Culture of Saskatchewan views the patterns of human activity in the central prairie province of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

examining the way people live in the

geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, an ...

, climate, and social context of

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...

and fur traders adopted a

transhumance Transhumance is a type of pastoralism or nomadism, a seasonal movement of livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures. In montane regions (''vertical transhumance''), it implies movement between higher pastures in summer and lower val ...

and

hunting and gathering A traditional hunter-gatherer or forager is a human living an ancestrally derived lifestyle in which most or all food is obtained by foraging, that is, by gathering food from local sources, especially edible wild plants but also insects, fungi, ...

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 A subsistence economy is an economy directed to basic subsistence (the provision of food, clothing, shelter) rather than to the market. Henceforth, "subsistence" is understood as supporting oneself at a minimum level. Often, the subsistence econo ...

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. Agriculture in Canada Electricity became established throughout the various Saskatchewan regions. The economy saw a growth not only in the agricultural sector, but labour was freed up to also pursue choices other than agriculture. A major breakthrough was seen in the arts and culture scene in Saskatchewan from the 1940s onward. 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 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.

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

archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology a ...

s comprise over 600 varied Saskatchewan institutions. Saskatchewan is home to two prominent spas, in

Moose Jaw Moose Jaw is the fourth largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. Lying on the Moose Jaw River in the south-central part of the province, it is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina. Residents of Moose Jaw are known as Moose Javian ...

and Watrous, ten provincial historical parks and seven main National Historic Sites. Along with the Saskatchewan Western Development Museums, there are over 200 local pioneer heritage museums. Travelling exhibits help to supplement the permanent groupings of each institution. The Saskatchewan Museum of Natural History officially opened in Regina in the spring of 1955. ;See also * Museums in Saskatchewan * List of museums in Saskatchewan

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

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, Ukrainian,

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

, French,

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, Scottish and Aboriginal cultures and traditions, and over time has been greatly influenced by

American culture The culture of the United States of America is primarily of Western, and European origin, yet its influences includes the cultures of Asian American, African American, Latin American, and Native American peoples and their cultures. The U ...

due to its proximity and the interchange of human capital.

Aboriginal influences

Clovis culture The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleoamerican culture, named for distinct stone and bone tools found in close association with Pleistocene fauna, particularly two mammoths, at Blackwater Locality No. 1 near Clovis, New Mexico, in 1936 a ...

and prehistoric primitive culture is depicted in archaeological findings. The

nomadic A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the popu ...

hunter-gatherer lifestyle of the First Nations developed leather working as a necessity for clothing. Trading fur for beads developed a new handcraft of beadwork and weaving. The First Nations of Saskatchewan are still renowned for their

pow-wow A powwow (also pow wow or pow-wow) is a gathering with dances held by many Native American and First Nations communities. Powwows today allow Indigenous people to socialize, dance, sing, and honor their cultures. Powwows may be private or pu ...

dance, drumming and music.

Pow-wow A powwow (also pow wow or pow-wow) is a gathering with dances held by many Native American and First Nations communities. Powwows today allow Indigenous people to socialize, dance, sing, and honor their cultures. Powwows may be private or pu ...

Bilingualism, multiculturalism, foreign influences, American influences

Clifford Sifton Sir Clifford Sifton, (March 10, 1861 – April 17, 1929), was a Canadian lawyer and a long-time Liberal politician, best known for being Minister of the Interior under Sir Wilfrid Laurier. He was responsible for encouraging the massive amount ...

established colonial offices in Europe and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

to encourage immigration from

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

and the United States, and by

Ukrainians Ukrainians ( uk, Українці, Ukraintsi, ) are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. They are the seventh-largest nation in Europe. The native language of the Ukrainians is Ukrainian. The majority of Ukrainians are Eastern Ort ...

Doukhobors The Doukhobours or Dukhobors (russian: духоборы / духоборцы, dukhobory / dukhobortsy; ) are a Spiritual Christian ethnoreligious group of Russian origin. They are one of many non-Orthodox ethno-confessional faiths in Russia a ...

