Around 140 years ago, a surveyor for the Canadian Railroad proposed blasting a hole through a mountain in Banff for the Railroad. Described by surveyor Charles Shaw as "the most extraordinary blunder he had ever known in the way of engineering", the absurd proposal was dropped as soon as CPR General Manager William Van Horne caught wind of it. CPR quickly found a cheaper, faster way to build around the mountain, and it remains tunnel-free today. Unfortunately, the name "Tunnel" stuck for a mountain without a tunnel in it, and the mountain still bears that name. Long before it was called "Tunnel", Indigenous people knew the mountain as the Buffalo that stood in the middle of the Bow Valley, from both North and South marking a day's journey from the sacred hot springs of Banff.

In September of 2016, fifteen First Nations signed a resolution calling for the beginning of an official process with the Natural Resources Canada's (NRC) Geographical Names Board of Canada to rename Tunnel Mountain to Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. At their November 2017 "Indigenous Leaders' Dialogue" in Banff, representatives ceremonially granted the mountain the name "Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain", Iinii Istako in Blackfoot and Eyarhey Tatanga Woweyahgey Wakân in Stoney Nakoda, while awaiting the decision of the NRC. 

The renaming has been sitting on the NRC's desk for 3 years. With your help, we can move it up the agenda and remedy a mistake lasting 140 years.

You can also support this movement by participating in a special video project: The Buffalo Mountain Video Project

While signing the petition is one way to show support, we also welcome you all to share a short video (MP4 or mov). We encourage you to share information on the importance of the name change, what the name change would mean to you personally, or a story of the connection you have to Buffalo Mountain that could be incorporated into a short video (10-20 minutes) called The Buffalo Mountain Video Project, and/or our social media networks as smaller video story bundles (2-5 minutes). The video submission should be 30 seconds to 2 minutes maximum, and allows you to participate in honouring the Guardian Buffalo Spirit. Include your name, title or background, and date of video in your submission.

The larger documentary will highlight Indigenous perspectives but also welcome non-Indigenous voices to promote it as a process of reconciliation to stimulate a dialogue and generate awareness on the topic. For more information please send video links via WeTransfer, Dropbox or Google Drive to the email BuffaloMountainBanff@gmail.com under the subject line The Buffalo Mountain Video Project. 

This is about more than just a name on a map—it is about honouring the significance of the Buffalo, of First Nations, and of this place. To all Canadians, the renaming is about honouring our people and our history. To locals and visitors alike, this is about honouring the place that we love. To those of us fortunate enough to live around this mountain, this is about honouring our home.

Please join us in honouring this land's history, acknowledging the mistakes that weigh upon the present, and taking steps towards a future in which we correct those mistakes when and where we see them.

Stay tuned to updates as we endeavour to organize a COVID safe group walk up Buffalo Mountain as well as a film screening once The Buffalo Mountain Video Project is complete.

BuffaloMountainBanff@gmail.com

www.buffalotreaty.com

@buffalotreaty

Photo credit (c) Harvey Locke