Blackfoot Alphabet and History
Blackfoot Alphabet
Aa — has the quality of “a” in English “father”, except before double consonants, quality is more like the vowel of English in “cut”l as in sa; no, an nia; ok now.
Hh — guttural sound, it is greatly affected by the preceding vowel, after “I”, sound is at the highest point of the mouth, “O” and “A”, guttural sound is made nearer the back roof of the mouth; ih – as in ihkitsika; seven, as in oh — ohkotoki, rock; ksaahkoi; dirt.
Ii — has the quality of the English “I” as in the word “machine” when doubled as in is ska – ‘pail’, miini-‘berry’
Kk — sounds like the English “g” as in “gum”, kitsim; door
Mm — sounds like the English “M”, maamii; fish
Nn — sounds like the English “N”, as in ninaa; man
Oo — has the quality of English “O” like in “so”, before a double consonant, quality is more like the “O” of “woman” as in oki; hello, onniki ; milk
Pp — sounds like the English “B”, as in Poosa; cat
Ss — sounds like the English “S”, as in sa; no, kiisto; you
Tt — sounds like the English “D” as in taka; who?
Ww — same quality as the English “W” as in awaani; he says
Yy — same quality as the English “Y” as in ayo’kaa; he’s sleeping
‘ —glottal stop), an interruption made by momentarily closing the glottis (vocal cord) like in English speakers do between the expression “oh-oh” as in sa’ai; duck, ni’sa; my older brother, coyote; api’siass
Ts and Ks: though written as sequences, they are single sound units in the language called Affricates. To produce these sounds, one begins with the tongue position of the sound usually written with [k or t] but before it is released, the front part of the tongue assumes the position it normally has for the sound “s”, so that the “t” or “k” is released into the “s.”
Diphthongs
“ai” before double consonants, it is about like the “ai” of English “said”, as in aiksini; pig. Before the glottal stop [‘} it is similar to the “ai” of English “paid”, as in ai’poyiwa; he/she speaks. “ao” is like the “aw” of the dawn, to approximate it, pronounce the “a” of English father with rounded lips as in Oakska’siwa; act bad.
“Oi” sounds like oi as in English coin
Blackfoot History; Nipaitahpisinni
Traditional Blackfoot Territory and hunting ground extends from the South Saskatchewan River in the north, west to the Rocky Mountains, south to the Missouri River and east to the Cypress Hills. The vast hunting grounds was a huge tract of 50,000 square miles was surrendered through Treaty 7. The Blackfoot Confederacy, along with the Tsuut’ina and Stoney/Nakoda Nations, signed Treaty 7 at Blackfoot Crossing on September 22, 1877. Some of the people present included Blackfoot leaders Crowfoot and Red Crow, North-West Mounted Police commissioner James Macleod, Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West Territories David Laird, and interpreter Jerry Potts.
Treaty 7
In the 1877 treaty, the Bloods agreed on a reserve based on five people per square mile. Red Crow had no interest in settling down—not as long as there were buffalo on the plains—so he accepted Crowfoot’s suggestion that they take a reserve downriver from Blackfoot Crossing. However, when the reality of reserve life came home to him, Red Crow made it clear that he did not want to live on the barren plains along the Bow River. Rather, he wanted the tribes traditional wintering grounds along the Belly River. (A. Hugh Dempsey, Red Crow, Warrior Chief. Fifth House Publishers, 1995.) The current location of the Blood Reserve is the largest Indian Reserve in Canada with a membership of 14,000 as of 2019.
Blackfoot Confederacy
Blackfoot Confederacy are the Blackfoot-speaking people who share one culture and way of life. The four bands to make up the Blackfoot Confederacy are Kainai, Many Chiefs or the Blood Tribe; Pikanni (Northern) Scabby Robes; Amskapiipikani, Southern Pikani Scabby Robes; and Siksika, Blackfoot. The Blackfoot Confederacy signed Treaty 7 at Blackfoot Crossing.
Flags of the nations in the Blackfoot Confederacy, Kainai, Siksika, Peigan, and Aamskapiipikani.