, and other groups from the

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence ...

to populate the Canadian West. Between 1891 and 1914 was the largest influx of immigration to the

North West Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...

and the province of Saskatchewan. The French Métis in Duck Lake and St. Louis of 1870, Qu'Appelle Farming colony and Bell Farm of 1880, Cannington Manor of 1882, East London Artisans Colony of 1884, The New Elsass German block colony of 1885, New Stockholm Swedish colony of 1885, Rosthern Mennonite Colony of 1893, Montmartre/Grenfell Galician settlement of 1896, and the Good Spirit Lake Doukhobor Annex (Devils Lake colony) of 1899 are just a few of the earliest ethnic bloc settlements established in the 19th century in the early

. Ethnic block settlements of this early time concentrated on developing their agricultural methods, and then establishing churches and schooling. Religion and education was based on what they knew from their home country.

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

showed that there was a need for a common identity and language in Canada and the west. Schools established a provincial curriculum and standard language. The cultural identity shifted from the homeland to creating a new society and culture with a single unifying language to aid economics and social growth.

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

again emphasized a need for an identity which was truly and uniquely Canadian, which was also a desired norm in Saskatchewan.

Geography, climate, and immigration

Northern Saskatchewan is home to the Dene and archaeological findings such as the aboriginal rock paintings of the Churchill River,

petroglyphs A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...

as well as history of early

trading post A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded. Typically the location of the trading post would allow people from one geographic area to tr ...

s such as Stanley Mission. The Palliser Expedition described an arid geographic region unfit for human habitation known as the

Palliser's Triangle Palliser's Triangle, or the Palliser Triangle, is a semi-arid steppe occupying a substantial portion of the Western Canadian Prairie Provinces, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba, within the Great Plains region. While initially determined to be un ...

. The first capital of the North-West Territories moved from Fort Pitt to

Battleford Battleford ( 2011 population 4,065) is a small town located across the North Saskatchewan River from the City of North Battleford, in Saskatchewan, Canada. Battleford and North Battleford are collectively referred to as "The Battlefords" b ...

, Saskatchewan Provisional District (1876–1883). Near the northern tree line, and the main economic industry of

fur trapping Animal trapping, or simply trapping or gin, is the use of a device to remotely catch an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including food, the fur trade, hunting, pest control, and wildlife management. History Neolithic ...

were the fastest-growing trading posts and early settlements such as Prince Albert. The first survey for the

transcontinental railway A transcontinental railroad or transcontinental railway is contiguous railroad trackage, that crosses a continental land mass and has terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single ...

was between Winnipeg and Edmonton through the settled areas of Battleford and Prince Albert. Val marie southside badlands

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 49th parallel north was nicknamed the Medicine Line because of its seemingly magical ability to prevent U.S. soldiers from crossing it. The Big Muddy Badlands have a reputation for outlaw history, and hide-out caves. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Soo Line Railroad arrived in Moose Jaw in 1882 from Chicago, giving Moose Jaw the moniker of ''Little Chicago''. Gangsters such as Al Capone used the tunnels of Moose Jaw for bootlegging in the prohibition years 1917–1924. Chinese immigrants used the tunnels as hideaways and homes during an era of anti-Chinese sentiments. The rise of the Cypress Hills massacre, bootlegging activities, outlaws and gangsters outrunning the United States law gave rise to new fort outposts such as Fort Walsh, and North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) barracks, the history of which is recounted at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Centennial Museum. 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 John Macoun (17 April 1831 – 18 June 1920) was an Irish-born Canadian naturalist. Early life Macoun was born in Magheralin, County Down, Ireland in 1831, the third child of James Macoun and Anne Jane Nevin. In 1850, the worsening ec ...

, botanist to the 1872

Sandford Fleming Sir Sandford Fleming (January 7, 1827 – July 22, 1915) was a Scottish Canadian engineer and inventor. Born and raised in Scotland, he emigrated to colonial Canada at the age of 18. He promoted worldwide standard time zones, a prime meridian, ...

railway route expedition. 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 Canadian identity refers to the unique culture, characteristics and condition of being Canadian, as well as the many symbols and expressions that set Canada and Canadians apart from other peoples and cultures of the world. Primary influences on th ...

near the 49th parallel, which was under encroachment by the American expansionists. Central Saskatchewan recounts the history of the various

battles A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

of the North-West Rebellion at Batoche and

Fort Carlton Fort Carlton was a Hudson's Bay Company fur trading post from 1795 until 1885. It was located along the North Saskatchewan River not far from Duck Lake. It is in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan and was rebuilt by the government of Sas ...

