Thyrza Young Burkitt Photographs. Southern Alberta.

Scope and Content: Artist Thyrza Young Burkitt sustains close relationships with Blackfoot tribes in southern Alberta and their many prominent leaders. 35 black and white photographic prints (some mounted on cardboard, some printed as postcards) depicting scenes of southern Alberta, including the "Old Bull Trail" fro…

History Biographical: Thyrza Burkitt was born in Hull, England in 1884. As a young girl, she emigrated to Cardston where her father owned a store and was the magistrate. Many of her father’s clients were First Nations and this stimulated Thyrza’s lifelong interest in their culture. She began to build a personal collection of their art and handmade items from neighbouring Kainai (Blood), Piikani (Peigan), and Amskapi Pikuni (Blackfeet) tribes. Later on in life Thyrza took up painting; studying in Los Angeles and Banff. She painted many scenes of First Nations life. She also wrote articles, plays, biographies and a dictionary of Blackfoot terms. This passion led her to write for Crucible Magazine published in Toronto from 1932-1943. (From "Honouring Women of Lethbridge", an 2015 exhibit featuring the Legacy Ridge neighbourhood in Lethbridge, Alberta, in which the streets and parks are named after prominent women in Lethbridge.)

Scope and Content: Artist Thyrza Young Burkitt sustains close relationships with Blackfoot tribes in southern Alberta and their many prominent leaders. 35 black and white photographic prints (some mounted on cardboard, some printed as postcards) depicting scenes of southern Alberta, including the "Old Bull Trail" from Medicine Hat to Fort Walsh (1936), Blackfoot Sun Dance (1900), Ed Kenney's Water Wagon, Lethbridge, Standoff (1910) and others.