Thursday, March 27, 2008

Saskatchewan (1954)

Wow look at that propaganda! Its got everything! Mounties wearing dress uniforms all the time, intolerantly stereotypical depictions of native people, helpless women folk wearing off the shoulder dresses whilst crossing the plains in a wagon. I don't even know where to start with this! Wait, yes I do...why is Saskatchewan in the Rockies? Bah!Update: Here is a link to an article in the Globe and Mail about this and a few other similar misrepresentations of Canadian geography and history. Neat.

9 comments:

Cara said...

I thought the blog universe needed something light and fluffy today.

Anonymous said...

I love it! Can I use it in my presentation for PA? I'm not kidding. I want to see the film!! I'd love to see how they pull of the Rockies on the Plains. Maybe it's supposed to be Qu'Appelle?

Cara said...

Cool! I don't remember where I got it from though.

Anonymous said...

The poster was in the library link. And thanks, I didn't want to write that part of my thesis anyways.

D

Anonymous said...

Wait---those aren't the mountains---maybe they are meant to be the Cypress Hills--and all the killing is in relation to the Cypress Hills Massacre? Just a thought!

D

Saskboy said...

Ron Petrie highlighted that in an eBay auction he found.

Anonymous said...

I think D is right, they were going for the Cypress Hills, but ended up looking like the mountains, doesn't help that it claims right on the poster that it was "actually filmed in its entirety in the majestic grandeur of Canadian Rockies". Maybe they didn't think some people would realize the Rockies aren't in SK. But I don't think its connected to the Cypress Hills Massacre, they have the mounties facing off against the "Custer-masacring Sioux". The Cypress Hills Massacre happened in 1873 and was between a group of wolfers/traders and the Assiniboine, the Battle of Little Bighorn was in 1876 and after that Sitting Bull and the Sioux came up into Canada near the vicinity of Fort Walsh where they remained for 4 years-ish until they returned to the States. The mounties of Fort Walsh were heavily involved in the talks with the Sioux at that time. The plot summary doesn't shed too much light other than a mountie and his Cree half-brother struggle against the Sioux and along the way save a damsel in distress. Now all we gotta do is watch the movie to see what its really about...
kw

Cara said...

Wow! I'm learn-ding! I love how nerdy we all are :)

Saskboy said...

"and after that Sitting Bull and the Sioux came up into Canada near the vicinity of Fort Walsh where they remained for 4 years-ish until they returned to the States."

I'm going to add more detail to that, because I'm originally from Wood Mountain, the location (2 hours drive to the east of the Cypress Hills) where the Lakota Sioux fled to in Canada. Walsh actually spent more time at Wood Mountain Post than at his Fort. He became friends with Sitting Bull.

There are still Lakota living at Wood Mountain, some near Fort Qu'Appelle, and the bulk returned to the States after they were starved out of Canada by fires set by Americans. A Metis man named Legare attempted to feed as many as he could, for as long as possible, but it was in vain.

 
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