Culture of Saskatchewan
Culture of Saskatchewan views the patterns of human activity in the central prairie province of Canada examining the way people live in the geography, climate, and social context of Saskatchewan.
First Nations and fur traders adopted a transhumance and hunting and gathering lifestyle to fulfill their economic and sustenance needs. Early homesteaders and settlers in the 19th and early 20th centuries likewise spent the majority of their time proving up their homesteads, tilling the land and providing subsistence agricultural products for their families. The early 20th century developed successful agricultural practices, and society rejoiced in the Roaring Twenties. The depression and drought years of the dirty thirties took agricultural sustenance away.[1] Electricity was made available throughout the various Saskatchewan regions. The economy saw a growth not only in the agricultural sector, but labour was also freed up to pursue choices other than agriculture. 1940s onward, a major breakthrough was seen in the arts and culture scene in Saskatchewan.[2] Arts and cultural activities before this date were of the main on a family, individual and unpaid level. Local schools would host plays, family or tribal members would engage in handcrafts of various sorts which may become heirlooms, communities would come together for engagement in various sports activities for recreation. The Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences prepared the Massey Report in the early 1950s. This commission noted the strengths and weakness of the cultural community and led to the establishment of the Canada Council which promoted burgeoning talent.
"the commissioners set about to search for 'what can make our country great, and what can make it one" - Massey Commission[3]
The Saskatchewan government also showed support on a cultural level, with the creation of the Arts Board, and promotion of the Golden Jubilee celebrations hosted in 1955.[2]
Museums and cultural institutions
There are numerous heritage and cultural attractions in the province of Saskatchewan. Museums, dinosaur digs, aboriginal cultural and heritage sites, art galleries, professional sport venues, spas, handcraft, antique and tea shops, agricultural tours, live theatres and
Along with the
- See also
Development of Saskatchewan culture
The Saskatchewan lifestyle and culture was inter-related with and depended on the ethnic bloc settlement, geo-physical area and rural or urban community. Saskatchewan culture has historically been heavily influenced by
Aboriginal influences
Bilingualism, multiculturalism, foreign influences, American influences
Geography, climate, and immigration
Northern Saskatchewan is home to the Dene and archaeological findings such as the aboriginal rock paintings of the
In southern Saskatchewan the land was suitable for early ranching and cattle grazing enterprises. Ranchers replaced grazing buffalo herds with large spreads and community pastures. Sparse population dotted the southern landscape in the 19th century. Among the First Nations, the
On July 8, 1874, the NWMP began their March West, which brought law and order to the southern area of the NWT. The Dominion government and CPR examined the report given by John Macoun, botanist to the 1872 Sandford Fleming railway route expedition.[13] Settlement could be established under the safety of the NWMP and this new promise of agricultural colonization, so constructing a southern transcontinental railway helped maintain the Canadian identity near the 49th parallel, which was under encroachment by the American expansionists.[14]
Central Saskatchewan recounts the history of the various
Rural living patterns
Primary industries were agriculture in the rural south and central region, fishing and forestry in the rural northern region.
Urban living patterns
The urban centers brought a mix of ethnic and religious settlers, and those who weren't agricultural homesteaders but brought with themselves a trade or professional calling. Regina developed around the newly formed legislature and North-West Mounted Police Barracks. Saskatoon developed around the arrival of the three major rail lines becoming the central hub city[21] for supplies both to Alberta (west) and Manitoba (east) but also to industry north and south. Primary industries were agriculture in the rural south and central region, fishing and forestry in the rural northern region, and mining of various capacities throughout the province depending upon resources available at each site. The depression and drought years of the dirty thirties brought folks beset by agricultural hardships to the cities for a dire hope of employment. Secondary 'make work' industries were on the rise such as manufacturing and construction. Many hotels and bridges were built by this large supply of labour in this time. With the advent of the industrial revolution, after World War II, agricultural output went up with a decrease of labour methods. The supply of workers increased for tertiary employment sector such as transportation, trade, finance and services which were mainly based in urban centres.[15]
Architecture
The notable architectural achievements have been preserved as
Film, and television
By the mid-1950s, there were just over 150 radio broadcast stations operating nationwide across Canada, Canada first received television broadcasts in 1952 at Montreal and Toronto. There are currently nine separate television stations in Saskatchewan.
Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. $7.80 admission fees, and 16 motion pictures (mainly made in the United States) were viewed by the average Canadian in 1954.[23] Saskatchewan residents thereafter developed their own films and the Saskatchewan Film Development Corporation (a production unit of the National Film Board Canada), Saskatchewan Production Studios, as well as the Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival.[24] The Canada Saskatchewan Production Studios located in Regina that has been used for the production of both movies and television programs and are still used today in society.
