BANFF: Indigenous History, Hot Springs & Cuisine

The Sacred Bow Valley

There is an Irish saying that goes Tir gan teanga, tir gan anam. That means a country without a language is a country without a soul. As you look at the mountains that surround the Bow Valley in the Canadian Rockies, you realize that these mountains have a soul. People who used to live where Banff is today spoke different languages–indigenous languages.

The human history in this valley goes back some 14,000 years, during which five hundred generations of indigenous people used this valley. The Stoney Dakotas lived and traveled around this area for thousands of years before the first Europeans ever set foot here. Some did live here year-round but a lot of different groups of people would just travel in and out of the area. For them, many mountains were sacred—for example, the Minnie Fruin Mountain means the spiritual mountain or the sacred mountain. It is a spiritual mountain in part because of its hot springs. Hot springs are seen as a gift from the gods, and that’s why it is known as the spiritual mountain. That’s why the natives believed Bow Valley was a spiritual, sacred place.

In those early days, as anywhere in the world, natural springs were a potent part of nature, and those spots were healing spots. The Stoney Dakotas would come here in the summertime and would set up teepees in the area. The men would go into the hot springs cave using a rope made from deer hide. The men would perform a ceremony in the cave, while the women would harvest berries.

The Railroad Arrives

In the 1800s different groups of Europeans started coming here. Some were simply exploring the continent, trying to find a passageway through these mountains to the Pacific coast. Others were interested in settling. Then in 1867, the northern colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Quebec joined together with Ontario to create Canada. Those colonies only represented about five percent of the land. Canada’s first prime minister Sir John McDonnell wanted to see the country expand its territory, building a larger Canada. He reached out to British Columbia and asked if they would like to join this new country. Anthony Musgrave, Governor of the United Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia said yes but had a couple of conditions, which included a trans-continental railway had to be built. McDonnel agreed to that and work started on the trans-Canada railway.

In 1883 the railway reached Bow Valley. Winter was coming, so work came to a stop. Most men went back home, but three railway workers decided they were going to spend the winter in Bow Valley. One cold morning the men saw steam rising from one of the mountains. They were curious they hadn’t seen the steam before, so the men scrambled up and came to a vent. One of the men took a deep breath and described it as a chimney from hell.

Inside the cave, the average temperature is between 31 and 34 Celsius, so roughly 87 to 95 Fahrenheit. During a harsh cold winter, this would be a paradise. In the cave and the adjacent hot springs, you can see algae and bacteria floating as well as snails. After a visit to the hot springs, exploring the caves is a good way to build an appetite leading to where to eat.

Banff Cuisine

Located inside the historic Mount Royal Hotel downtown on Banff Avenue, the Brazen restaurant pays tribute to the mavericks and laborers who built this town. Honoring the spirit of Banff’s mountaineers and explorers, it serves seasonal Canadian fare with a side of old-world charm and contemporary cocktails. The Brazen’s head chef Dan Jiricka considers dining as an experience, where presentation counts as much as the taste. With its great food, lush nature, and enigmatic mystic, Banff is a perfect getaway all year round– skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer.