Pion-Era 2012 takes people back in time to the early days of Saskatchewan. 

"Instead of just looking at it, you get to see how it works. It is actually history coming alive," said Brenda Mundell, event coordinator. 

The journey through time is taking place at the Western Development Museum all weekend. 

The story of early settlers in the province is expressed through horse and wagon races, old-fashioned ice cream making, flour grinding, a dog wheel and much more.

"We put interpreters in all the buildings and start up all the old machinery and show you how it works. Instead of just looking at it you actually get to see how it worked," Mundell said.

She said that she loves sharing the story of Saskatchewan with people of the world.

"It's showcased to the whole world and appreciated. But quite often us at home, we don't appreciate what we have," she said.

Saskatchewan was the third largest province in Canada when the west was opening. She said that has left an interesting story to tell.

One part of that story is actually told by an Australian. 

William Gough may not be from the prairies but he has spent many years whipping it in to shape. He has travelled doing demonstrations at rodeo's all over North America for many years showing his skills with a whip.

"We put things between people's hands, in their mouths, between their legs and cutting it with whips," he said.

He has been perfecting the skills since he was four-years-old. It was used on the ranch for moving cattle but now he says it is wherever his imagination takes him.

"We get volunteers and cut things from them," he said.

Some of the things they cut is celery, newspapers, and even a cigarette right from the lips.

Melissa Saunders whips in Gough's program. The bubbly 19-year-old has been known to not only have a whip but also a unicylce.

"Some of the things we do we get pretty close to the people with the whips. That we have that much precision and accuracy blows people's minds," she said.

She has been working the whip since she was nine but people's reactions still make her laugh.

"It's usually pretty funny when we first tell them what's going to happen," she said.

KMalone@Rawlco.com