. Regina attained national prominence in 1885 during the North-West Rebellion despite the fact that the Canadian Pacific Railway had still only reached the formerly designated territorial headquarters of Troy ( Qu'Appelle) to the east. As the railways arrived, so too immigrants arrived in greater quantities than via

Red River Cart The Red River cart is a large two-wheeled cart made entirely of non-metallic materials. Often drawn by oxen, though also by horses or mules, these carts were used throughout most of the 19th century in the fur trade and in westward expansion i ...

via trail and ferry. Ethnic bloc settlements, and communities situated on the rail line grew quickly. Immigrants settled near others who they could communicate with, so those of like languages settled together for neighborly homestead improvements, harvesting co-operation and, economic necessity.

Rural living patterns

Primary industries were agriculture in the rural south and central region, fishing and forestry in the rural northern region. The Dominion Land Act of 1872 offered pioneers an opportunity to prove up a quarter section of land (one hundred and sixty acres (a quarter square mile, 65

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100- metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is ...

s).) in Western Canada for a $10.00 filing fee. The improvements needed to acquire the land were labour-intensive, and settlers farmed in family groups or ethnic bloc settlements of the same language to assist one another. Early homesteaders grew mainly

subsistence crops Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families on smallholdings. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements, with little or no su ...

which would feed their own family and livestock. Pioneer activities supported harvest work groups, recreational sports, pioneer farm exhibitions, rodeos and community dances to provide support and social interaction for isolated neighbors who lived a apart from each other. The

industrial revolution The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...

modernized the farming industry as mechanized vehicles replaced the long hours of oxen ploughed land or the horse-drawn cart. Farms became much larger, and mechanized evolving towards

industrial agriculture Industrial agriculture is a form of modern farming that refers to the industrialized production of crops and animals and animal products like eggs or milk. The methods of industrial agriculture include innovation in agricultural machinery and f ...

Urban living patterns

became the first city of Saskatchewan in 1903. Pile O'Bones, renamed Regina in 1882, was declared the

Territorial Capital Below is an index of pages containing lists of capital city, capital cities. National capitals *List of national capitals *List of national capitals by latitude *List of national capitals by population *List of national capitals by area *List of ...

in 1883, became a city in 1903, and the capital of Saskatchewan in 1906. Prince Albert attained city status next in 1904. The Barr colonists arrived in

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as th ...

in 1883, the Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railway (QLLR) in 1890, and Saskatoon attained city status in 1906, and is presently the province's largest city. Saskatoon#History The urban centres brought a mix of ethnic and religious settlers, and those who weren't agricultural homesteaders but who 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 for supplies both to

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

(west) and

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

(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

, 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.

Architecture

The notable architectural achievements have been preserved as historic and heritage sites. The architecture varies from Anglican Gothic Revival mission churches, Romanesque Revival post offices, Château style rail stations and hotels, Byzantine-style basilica Ukrainian Catholic Cathedrals.

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 Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...

and

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

. There are currently nine separate

television stations in Saskatchewan Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

. Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the

motion picture industry The film industry or motion picture industry comprises the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking, i.e., film production companies, film studios, cinematography, animation, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post pr ...

. $7.80 admission fees, and 16 motion pictures (mainly made in the

) were viewed by the average Canadian in 1954. 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. The

Canada Saskatchewan Production Studios The Canada Saskatchewan Production Studios are located in Regina, Saskatchewan at the corner of College Avenue and Broad Street. Built in 1913, the structure has served as a normal school, military training facility, and fine arts building for t ...

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 ''Corner Gas'' is a Canadian television sitcom created by Brent Butt. The series ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009. Re-runs still air on CTV, CTV2, CTV Comedy Channel, Much, MTV, E! and are streaming on Crave and Amazon Prime. The seri ...

'' (2004–2009) * '' Beyond Corner Gas: Tales from Dog River'' (2005) * '' Tideland'' (2005) * '' Sabbatical'' (2007) * '' The Messengers'' (2007) * ''

How I Married My High School Crush ''How I Married My High School Crush'' is a romantic telemovie broadcast by LMN. Aired on July 1, 2007, it stars Katee Sackhoff and Kim Poirier. Its working titles included ''Be Careful What You Wish For'' and ''Once Upon a Dream''. Plot Sara ha ...