Illustration by Jason Eaglespeaker
Kainai
Kainaisksahko
Kainaikoan
Kainaki
Kainaipokaa
To make reference to the people from Kainai, you would say:
Kai nai sksah ko: refers to the land
Kai nai ko an: refers to the people
Kai na ki: refers to women
Kai nai po kaa: refers to child
Piikani
Piikanisskahko
Piikanikoan
Piikanaki
Piikanipokaa
To make reference to the people from Piikani, you would say:
Pii ka nis skah ko: refers to the land
Pii ka ni ko an: refers to the people
Pii kan aki: refers to women
Pii ka ni po kaa: refers to child
Siksika
Siksikaissksahko
Siksikaikoan
Siksikaki
Siksikaipokaa
To make reference to the people from Siksika, you would say:
Si ksi kais skah ko: refers to the land
Si ksi kai ko an: refers to the people
Si ksik aki: refers to women
Si ksi kai po kaa: refers to child
Aamskapiipikani
Aamskapiipika-nisskahko
Aamskapiipikani-koan
Aamskapiipikanaki
Aamskapiipikani-pokaa
To make reference to the people from Aamskapiipikani, you would say:
Aam ska pii pi ka-nis skah ko: refers to the land
Aam ska pii pi ka ni- ko an: refers to the people
Aam ska pii pi ka naki: refers to women
Aam ska pii pi ka ni-po kaa: refers to child
Stories of the Land
The story of Napi (also known as trickster) and the Elk teaches us about greed. Napi did not want to share his food when the injured Coyote asked for some. Instead he challenged Coyote to a race, knowing very well Coyote would never win the race with his sore foot. The race started from the Porcupine Hills and went south to Issapoo, Crow territory. This race also lay claim to the land as Blackfoot territory. Halfway through the race, Coyote tricked Napi; he did not really have an injured foot. Coyote turned back to Napi’s camp and invited the other animals to share the food in Napi’s lodge. When Napi returned there was no food left. The lesson of the story is about greed and the importance of sharing with those experiencing difficulties.
For an extended version of this story see Percy Bullchild, The Sun Came Down: The History of the World as My Blackfeet Elders Told It. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2005.
Illustration by Jason Eaglespeaker
History of Blood Tribe Chiefs (1800s – present)
Ninaa: man that is a leader or chief of a band.
Bull Back Fat
leading chief of the Blood Tribe after the death of Spotted Calf. Two generations before, another two chiefs named Bull Back Fat also led the tribe. The Buffalo Followers band was controlled by the Bull Back Fat family.
Two Suns, Stookya tosi
leader of the Fish Eaters band. He turned the leadership to his son Seen From Afar, Peenakioyim (1810–1869). By the time Bull Back Fat died in the 1840s, Seen From Afar was recognized as the second head chief of the tribe.
Seen From Afar, Peenakioyim (1840s–1869)
a member of the Fish Eaters Clan. Considered a great chief for his decisive leadership. In 1832, the Chief and his wife Pretty Woman brought home the Long Time Medicine Pipe and his wife brought back the leader’s medicine bundle for the Motoki society. One of his lodge designs, Gambling Painted Teepee depicts his war experiences with his nephew, Red Crow. His siblings include Black Bear, Big Plume, Medicine Snake Woman, Scalp Robe. Medicine Snake Woman’s marriage to Alexander Culbertson of the American Fur Trade Co. secured trade relations for the Blackfoot People. Peenakoyim died in the smallpox epidemic.
His older brother Black Bear succeeded his leadership for a short time until he died from the smallpox epidemic.
Red Crow, Miikaistow
son of Black Bear and Handsome Woman, was the head chief of the Blood Tribe from 1870 to 1900. Warrior, diplomat and statesmen, and signatory of the 1877 Treaty 7 between the government and the Blackfoot Confederacy, his leadership dominated the affairs of the largest reserve in Canada and Mamioiiksi, the Fish Eaters. Red Crow remained true to his Blackfoot Spirituality and way of life. He encouraged farming, ranching and education as a means to self sufficiency. Red Crow died on August 28, 1900 along the Belly River. Find these words related to the signing of Treaty 7. (For more history about the signing of Treaty 7 please see Alex Tesar, “Treaty 7,” in The Canadian Encyclopedia. Last edited Nov. 6, 2019, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/treaty-7.)
