Naming the West : Stories Siksika

Siksika Elder Story 3:

If you’re asking how Gleichen got its name, it’s English. It was a German working on a... coming this way. There was no town at that time. It is a German word. [We called the place] “Soukitsee”, that’s how you say it in Blackfoot. Now where that “Soukitsee” comes from is a corner drugstore that is still standing right now. Doctor – I forgot his name, but he was a Doctor, and he had a great big belly, and that’s how come we called that, “Soukitsee”.

When Gleichen, the workers that were just supposed to have camped there until the railroad was done.  They were to move back, I don’t know if any of you know Hussar. That was our border. But somehow the government and the CPR said let us stay here, when you ride the train, you only pay half price, which is 85 cents one way to Calgary. They honored our treaty cards. At that time there were two sections. When I say sections that’s the first train that gets you really early, then the second section, in the evening. Same thing. First and the second section goes through here really late.