Ogema Boulder Effigy Protected Area

The Ogema Boulder Effigy Protected Area comprises 0.8 ha of land on the crest of the Missouri Coteau upland, approximately 10 km south of the Town of Ogema. The property features a large precontact age stone ring and two associated rock cairns situated on a prominent hilltop.

The heritage value of the Ogema Boulder Effigy Protected Area lies in its association with First Nations ceremonialism. Much larger than the stone circles that mark the former locations of tipi dwellings, the property’s large stone ring is assumed to have had a ceremonial function. Representing the interconnectedness of life, the circle is a sacred symbol for many First Nations. Thus, the circular stone structure likely enclosed some kind of sacred space, perhaps similar in meaning or purpose to a sundance lodge.

Source:

Province of Saskatchewan, The Parks Act, May 26, 1986.

The heritage value of the Ogema Boulder Effigy Protected Area resides in the following character-defining elements:

-elements that express the property’s ceremonial significance for First Nations, including the stone ring and associated stone features, and the site’s location on an undisturbed prairie hilltop.