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 Roaring Twenties'' is a 1939 American crime thriller film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring James Cagney, Priscilla Lane, Humphrey Bogart, and Gladys George. The film, spanning the periods between 1919 and 1933, was written by Jerry ...

. 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 Culture of Saskatchewan views the patterns of human activity in the central prairie province of Canada examining the way people live in the geography, climate, and social context of Saskatchewan. First Nations and fur traders adopted a transhuma ...

List of museums in Saskatchewan This list of museums in Saskatchewan contains museums which are defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, sci ...

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 Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

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, Anne Szumigalski, Candace Savage and Robert Kroetsch, are Saskatchewan's literary artists. Rev. Charles Gordon (nom de plume, Ralph Connor), Robert Stead, Frederick Philip Grove, Wallace Stegner, R.D. (Bob) Symons, Edward McCourt, Lorna Crozier, Bonnie Burnard, David Carpenter, Don Kerr, Byrna Barclay, Glen Sorestad, Gertrude Story, Maria Campbell, Sharon Butala, 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, 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, painter from the Red Pheasant Reserve who also includes Royal Canadian Academy of Arts 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 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), ''Inventing the Hawk'', John Newlove (poet), 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 Battleford newspaper, was the province's first paper and was started in 1878 by Patrick Gammie Laurie. Nicholas Flood Davin founded the ''Regina Leader-Post, Regina Leader'' in Assiniboia, 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 and folks enjoyed square dances, polkas, waltzes and ethnic dances. Saskatchewan Dance Theatre in Saskatoon and Regina Modern dance, Modern Dance 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, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, 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, Connie Kaldor, Stu Davis, Don Freed, Colin James, Jack Semple, 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, Chautauqua movement was an early pioneer traveling "tent show" of arts and entertainment. Agricultural shows 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 selective breeding, breeding stock is exhibited), a trade fair 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 and bannock (food), 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 granted bachelor's degrees in fine arts as early as the late 1940s. The University of Regina also exists.

People

*Maria Campbell, Campbell, Maria - playwright *Joanne Crofford, Crofford, Joanne - Minister of culture, Minister of Culture, Youth and Recreation *Hilda Neatby, Neatby, Miss Hilda Marion Ada, Master of Arts, M.A., 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. *Maggie Siggins, Siggins, Maggie - Canadian journalist *Arnold Spohr, Spohr, Arnold - Saskatchewan ballet dancer awarded Order of Canada *Savella Stechishin, Stechishin, Savella - Ukrainian culture *Norman Wagner, Wagner, Norman - Saskatchewan born - founded the School of Religion and Culture *Boyd Wettlaufer, 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 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 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 in Canada, sport is lacrosse, which was invented by Aboriginal peoples in Canada, Aboriginal peoples. Ice hockey is official national winter sport. Saskatchewan Roughriders is the professional Canadian Football League 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: Moose Jaw Warriors, Prince Albert Raiders, Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades, and Swift Current Broncos. Many world-class hockey athletes have roots in Saskatchewan, such as Gordie Howe, Bryan Trottier, Clark Gillies, Max Bentley and Wendel Clark amongst several other National Hockey League players. There exist a few amateur baseball teams in the Western Major Baseball League. 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 of Regina, which both feature Thunderstock, and Streetstock racing. Bowling takes several forms in Saskatchewan, including Ten-pin bowling, ten-pin and Bowls, lawn bowling, and five-pin bowling. Golf is a widely enjoyed recreational sport across Saskatchewan and the golf courses feature cross country ski trails in the winter months. Weyburn hosted the 2004 Saskatchewan Summer Games and Lloydminster the 2008 Saskatchewan Summer Games. Prince Albert hosted the 1993 North American Indigenous Games and Saskatoon the 1971 Canada Games, 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
*[http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/competitive_games.html The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan , Details , Competitive Games] {{DEFAULTSORT:Culture Of Saskatchewan Culture of Saskatchewan,