Page 61 - 1st Anthology 2011

on the outskirts anyway, along the river. I don’t know it’s my idea and I wouldn’t mind
living over there.

Before the white man came on the reservation, we were living over there. Katie said we
were nomadic people. They use to bury people up in the trees. That was her grandfather’s
story. When they came here they starting burying them under ground. They had to
because they had to stay here. They couldn’t just put them up in the trees anymore. That
was the practice when they used to roam around. I can’t say what year they start burying
people here but maybe 1912.

The Anglican Church and mission house were built 1912. You know that little one you see.
Prior to that I guess they use to have it in the mission house. They would have a church
service there, and later they built a church we have now which was in 1912. Bullhead’s
grave is there too. They put those crosses up there. Eventually they suppose to
disintegrate back to the earth. It’ll be a long time.

They are still finding dinosaur bones down South. Can you imagine dinosaurs in this
country? Well I’ve read about them, not too much you know. One time I was telling a

story to Marvin’s foster children, I think it was Hardy Jacobs’s two boys. Those two boys
Marvin and Marie use to foster. One time I was telling this young boy a story about
dinosaurs. He was thinking and asked were you still here when the dinosaurs were here?
Oh he made me laugh. I told him no I’m talking a long, long time ago. When the
dinosaurs were here in Alberta, I was born way after.

When I went home I gave myself supper and Jennifer phoned on voicemail and wanted
me to go over there at six. So I didn’t have much time. I was glad to see the little boys. He

took the youngest one to the back and put his hair back, like he put gel on it. It was just
really combed back, it was real cute. They were dressed up too, they had little antlers.
Colored antlers, jingle bells. They were taking pictures. They will probably show it to you
sometime later.

My favorite memories, well personally when I had a child that was exciting, and that’s
something you can’t forget. When your children are born it’s very exciting and you know
as a mother.

1. The feast, that’s what I use to like, the women use to get together at Bullhead hall.
There use to be a big stove there. They sleep over to cook. We had hot meals I
used to like that part, I get asked. I think, at that time Gordon Crowchild was a
councilor and my neighbor Marie used to ask me to help her, May Big Crow and I.
We use to help her. We sleep over with our blankets and a little mattress and we’d

60