Film and television productions done at the Canada Saskatchewan Production Studios include:
- Falling Angels (2003)
- Corner Gas (2004–2009)
- Beyond Corner Gas: Tales from Dog River (2005)
- Tideland (2005)
- Sabbatical (2007)
- The Messengers (2007)
- How I Married My High School Crush (2007)
- It's Been a Gas (2009)
- Dolan's Cadillac (2009)
- Walled In (2009)
- InSecurity (2010)
Theatre
The earliest drama selections were of the Christmas school pageants which early on room school house teachers would assemble and present with the assistance of student and parent. The "Socialisti", "Red Devils/Ghosts", "West Country", or the "Coteau Hills Finnish Socialist Society" settled around 1923 in the Steeldale district of Saskatchewan. They would gather in halls and produce local plays.[25]
Several early Saskatchewan communities including Wolseley and Hanley would construct Opera houses to encourage drama production in the early 20th century.[26] The Dominion Drama Festival which showcased a national competition amongst Canadian amateur theatre groups was held in Regina in the mid-1950s.[27]
Thereafter, the Regina Little Theatre and Theatre Saskatchewan formed. Theatre and Saskatoon are synonymous with names such as
Visual arts
Early explorers and adventurers were enticed to the
MacKenzie Art Gallery Regina is the only major currently functioning art gallery in the province known to bring in major shows from other galleries. Saskatoon's now-defunct Mendel Art Gallery Saskatoon ceased operations in 2015 with no known opening date for a new gallery. Prince Albert, North Battleford, Moose Jaw and Yorkton all have public galleries.
Literature
The Saskatchewan Writers Guild, Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre, Thunder Creek Publishing Co-operative formed to support and promote Saskatchewan literary talent.
Rev. Charles Gordon (nom de plume, Ralph Connor), Robert Stead, Frederick Philip Grove, Wallace Stegner, R.D. (Bob) Symons, Edward McCourt, Lorna Crozier, Bonnie Burnard, David Carpenter, Don Kerr, Byrna Barclay, Glen Sorestad, Gertrude Story,[31] Maria Campbell, Sharon Butala, Guy Vanderhaege, Brenda Baker, Art Slade, Alice Kuipers, Dave Margoshes, and Chris Fisher have also contributed to the Saskatchewan literary scene. Some Saskatchewan poets include Eli Mandel, Andrew Suknaski, and John Hicks. Famous Saskatchewan novelists would be Ken Mitchell, Gary Hyland, Robert Currie, Geoffrey Ursell and Barbara Sapergia to mention a few.
Tim Lilburn is a Regina poet who has won the Governor General's Literary Award for his novel Kill-site. He was joined by Allen Sapp, painter from the Red Pheasant Reserve who also includes Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and an Officer of the Order of Canada awards.[32] Robert Calder (Saskatoon), Willie: The Life of W. Somerset Maugham, Maggie Siggins (Regina), Revenge of the Land, Anne Szumigalski (Saskatoon Voice), and Guy Vanderhaeghe (Saskatoon), Man Descending and again were all honoured for literary recognition by Premier Roy Romanow during the 1997 Governor General's literary awards ceremonies.[33] There have been other Saskatchewan artists who have been honoured with the Governor General's Literary Awards such as Lorna Crozier (Swift Current), Inventing the Hawk, John Newlove (Regina), The Cave and Lies, Fred Wah (born in Swift Current), Waiting for Saskatchewan, Diana Wieler (Saskatoon), Bad Boy, and Rudy Wiebe, The Temptation of Big Bear and A Discovery of Strangers.
Media
The Saskatchewan Herald, a Battleford newspaper, was the province's first paper[34] and was started in 1878 by Patrick Gammie Laurie.[35][36]
Dance
The First Nation Muskowekwan of Saskatchewan are still renowned for their
Saskatchewan Dance Theatre in Saskatoon and Regina Modern Dance Works in Regina are a few of current Saskatchewan dance forms and schools.
Music
All of the First Nations in Saskatchewan encompass formal musical styles such as the Regina Symphony Orchestra, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra, Saskatoon Youth Orchestra and the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association. There are also local talented musicians who have become professional on the international stage. A very few of these would be: Joni Mitchell, Chris Real, Connie Kaldor, Stu Davis, Don Freed, Colin James, Jack Semple, Brad Johner and the band of Jason Plumb and the Willing. Brenda Baker is a Saskatchewan songwriter, performer as well as author.[39]
Festivals and events
Craven Country Jamboree, The Saskatchewan Festival of Words in Moose Jaw, Saskatoon Fringe Festival, Saskatoon Jazz Festival, Saskatoon Children's Festival, Ness Creek Music Festival, the Regina Folk Festival, the North Battleford Crafts Fair, Regina's Cathedral Village Arts Festival, Northern Saskatchewan Games and Cultural Festival (NSGCF) and the Fort Qu'Appelle Midsummer Arts Festival are just a few of the several hundreds of community festivals held at various times throughout the province.
