Tourism grows near the Battlefords with launch of Wachamajayam Buffalo Tours

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The tour will run from May to Oct, and has now been renamed to Wachamajayam Buffalo Tours, meaning journey together in Stoney Nakoda language. 

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“Come journey with us, see the buffalo, learn about the beautiful Yellowstone buffalo that were gifted to the First Nation and why it’s really important for us to care for them and to promote knowledge about that.” 

Visitors will be able to choose between two separate tour packages.  

“The first one is just generally just coming out and along the fence line where it’s protected, chatting about the Yellowstone buffalo. The more in-depth one is about two hours. You go past the fence, and you go to some special sites to get a little closer to the buffalo and learn about the habitat,” Materne said. 

These tours will be coordinated with Travis Spyglass, a local in the community.  

Travis Spyglass, buffalo coordinator for Wachamajayam Buffalo Tours. (Image Credit: Rowena Materne)

“He’s very passionate about caring for the buffalo and learning about it. He has been working hard, taking people on tours. So we’re just building on that concept and formalizing it a bit more.” 

Brian Murphy, director of capital projects and developmental growth, said with this expansion, staff can enhance safety protocols. 

“Everybody will be safe and everybody can enjoy themselves and everybody can walk away with smiles. We have fencing, we’ll have waivers, obviously, but we’ll have some vehicles as well,” he said. 

Another new addition includes a teepee picnic overlooking the herd with food provided by The Ridge’s bistro – Kada. That’s where the bistro’s new pizza will be introduced including a concept that Chef Tyrel Wuttunee is especially excited about.  

“The crust base is what’s unique. It is made of wild rice; it’s about 75 per cent flour and then 25 per cent rice flour. It gives it kind of a purple hue, and you can taste the wild rice,” said the chef.  

Pizza named ‘pinamach’ meaning we are grateful in Stoney Nakoda language. Made of wild rice flour, minced moose and buffalo summer sausage. (Image Credit: battlefordsNOW)

Materne added the combination of these ingredients along with the scenery brings an ‘ambiance of cultural heritage.’

“It brings us back to the authenticity of what we’re doing, of who we are, and to share it with everybody so they can all have that feeling as one,” she said. “I really believe that this gives people an opportunity to see the broader Battlefords.” 

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Alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com