Media Exhibits
James Sanderson, interpreter, businessman, rancher and author was a
legendary Medicine Hat frontiersman. Born in 1848, his family
worked with the Hudson Bay Company at York Factory in Manitoba.
Later he hunted buffalo on the plains and was imprisoned by Louis
Riel in the first Riel uprising at the Red River. In 1872 he
married Maria McKay and settled with her family in the Cypress
Hills. Here, along with duties such as interpreter and
scout he hunted buffalo, supplying the North West Mounted Police at
Fort Walsh with meat. Later, as the buffalo disappeared he
brought a herd of cattle from Montana to supply the police. With
the coming of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1882 the Sanderson's
and McKay's moved to Medicine Hat assisting both the North West
Mounted Police and the
railway crews with supplies and freight.
Being Métis placed him in a unique position. As he could speak both Cree and Blackfoot he became a natural communication link between the First Nations People who had inhabited the region for thousands of years and the Europeans who were swiftly moving in. This position did not go unnoticed and in the spring of 1894 he was asked to recount the mythology and stories of the area as told to him by the First Nations People. The first story he told was the Legend of Medicine Hat.
***James Sanderson died in 1902 and is buried in the old cemetery at Kin Coulee***
How Medicine Hat Was Named, Medicine Hat News, 1894
There is a certain part of the South Saskatchewan River just below where the old North West Mounted Police barracks were located, on which, even during the most severe winters, no ice forms. This hole or opening in the river is regarded with great interest by the Blackfoot peoples as it is believed to be the breathing place of the Great Spirit who lives in the river and who, when he shows himself, assumes the form of a serpent. As an indication of the widespread interest in this particular spot, it may be mentioned that during last winter (1893) which was more than usually severe, I was asked by the Blackfoot Indians whether it had frozen over. On learning that the opening was still there, the Indians evinced great delight. Had it been otherwise they would have taken it as proof that the Great Spirit had either died or gone elsewhere to some other breathing place.
Far back in Indian tradition, it is said that one of a hunting party of Blood Indians was sent forward to reconnoiter the country and see if buffalo were to be met with in any numbers. He was accompanied by his newly-married wife and a favorite dog, the latter bearing the travois – a crosspole arrangement to which the dog was harnessed – for the purpose of carrying some share of the traveling outfit.
One evening, the Indian camped by the river side and as he was walking along near the opening in the river referred to, the serpent appeared to him and told him that if he would throw the flesh of his wife into the opening, he would become a great warrior and medicine man. The Indian returned to his tepee and repeated to his wife the words of the serpent. His wife at once expressed her willingness to die for the good of the tribe and in obedience to the call of the Great Spirit. Her husband, however, was reluctant and instead of his wife killed the dog. Carrying its carcass to the opening, he threw it in with the request that the spirit might be pleased to accept from him his dog as a substitute for his wife. The spirit refused to accept, and declared that, unless the Indian would sacrifice the wife, he could do nothing for him.
The man returned and informed his wife accordingly, and she again expressed her willingness to comply with the demand. Finally she was sacrificed and her flesh given to the spirit, who then directed the man to stay all night on the island near by, to rise early next morning, and, as the sun rose, to proceed towards the cutbanks lying to the east. At the base of one of the cutbanks he would find a bag containing medicine and a hat trimmed with ermine. He was instructed to bring back the medicine bag and the hat with him to the Spirit who would explain the purpose of the hat and the efficacy of the medicines. The hat, he was told, was to be worn only in war, and would ensure victory to the wearer. The tradition has it that the Indian became famous as a medicine man and warrior.
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