Can you see them 👻? I see them.
The mountains around Bow Lake and the broader Canadian Rockies are deeply spiritual places, particularly for the Indigenous Peoples who have inhabited these lands for thousands of yearsThe Indigenous Perspective Sacred Spaces: For the Stoney Nakoda, Blackfoot, Tsuut'ina, and other nations, the mountains are considered temples, sanctuaries, and resting places. Connection to Ancestors: The Stoney Nakoda believe the mountains are the physical representation of their ancestors. One Elder stated, "It is said that when creation occurred, we came out of the mountain, and at the end of time, we will go back to the mountain". "Lake of the Spirits": The Stoney Nakoda refer to the body of water in the image (Bow Lake) as "Minn-waki," meaning "Lake of the Spirits," a place they hold with both respect and reverence. Source of Life and Healing: The region was traditionally used for gathering medicinal plants and seeking healing in natural hot springs, with the land providing everything needed for life and ceremony.