'' (2007) * '' It's Been a Gas'' (2009) * '' Dolan's Cadillac'' (2009) * ''

Walled In ''Walled In'' is a Canadian-made 2009 horror- thriller directed and co-written by Gilles Paquet-Brenner and starring Mischa Barton, Cameron Bright, and Deborah Kara Unger. The film is based on the best-selling French novel ''Les Emmurés'' b ...

'' (2009) * ''

InSecurity InSecurity is a Canadian spy comedy television series that aired on CBC Television from 2011 to 2012. The series centres on a team of covert operatives working for the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), a fictional Canadian intelli ...

'' (2010)

Theatre

The earliest drama selections were of the Christmas school pageants which early one 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. EH2009 Persephone Theatre

Several early Saskatchewan communities including Wolseley and Hanley would construct

Opera house An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets. While some venues are constructed specifically fo ...

s to encourage drama production in the early 20th century. The Dominion Drama Festival which showcased a national competition amongst Canadian amateur theatre groups was held in Regina in the mid-1950s. Thereafter the Regina Little Theatre and Theatre Saskatchewan formed. Theatre and Saskatoon are synonymous with names such as

Henry Woolf Henry Woolf, (20 January 1930 – 11 November 2021) was a British actor, theatre director, and teacher of acting, drama, and theatre who lived in Canada. He was a longtime friend and collaborator of 2005 Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter, having st ...

actor and artistic director and Bob Hinnitt drama organizer of Castle Theatre Aden Bowman Collegiate. The Persephone Theatre, 25th Street Theatre, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, and the Globe Theatre produce professional theatrical shows for the Saskatchewan community today.

Visual arts

Early explorers and adventurers were enticed to the

by paintings by

Paul Kane Paul Kane (September 3, 1810 – February 20, 1871) was an Irish-born Canadian painter, famous for his paintings of First Nations peoples in the Canadian West and other Native Americans in the Columbia District. A largely self-educated artis ...

who depicted a romantic west of adventure. As early as the 1955 summer season, the Regina College Summer School at Murray Point on Emma Lake reached national prominence.

Augustus Kenderdine Augustus Frederick Lafosse (Gus) Kenderdine (1870–1947) was a landscape and portrait artist of Lancashire and Saskatchewan, a farmer of Saskatchewan, and academic at the University of Saskatchewan. England Kenderdine was born the third of six ...

, Inglis Sheldon-Williams,

Illingworth Kerr Illingworth "Buck" Kerr (20 August 1905 – 6 January 1989) was a Canadian painter, illustrator and writer. He is best known for his landscape paintings of the Saskatchewan and Alberta prairies and foothills. Early years Illingworth Holey Kerr w ...

, James Henderson, Ernest Lindner, Jan Wyers, Dorothy Knowles, Reta Cowley and William Perehudoff are all well known and acclaimed Saskatchewan artists. Kenneth Lochhead, Arthur McKay, Ronald Bloore, Douglas Morton and

Ted Godwin Edward W. (Ted) Godwin, D.F.A. (August 13, 1933 – January 3, 2013) was the youngest member of the Regina Five, a group of five artists ( Ken Lochhead, Art McKay, Ron Bloore and Douglas Morton) all based in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1961 when ...

became known as the "Regina Five". Joe Fafard, Jack Sures, and Vic Cicansky make ceramics and sculpture their visual art form media. Painters Bob Boyer and David Thauberger, as well as sculptor Bill Epp and the brothers Huang Zhongyang and Huang Zhongru are noteworthy as well. 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

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. James Sinclair Ross, W.O. Mitchell,

Lorna Crozier Lorna Crozier, OC (born 24 May 1948) is a Canadian poet who holds the Head Chair in the Writing Department at the University of Victoria. She has authored fifteen books and was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2011. She is credited as ...

Anne Szumigalski Anne Szumigalski, SOM (b. 3 January 1922 in London, England, d. 22 April 1999) was a Canadian poet. Life She was born Anne Howard Davis in London, England, and grew up mostly in a Hampshire village. She served with the Red Cross as a medical ...