The Regina Arts Commission is just one of the many organisations formed to support festivals and their creation.
Food
Pemmican and bannock are a few of the historical foods of the Cree First Nation aboriginal peoples. Bannock is easy to prepare and combine with local berries, the dough can be cooked over the open fire suspended on willow stick, and tastes similar to biscuits. Early settlers survived by learning from the First Nations which flora and fauna of the land were edible and how to prepare. Thereafter, the land was tilled, and agricultural practices and trading economies allowed each ethnic group to plant and cultivate the foods necessary for the recipes of their home land. Each ethnic group has brought their unique flavour and recipes to Saskatchewan, and these are celebrated today in Folk Festivals across the province.
Education
Colleges and universities
The University of Saskatchewan granted bachelor's degrees in fine arts as early as the late 1940s.[41] The University of Regina also exists.
People
- Campbell, Maria - playwright
- Minister of Culture, Youth and Recreation
- Neatby, Miss Hilda Marion Ada, M.A., Ph.D. Professor of History and Acting Head of the Department, University of Saskatchewan, was appointed to the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters, and Sciences, 1949.
- Siggins, Maggie - Canadian journalist
- Spohr, Arnold - Saskatchewan ballet dancer awarded Order of Canada
- Ukrainian culture
- Wagner, Norman - Saskatchewan born - founded the School of Religion and Culture
- Wettlaufer, Boyd - "the Father of Saskatchewan Archaeology"
Provincial symbols
Political economy
The largest contribution by politics to the culture of Saskatchewan was the introduction of medicare by
Prizes and awards
Saskatchewan Arts Board formed in 1948 to develop arts and recognition of artists in the province.[43]
Sports
Saskatchewan Roughriders is the professional Canadian Football League sports team. The Roughriders are the most popular sports team in the province.
The highest level of hockey in the province are the teams of the Western Hockey League: Moose Jaw Warriors, Prince Albert Raiders, Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades, and Swift Current Broncos. Many world-class hockey athletes have roots in Saskatchewan, such as Gordie Howe, Bryan Trottier, Clark Gillies, Max Bentley and Wendel Clark amongst several other National Hockey League players.[45]
There exist a few amateur baseball teams in the
Weyburn hosted the 2004 Saskatchewan Summer Games while Lloydminster hosted the 2008 Saskatchewan Summer Games.[46] Prince Albert hosted the 1993 North American Indigenous Games and Saskatoon hosted the 1971 Canada Winter Games and 1989 Canada Summer Games. There are also university, junior, high school and recreational athletic teams and sports across Saskatchewan.
See also
- Culture in Regina, Saskatchewan
- French Canadians
- List of provincial and territorial nicknames in Canada
- Tourism in Saskatchewan
References
- ^ a b Agriculture in Canada
- ^ a b Howe, The Right Honourable C.D. (1956), The Official Handbook of Present Conditions and Recent Progress Canada 1956, Ottawa, Ontario: Queen's Printer Canada year Book Section Information Services Division Dominion Bureau of Statistics, p. 115
- ^ Kallmann, Helmut (2007). "Massey Commission Encyclopedia of Music in Canada". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Foundation of Canada. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
- ^ Fung, Ka-iu; Bill Barry; Michael Wilson (1989), Atlas of Saskatchewan Celebrating the Saskatchewan 2000-2005, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: University of Saskatchewan, p. 273
- ^ Howe, The Right Honourable C.D. (1956), The Official Handbook of Present Conditions and Recent Progress Canada 1956, Ottawa, Ontario: Queen's Printer Canada year Book Section Information Services Division Dominion Bureau of Statistics, p. 125
- ^ Pow-wow
- ^ Education in Saskatchewan
- ^ Saskatchewan Gen Web - One Room School Project - Evolution, January 16, 2006, retrieved 2007-04-12
- Battleford
- ^ "The Tunnels of Moose Jaw: Interesting Thing of the Day". Interesting Thing of the Day. January 8, 2005. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
- ^ Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
- ^ RCMP Heritage Centre
- ^ Bird Habitat Conservation, Tree Planters: Past and Present. "John Macoun • Saskatchewan's Environmental Champions". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
- ^ Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- ^ a b Kerr, Principal Middlesex College, University of Western Ontario, D.G.G. (1960), A Historical Atlas of Canada, Toronto, Ontario: Thomas Nelson & Sons (Canada) Limited, p. 90
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Adamson, J (March 25, 2007). "Saskatchewan Gen Web Project - Homestead Information". rootsweb. Retrieved 2007-04-07.
- ^ Agriculture in Canada#History
- History of Agriculture
- ^ Giannetta, J. (March 2003). "SASKATCHEWAN COMMUNITIES - the cities (a brief history)". Saskatchewan Schools. Archived from the original on April 18, 2003.
