history is coming alive in “Spirit of the Trails” at the RCMP Heritage Museum.
The play follows the events that take place after the first meeting of the North West Mounted Police and the Lakota Sioux. The First Nation came to the Cypress Hill area after Battle at Little Bighorn (Custer’s Last Stand) in the United States.
The story focuses on the relationship of Major James Walsh and Chief Tatanka Iotaka, better known as Sitting Bull.
“It’s their story of how they tried to keep the peace with the Sioux, keep them safe in Canada, and the trials of them not wanting to sign a treaty but wanting to stay in Canada,” says Jordan Svenkenson who plays Walsh.
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Throughout the story Walsh works with The Crown and Iotaka to try and find a balance between the Lakota culture and Canadian customs.
This is a balance that Colin Dingwall, who plays Iotaka, says is a difficult thing to find and the struggle persists to this day.
“It’s more like you have to reconcile in individual ways, and then in community ways, and on larger and larger scales. It just feels like we’re having a hard time with that between the RCMP and First Nations people.”
Cultural accuracy is important to the cast, so they have done plenty of work to ensure it is upheld.
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“We don’t want to do a Pipe Ceremony that is just wrong,” says Dingwall. “We don’t want to say this is the right thing, this is what it is when it’s really quite inaccurate. So we had to find a way to bring these two ideas together of the traditional way to do it and the theatrical way to do it.”
Horses are important to the Lakota people, and so they play a big role in the play. However working with the animals doesn’t come without risk.
“We originally planned to do the show with microphones, but (my horse) didn’t like the speakers so he took off and bucked me off and I landed on my hip. It hurt a bit, but I’m ok,” says Svenkenson.
Shows will be taking place at the RCMP Heritage Museum on Saturday and Sunday for the remainder of August. Show times are 1:00 and 3:00 p.m., weather permitting.
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