Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

In 1897, a significant cultural event, the first 'Banff Indian Days,' was held not in Banff itself, but at Lake Louise, near what is now the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. This event was conceived by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) as a way to attract tourists and showcase Indigenous culture. Local Stoney Nakoda First Nations people were invited to set up tipis, perform dances, and demonstrate traditional crafts for visitors. While the event was undoubtedly a staged performance for the benefit of tourists, it represented an early, albeit complex, interaction between Indigenous communities and the burgeoning tourism industry in the Rockies. It provided a rare opportunity for early tourists to witness aspects of Indigenous life and for the Stoney Nakoda to engage with the outside world, earning some income in the process. This initial gathering laid the groundwork for the more formalized 'Banff Indian Days' that would later become a prominent annual event in Banff.