- ^ Regina
- ^ a b Saskatoon#History
- historic and heritage sites
- ^ Howe, The Right Honourable C.D. (1956), The Official Handbook of Present Conditions and Recent Progress Canada 1956, Ottawa, Ontario: Queen's Printer Canada year Book Section Information Services Division Dominion Bureau of Statistics, p. 130
- ^ Saskatchewan Arts Board URL accessed May 6, 2007
- ISBN 0-9691893-1-1
- ^ O'Neill, Patrick B.; Theatre Research in Canada (2005), SASKATCHEWAN'S LAST OPERA HOUSE: HANLEY 1912-1982, retrieved 2007-05-07
- ^ Howe, The Right Honourable C.D. (1956), The Official Handbook of Present Conditions and Recent Progress Canada 1956, Ottawa, Ontario: Queen's Printer Canada year Book Section Information Services Division Dominion Bureau of Statistics, p. 118
- ^ Howe, The Right Honourable C.D. (1956), The Official Handbook of Present Conditions and Recent Progress Canada 1956, Ottawa, Ontario: Queen's Printer Canada year Book Section Information Services Division Dominion Bureau of Statistics, p. 124
- ^ The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan Arts and Culture URL accessed May 6, 2007
- ^ Mitchell, Ken, The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan Ross, Sinclair (1908–96), archived from the original on 2017-06-15, retrieved 2007-05-03
- ^ Story
- ^ Government of Canada (2004-03-27), The Canada Council for the Arts - Winners of the 2003 Governor ..., archived from the original on 2007-05-24, retrieved 2007-05-03
- ^ Government of Saskatchewan (January 23, 2007), PREMIER TO HONOUR LITERARY AWARD RECIPIENTS - Government of Saskatchewan, archived from the original on June 11, 2011, retrieved 2007-05-03
- ISBN 0665080484.
- ^ Saskatchewan Archives Board, "Saskatchewan History Table of Contents", Saskatchewan History Magazine, archived from the original on 2007-09-28, retrieved 2007-05-06
- ^ Saskatchewan Archives Board, Saskatchewan History Table of Contents, Services for The Public - Exploring Family History in Saskatchewan, archived from the original on 2007-05-13, retrieved 2007-05-06
- ^ Nicholas Flood Davin
- ^ Local History Room Collections & Formats (Saskatoon Public Library), archived from the original on 2007-02-20, retrieved 2007-05-06
- ^ Baker, Brenda (1995–2005), Brenda Baker: Music/Literary Awards, retrieved 2007-05-03
- ^ Mitchell, Ken; University of Regina (2006), The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan: Arts and Culture, archived from the original on 2007-05-17, retrieved 2007-05-03
- ^ Howe, The Right Honourable C.D.; Cloutier C.M.G., D.A., D.S.P., Edmond (1951), The Canada Year Book 1951 The Official Statistical Annual of the Resources, History, Institutions and Social and Economic Conditions of Canada, Canada: Dominion Bureau of Statistics Department of Trade and Commerce, p. 306
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Tommy Douglas
- ^ Morgan, Jeremy, The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Arts Board, archived from the original on 2007-10-21, retrieved 2007-05-03
- ^ Government of Saskatchewan (June 15, 2006), Government Relations, Office of Protocol and Honours, retrieved 2007-05-07
- ^ Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum, Network Entertainment Inc. / Produced by The Learning Edge Corporation (2001–2007), Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Players By Place of .., archived from the original on 2006-04-27, retrieved 2007-05-07
- ^ Saskatchewan Lotteries (2001–2007), Saskatchewan Sports Net, archived from the original on 2007-09-28, retrieved 2007-05-07
External links
- Virtual Saskatchewan - Aboriginal Culture
- SaskCulture Home Page
- Culture Youth and Recreation | Home
- FRANCOPHONE CULTURE CELEBRATED IN SASKATCHEWAN - Government of ...
- The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan Arts and Culture
- Saskatchewan Arts Board
- North Saskatchewan Heritage
- The Saskatchewan Book Awards Home Page
- The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan Literature
- Saskatchewan Arts Board - Tansi & Welcome to the Artsboard
- Globe Theatre Home Page Regina
- Regina Little Theatres
- Regina: Lyric Light Opera Society, Saskatchewan
- Saskatoon: 25th Street Theatre Centre, Saskatchewan
- Saskatoon: Persephone Theatre, Saskatchewan
- Saskatoon: Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company
- Saskatoon: Shakespeare on Saskatchewan Festival, Saskatchewan Archived 2007-12-14 at the Wayback Machine
- The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan: Tbeatre Saskatchewan
- Saskatoon Gateway Players
- Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
- The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan | Details Storer, Effie Laurie (1867–1948)
- The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan | Details | Competitive Games