6 Bengough: Cowboys and Rodeo beyond the Museum
A project by Pat Craven,
Bengough Museum
Bengough, Saskatchewan is known for the Gateway Festival, Bull-o-Rama, and being the gateway to the Big Muddy Valley, including the well-known landmark Castle Butte. The Gateway Festival is a multi-genre musical festival attended by thousands every summer. Bull-o-Rama is a bull riding competition hosted at the Bengough rodeo grounds annually in early July. And Castle Butte, or the Big Muddy, is a natural land formation in the badlands south of Bengough; this is where the Big Muddy Rodeo used to be held.
Deeper than the tourism events Bengough has hosted, Bengough’s culture is very much that of authentic ranching and agriculture. Pat Craven of the Bengough Museum explained how the museum used Culture Days (an annual event in September supporting cultural activity throughout the province) and their summer kids’ programming to educate youth about the living heritage of the community. By calling for community members to loan the museum ranching and rodeo tack and gear, the museum was able to share stories relating to the history of Bengough and the practices used by residents to ensure the prosperity and growth of their community. Pat said that some of the loaned tack needed to be returned early as the owner needed to use it to participate in team roping – showing just how alive this heritage is.
Bengough was once known for one of Saskatchewan’s largest rodeos.
This understanding of culture is passed on to youth who live on ranches through saddle making, rodeo participation, and taking part in ranching. For the youth who moved to the community who had not lived on a ranch or experienced this lifestyle, the Culture Days event that happened at Bengough School was a perfect opportunity for them to learn about the living heritage of the town. Craven said that the children who lived on farms and ranches were able to tell stories about what it was like working with horses and what was needed to be successful at keeping horses. Pat said that other students showed an interest in learning how to make saddles like their grandparents or great-grandparents had. Lastly, those who were interested in rodeo were able to hear stories and share stories about their family’s experiences.
Though the days of outlaws in the Big Muddy Valley are long gone, and the memory of the Big Muddy Rodeo is fading, the cowboy spirit remains strong among the residents of Bengough. It is a point of pride that their community has been a centre for rodeo and ranching excellence. Craven expresses that the members of the Bengough community are wholesome, caring, and welcoming. Their drive to host major events such as the Gateway Festival and Bull-o-Rama are a testament to their eagerness to share their culture with the rest of the world. It is a culture that will live on through the youngsters – such as the ones who participated in the Culture Days line dances or those who are eager to take on the task of traditional saddle making. These understandings that are passed down from generation to generation are and will continue to be the basis of living heritage.
The Bengough Museum highlights the projects and exhibitions around its collection.