, Candace Savage and

Robert Kroetsch Robert Paul Kroetsch (June 26, 1927 – June 21, 2011)

, are Saskatchewan's literary artists. Rev. Charles Gordon (nom de plume, Ralph Connor), Robert Stead, Frederick Philip Grove,

Wallace Stegner Wallace Earle Stegner (February 18, 1909 – April 13, 1993) was an American novelist, short story writer, environmentalism, environmentalist, and historian, often called "The Dean of Western Writers". He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 and the U. ...

, R.D. (Bob) Symons, Edward McCourt,

, Bonnie Burnard, David Carpenter, Don Kerr, Byrna Barclay, Glen Sorestad, Gertrude Story,

Maria Campbell Maria Campbell (born April 26, 1940 near Park Valley, Saskatchewan) is a Métis author, playwright, broadcaster, filmmaker, and Elder. Campbell is a fluent speaker of four languages: Cree, Michif, Western Ojibwa, and English. Four of her publis ...

Sharon Butala Sharon Butala (born Sharon Annette LeBlanc, 1940 in Nipawin, Saskatchewan) is a Canadians, Canadian writer and novelist. Life Butala was born in an outpost hospital in Nipawin, Saskatchewan. She was the second of five daughters born to Amy Graham ...

, 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 Eli Mandel (December 3, 1922 – September 3, 1992) was a Canadian poet, editor of many Canadian anthologies, and literary academic. Biography Eli Mandel died in relative obscurity. A series of strokes had left him unable to write and, as a ...

, 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 Allen Sapp (January 2, 1928 – December 29, 2015) was a Canadian Cree painter, who resided in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. His art and his story have become known throughout Canada. His paintings tell a personal story, and many feature image ...

, painter from the Red Pheasant Reserve who also includes

Royal Canadian Academy of Arts The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) is a Canadian arts-related organization that was founded in 1880. History 1880 to 1890 The title of Royal Canadian Academy of Arts was received from Queen Victoria on 16 July 1880. The Governor General ...

and an Officer of the Order of Canada awards. 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 Roy John Romanow (born August 12, 1939) is a Canadian politician and the 12th premier of Saskatchewan from 1991 to 2001. Early life Romanow was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to Tekla and Michael Romanow, who were Ukrainian immigrants from Or ...

during the 1997 Governor General's literary awards ceremonies. There have been other Saskatchewan artists who have been honoured with the Governor General's Literary Awards such as Lorna Crozier (

Swift Current Swift Current is the fifth largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is situated along the Trans Canada Highway west of Moose Jaw, and east of Medicine Hat, Alberta. Swift Current grew 6.8% between 2011 and 2016, ending up at ...

), ''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

newspaper, was the province's first paper and was started in 1878 by Patrick Gammie Laurie.

Nicholas Flood Davin Nicholas Flood Davin, KC (January 13, 1840 – October 18, 1901) was a lawyer, journalist and politician, born at Kilfinane, Ireland. The first MP for Assiniboia West (1887–1900), Davin was known as the voice of the North-West. Davin fou ...

founded the '' Regina Leader'' in Assiniboia Provisional District, North-West Territories, as early as 1883. Other North-West Territories pre-provincial newspapers (pre-1905) were the ''Moose Jaw Times'', ''North West Territories Gazette'', ''Prince Albert Times'', ''Qu'Appelle Progress'', ''Qu'Appelle Vidette'', ''Saskatoon Sentinel'' and '' The Saskatoon Phenix''.

Dance

The First Nation Muskowekwan of Saskatchewan are still renowned for their

dance, drumming and music. Early pioneer immigrants would enjoy local barn dances with local musical talent who played

old-time music Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combinati ...

and folks enjoyed square dances, polkas, waltzes and ethnic dances. Saskatchewan Dance Theatre in Saskatoon and Regina

Modern Dance Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert or theatrical dance which included dance styles such as ballet, folk, ethnic, religious, and social dancing; and primarily arose out of Europe and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th ...

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 The Regina Symphony Orchestra (RSO) was founded by Frank Laubach, in Regina, Saskatchewan, as the ''Regina Orchestral Society'' in 1908, giving its inaugural concert December 3 of that same year. Becoming the ''Regina Choral and Orchestral Societ ...

Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is a professional orchestra based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan administered by the non-profit Saskatoon Symphony Society. The orchestra was founded in 1927 as an amateur orchestra, but today has 10 core member ...

, 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,

Buffy Sainte-Marie Buffy Sainte-Marie, (born Beverly Sainte-Marie, February 20, 1941) is an Indigenous Canadian-American ( Piapot Cree Nation) singer-songwriter, musician, composer, visual artist, educator, pacifist, and social activist. While working in these ...

Connie Kaldor Connie Isabelle Kaldor, (born 9 May 1953) is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter. She is the recipient of three Juno awards. Early life and education Kaldor was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. She graduated from Campbell Collegiate in Regina in 1972 ...

, Stu Davis,

Don Freed Donald Freed (born 1949 in New Westminster) is a Canadian singer-songwriter best known for his works about life on the prairies of western-Canada and the province of Saskatchewan in particular. Life and career Don Freed was born of Métis desce ...

Colin James Colin James (born Colin James Munn, August 17, 1964) is a Canadian rock and blues singer and songwriter. Biography Early years James was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. His grandpa was Serbian. He got his break opening for Stevie Ray V ...

Jack Semple Jack Semple is a Canadian blues singer and guitarist from Regina, Saskatchewan. Semple was the lead guitarist for The Lincolns for two years; he performs as a solo artist and with The Jack Semple Band, throughout Canada and in the United States.

, Brad Johner and the band of Jason Plumb and the Willing. Brenda Baker is a

songwriter, performer as well as author.

Festivals and events

Chautauqua movement was an early pioneer traveling "tent show" of arts and entertainment.

Agricultural show An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which breeding stock is exhibit ...

s are public events showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with the occupations of agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest of these comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which breeding stock is exhibited), a

trade fair A trade fair, also known as trade show, trade exhibition, or trade exposition, is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services, meet with industry partners and ...

and other competitions and entertainment which have been popular throughout the history of Saskatchewan. 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 Pemmican (also pemican in older sources) is a mixture of tallow, dried meat, and sometimes dried berries. A calorie-rich food, it can be used as a key component in prepared meals or eaten raw. Historically, it was an important part of indigenou ...

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 A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...

granted bachelor's degrees in fine arts as early as the late 1940s. The University of Regina also exists.

People

* Campbell, Maria - playwright * Crofford, Joanne -

Minister of Culture A culture minister or a heritage minister is a common cabinet position in governments. The culture minister is typically responsible for cultural policy, which often includes arts policy (direct and indirect support to artists and arts organizatio ...

, Youth and Recreation * Neatby, Miss Hilda Marion Ada,

M.A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

, 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 The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the cen ...

* Stechishin, Savella -

Ukrainian culture The culture of Ukraine is the composite of the material and spiritual values of the Ukrainian people that has formed throughout the history of Ukraine. It is closely intertwined with ethnic studies about ethnic Ukrainians and Ukrainian histor ...

* 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

Tommy Douglas Thomas Clement Douglas (20 October 1904 – 24 February 1986) was a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as seventh premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961 and Leader of the New Democratic Party from 1961 to 1971. A Baptist min ...

Premier Douglas most notable achievement, the introduction of universal medicare legislation in 1961 to the province of Saskatchewan. In 1964, Justice Hall recommended the nationwide adoption of Saskatchewan's model of public health insurance.

Prizes and awards

Saskatchewan Arts Board formed in 1948 to develop arts and recognition of artists in the province.

Sports

Curling Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on a sheet of ice toward a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. It is related to bowls, boules, and shuffleboard. Two teams, each with four players, take turns slidi ...

is the official sport of

, and was played there before the formation of the province in 1905. Curling ice rinks are the centre of most Saskatchewan communities. The official national summer

sport Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, ...

lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensiv ...

, which was invented by

Aboriginal peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

Ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...

is official national winter sport.

Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division. The Roughriders were founded in ...

is the professional

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

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 The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...

Moose Jaw Warriors The Moose Jaw Warriors are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The Warriors play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Moose Jaw Events Centre ...

Prince Albert Raiders The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the city of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. The team plays its hom ...

