The Gift of the Grandfathers

The Indigenous Peoples who travelled the Great Plains by horseback some three centuries ago were Canada's first cowboys. Today, horsemanship remains a vibrant part of Western First Nations culture... it is one of the gifts of the grandfathers. Tracing the colourful history of North American Indigenous cowboys and rodeos through to the present day, The Gift of the Grandfathers trails along with Sandra Crowchild and Richard Bish, both from the Tsuu T'ina Nation in Southern Alberta who were born to the rodeo life. Travelling to the four corners of the Great Plains, the video charts their progress as they make their way to the all-important Indian National Finals Rodeo in Saskatchewan, held in Canada for the first time in 20 years. Saddle up for a ride on the First Nations rodeo circuit--the source of a strong sense of history and pride, as well as heaping helpings of plain, old-fashioned good times.