Wanuskewin, Saskatchewan

SIGNIFICANCE The area serves as a complete record of cultural development on the Northern Plains spanning six millennia. Within a small area, there are 19 pre-contact archeological sites that drew Indigenous groups including Blackfoot, Cree, Ojibwa, Nakota and Dakota. The varied uses of the site show an evolution of land-use methods for survival, and it’s notable because one can find such extensive records in close proximity. SIZE 240 hectares LOCATION About 2.5 kilometres north of Saskatoon, along Opimihaw Creek, a tributary of the South Saskatchewan River CURRENT OFFICIAL PROTECTION Declared a Provincial Heritage Park in 1984 and a National Historic Site in 1986 RARITY FACTOR One of the site’s rare artifacts is an enormous stone-circle medicine wheel, the most northerly recorded wheel in North America. It is believed to have been arranged some 1,500 years ago and unlike many medicine wheels, there are no “spokes” connecting the central cairn and the outer ring. The area features unusual topography for the Great Plains. A deep, wide valley cuts through flat prairie, leaving nooks and shelters. THE LOCAL’S TAKE University of Saskatchewan archeologist Ernie Walker says Wanuskewin Heritage Park contains an exceptional archeological record of occupation of the Opimihaw Creek valley over the past 6,400 years. “The archeological sites provide a unique opportunity to showcase First Nations culture, environmental conservation and stewardship, artistic expression and scientific investigation.” Wanuskewin