Pierre Bottineau

Pierre was a real-life guide, interpreter and voyageur in the mid 1800s. If you wanted to cross the prairie, Pierre was your man.

Tom's portrayal of Pierre includes fascinating information about nature and the life of the voyageur, the canoe-paddling fur trader of the era. The voyageur would sing songs to keep time when the crew paddled, so Pierre leads the audience in singing 'Aloette.'  Volunteers also do the voyageur dance. The program will illuminate animal adaptations and habitat, including various fur-bearing animals such as the beaver, lynx and wolf. Pierre concludes the program by discussing the value of all animals, illustrating nature's balance using the predator-prey relationship of the wolf and moose.