Regina Pats Regina (Latin for "queen") may refer to: Places Canada * Regina, Saskatchewan, the capital city of the province ** Regina (electoral district) ** Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina France * Régina, French Guiana, a commune United States * ...

Saskatoon Blades The Saskatoon Blades are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League, formerly the Western Canadian Hockey League (WCHL). They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, playing at the 15,195-seat SaskTe ...

, and Swift Current Broncos. Many world-class hockey athletes have roots in Saskatchewan, such as

Gordie Howe Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...

Bryan Trottier Bryan John Trottier (born July 17, 1956) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won four Stanley Cups with the ...

Clark Gillies Clark Gillies (April 7, 1954 – January 21, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played for the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League between 1974 and 1988. Gillies served as captain of the Island ...

Max Bentley Maxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley (March 1, 1920 – January 19, 1984) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of a pr ...

and

Wendel Clark Wendel L. Clark (born October 25, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. His professional career lasted from 1985 until 2000, during which time he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, New York Islanders, Tampa ...

amongst several other

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

players. There exist a few amateur baseball teams in the

Western Major Baseball League The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) is a collegiate summer baseball league based in Saskatchewan and Alberta that descends from leagues dating to 1931. History The league can trace its roots back to 1931, via its predecessors. The Sout ...

. Soccer is currently making inroads as a fast-growing sport. Saskatchewan hosts auto racing on the Saskatchewan International Raceway drag racing course, Bridgecity Speedway in Saskatoon, and

Kings Park Speedway Kings Park Speedway is an auto racing facility located north-east of Regina and north-west of Pilot Butte, Saskatchewan, Canada, operated by the Regina Auto Racing Club. The facility features a 1/3 mile high-banked paved oval with longer straigh ...

of Regina, which both feature Thunderstock, and Streetstock racing.

Bowling Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). The term ''bowling'' usually refers to pin bowling (most commonly ten-pin bowling), thou ...

takes several forms in Saskatchewan, including

ten-pin Ten-pin bowling is a type of bowling in which a bowler rolls a bowling ball down a wood or synthetic lane toward ten pins positioned evenly in four rows in an equilateral triangle. The objective is to knock down all ten pins on the first roll ...

and

lawn bowling Bowls, also known as lawn bowls or lawn bowling, is a sport in which the objective is to roll biased balls so that they stop close to a smaller ball called a "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a bowling green, which may be flat (for "flat-gre ...

, and

five-pin bowling Five-pin bowling is a bowling variant which is played in Canada, where many bowling alleys offer it, either alone or in combination with ten-pin bowling. It was devised around 1909 by Thomas F. Ryan in Toronto, Ontario, at his Toronto Bowling Cl ...

. Golf is a widely enjoyed recreational sport across Saskatchewan and the golf courses feature cross country ski trails in the winter months.

Weyburn Weyburn is the eleventh-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. The city has a population of 10,870. It is on the Souris River southeast of the provincial capital of Regina and is north from the North Dakota border in the United States. The n ...

hosted the 2004 Saskatchewan Summer Games and

Lloydminster Lloydminster is a city in Canada which has the unusual geographic distinction of straddling the provincial border between Alberta and Saskatchewan. The city is incorporated by both provinces as a single city with a single municipal administrati ...

the 2008 Saskatchewan Summer Games. Prince Albert hosted the 1993 North American Indigenous Games and Saskatoon 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.

References

External links

Virtual Saskatchewan - Aboriginal CultureSaskCulture Home PageCulture Youth and Recreation , HomeFRANCOPHONE CULTURE CELEBRATED IN SASKATCHEWAN - Government of ...Saskatchewan Arts BoardNorth Saskatchewan HeritageThe Saskatchewan Book Awards Home PageSaskatchewan Arts Board - Tansi & Welcome to the ArtsboardGlobe Theatre Home Page
Regina
Regina Little TheatresRegina: Lyric Light Opera Society, SaskatchewanSaskatoon: 25th Street Theatre Centre, SaskatchewanSaskatoon: Persephone Theatre, SaskatchewanSaskatoon: Saskatchewan Native Theatre CompanySaskatoon: Shakespeare on Saskatchewan Festival, SaskatchewanCanadian Theatre Encyclopedia
* Details , Competitive Games {{DEFAULTSORT:Culture Of Saskatchewan