Banff Gondola offers immersive 'Nightrise' experience showcasing Stoney Nakoda stories

The Banff Gondola has anew nighttime experience atop Sulphur Mountain that pays tribute to the stories and history of Stoney Nakoda Nationsomething that hasn'talways been at the forefront in theAlberta resort town.

The multimedia, immersive presentation, dubbedNightrise,was unveiled Wednesday evening.

It features vibrant lighting, video projections and soundscapesinside and outside the summit complex, with the experience starting with the gondola ride.

Stuart Back, vice-president of operations at Banff Jasper Collection by Pursuit, says the project has been in the works for several months and was done in partnership withStoney NakodaNation.

WATCH | Stoney Nakoda stories light up Banff's gondola

Stoney Nakoda Nation teams up with Banff tourist attraction to share its stories

3 years ago

Duration 3:03

The Sulphur Mountain gondola near Banff is launching a new multimedia experience. It centres on displays inspired by the storytelling and culture of the Stoney Nakoda.

He says it was important to bring the stories and teachings of the First Nations people to the forefront.

"We really encourage guests to spend the time and absorb the environment," he said. "The longer you look, the more you see. The harder you listen, the more you hear. And that's something that's really come through from the way the Stoney [people]view this place."

Kirsten Ryder,the training and development director with Stoney Nakoda Nation, says the Stoney have both acultural and historical significance in BanffNational Park and the townsite.

"Banff is sort of an alpine, mountaineering community and is known for that," she said. "Sometimes it's not noticed or it's forgotten that the Indigenous peoples of this territory have been here for a very, very long time."

'Reconciliaction'

Ryder notes the Stoney Nakoda people helped guide settlers tomountain trails andland.

But these stories aren't always shared, and Ryder says it's been a long time coming that the Stoney people get to collaborate in a project like this.

"It's 'reconciliaction,' where we're actually taking some action here and partnering and we get to have some sayand a Stoney-led process."

She says her people are now represented at the Banff Gondolathrough songand their language.

"We hope that anywhere that non-Indigenous people visit, we hope that they can recognize that there have been Indigenous peoples in that territory for a very long time and start to recognize that and maybe want to even learn more about us."

Nightrise runs until March 12, 2022.