BLACKFOOT HISTORY

The Blackfoot does not only consist of one tribe, but consists of 4 different Nations as of our present day. Our Blackfoot tribes are the:  Piikani Nation Tribe, which is located between Pincher Creek Alberta, and Fort Macleod Alberta.  Our neighbor’s in Kainai Nation Tribe, which is located South West of Lethbridge, Alberta.  The Siksika Nation Tribe, which is located South East of Calgary, Alberta.  Amskaapii Piikani Tribe, which is the South Peigan Tribe, which is located in Browning, Montana. Our people refer to ourselves as “Niitsitapi,” which means the “original people,” or “real people.” Our history dates back thousands of years. Although our tribes had been through many hardships, our beliefs and culture are still practiced to this present day, within the different Blackfoot community’s. We still host our annual Pow-wow gatherings, within each community at different times of the summer season. Dancers from all over Canada, and the United States gather at these Pow-wow’s each year to celebrate our culture. In the early 1800’s contact had been made with the European settlers and our ancestors, who still roamed and gathered from our homeland, this was our home, Mother Nature. The European settlers had made contact and did not agree with our aspects of living life free, and believed they could structure our people, and have our people live within this new found territory as to their rules. The rules they had imposed began in these early days when the land was being disputed over. Our people did not want to give up; there is many historian tales, dates, and facts, which show that we were the “Warrior’s” of this land. The Blackfoot peoples and many other different tribes would put up a fight for our homeland. Our Blackfoot Territory itself is a vast area, and begins near the North Saskatchewan River, which is now known as Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada, to the Yellowstone River of Montana in the United States, and from the Rocky Mountains and along the South Saskatchewan River, east past the Cypress Hills. Within this vast territory many hunts had taken place. Great hunts which our Warriors hunted the Iinii, (buffalo.) Within these Blackfoot camps, our people all worked and gathered together. The iinii (buffalo) to our people was a sacred creature; it provided for us and sheltered our people and families. Within each Niitsitapi camp, there would be at least 10 – 30 tipi lodges set up, as their camp. Our people would travel and gather, they would migrate seasonally, as did our seasons. We were a very spiritual being, and our spiritual ways are still practiced in ceremonies to this present day. Each camp consisted of one leader, known as our Chief of the camp, our respected leader. Within the camps the women would cloth and shelter our people, by making the outfits, our people wore, and would gather and clean meat, berries and food from the land. The women would help to provide for each member of the camp, respectively. In our culture as well there are tales of disobedience, and the tales of how these people would be punished. But the men and Warriors of camp would provide and gather as well, when they had attended many iinii (buffalo) hunts. Our people all worked and provided for our community’s. We the Blackfoot were a feared community. There as well are many stories of when, other hunters would come and try steal or take our land from us, many other tribes were not successful at this. Dated back in history when European contact had been made many slayings of our people and other tribes had been made in attempt to resistance of our people. I believe in that time they did not want our people here? Why? Well it’s still a question many people argue over today. So the government of that time frame began to develop treaties and would scout out to our camps to deliver different treaties on different occasions. Our famous treaty, which is still used to this day, was developed in 1877, which is our Treaty 7 agreement. After the treaties had been signed, our people were given reservations, and adapted to change slowly. Still in the government’s aspect our people would still suffer in the years to come, due to the development of the Boarding School System. Which was governed and run by priests, and nuns. When our people were put in the boarding school system, they had to except the change that had been imposed on our people. The North West Mounted Police would govern these rules and regulations. It was said that the children be handed over to these schools, and if their parents were to disagree, they would in turn be sentenced to jail time. So many children were taking away from their families, and taught this new way of life. The new way of life imposed on our parents and grandparents would leave a scar on our people. Could you imagine not being able to go home? Not being able to speak your own language? Well this is what many of the boarding school systems had done to our people. Although not all schooling for our ancestors was the same, some of our people had the best experiences, while others did not. To this day, some of the scars from residential school are still present, but we the Blackfoot are a very resilient race, and have learned to adapt to change, and make positive changes out of all negative we were dealt with in the past. I am a strong Blackfoot woman, and am very proud to be “Niitsitapi,” and believe that we will always be here, and it is up to our generation, to not let change happen to us and our children. Saying this, I mean my language will never be forgotten, but practiced in my daily life, of me and my children, as well our traditional ways. That is a brief piece of my Blackfoot history; I have chosen to share with you. Thank you! By, Jarrellee Bad Eagle