Crop Eared Wolf (1846–1913)
Before his death, Red Crow wanted his adopted son Crop Eared Wolf, to succeed him. Before his death, Crop Eared Wolf called his minor chiefs and people together and made them promise that they never sell the land to the white man. In 1913, on his deathbed Crop Eared Wolf wanted his son Shot Both Sides to be leader. (A. Hugh Dempsey, Red Crow, Warrior Chief. Fifth House Publishers, 1995.)
Chief Shot Both Sides, Atsotoah
The son of Crop Eared Wolf and grandson of Red Crow, he became head chief in 1913–1956. He was a sacred society member and entrusted with the sacred. He was one of the first farmers of his tribe. He was a believer in progressive education. (http://www.westerncanadianheritagemuseum.com/shot-bothsides)
Chief Jim Shot Both Sides, Naatosaapi (Son of the Old Man)
The great-grandson of Red Crow. Chief Shot Both Sides assumed leadership in 1956–1964, 1966–80.
Chief Rufus Goodstriker 1964-66
The first elected chief in 1964.
Chief Roy Fox 1980–1996
Chief Harley Frank 1992
Chief Chris Shade 1996–2004
Chief Charles Weaselhead, Taatsiikiipoyii 2004–2016
Chief Roy Fox, Makiinimaa 2016–Present
The Kainai Nation is governed by twelve elected council and one chief who serve a four-year term of office and may be reelected.
Terms of Reference for Leadership
Ninaaki: woman that is a leader (chief)
Niinawaakii: woman leader
First woman leaders in the Blackfoot Confederacy were Chief Gayle Strikes With A Gun from Peigan and Chief Darlene Yellow Old Woman from Siksika.
Niina: male leader
Isttsipihkiniinaa: leader (refers to a crown)
Ohkinniinaa: refers to medallion worn by leadership (Chief Roy Fox wears a medallion from 100 plus years ago. All Treaty 7 chiefs have a medallion.
Maohkotooksskaiksi: council members wear a jacket and pants with a red stripe. As part of the treaty negotiation, the process was to give the head chief a medallion and a suit to the council men to wear.
“He led his people from the buffalo days into the reserve days. Well respected, he was part of all the ceremonies and keeper of the thunder pipe. His son was the last hereditary chief and was taught by his father how to be a chief, which means father of his people.”
—Kainai Blackfoot Elder Pablo Russell.
Prelude to Treaty Seven
Before the signing of Treaty Seven, there was many forces moving in on the Blackfoot People and land that influence their decision to sign the treaty.
The 1855 Lame Bull Treaty with the Americans brought changes. It opened up traditional hunting grounds for government and missionary activities and settlers into the Upper Missouri regions. Treaty promises were broken.
In 1858, fur trader Alexander Culbertson retired and moved with his Blood Indian wife to Peoria, Illinois. Her family was to miss the influence of the trader during the coming confrontations with white settlers.
In the 1860s, miners arrived in search of gold through Blackfoot country almost to North Saskatchewan River. Whisky trade makes confrontations inevitable.
In the north, the Crees and Assiniboines consolidated their position near Fort Edmonton and Fort Pitt raiding Blackfoot trading parties. The killing of the Blackfoot chief started a war with enemy tribes.
Unsettled conditions on the American side between Indians and settlers erupted into open warfare.
In 1864, fur traders at Fort Benton prefered to sell goods to miners than Plains Indians. Traders altered their relations.
In 1865, the epidemic of measles that caused a score of deaths was blamed on the presence of the whites. Bloods raided Fort Benton and netted 40 horses. The retaliation was the murder of a Blood chief. A revenge party of Bloods that killed wood cutters shocked Montanans and proclaimed a “Blackfoot War” had started and the skirmishes that followed hardened the relations even more.
At the same time in the north, a leading chief of the Sarcee was killed by Crees. The Sarcee called for a grand council of the Blackfoot, Bloods and Peigan. A revenge party that was formed massacred 29 women and children within the Cree camp. The retaliation by the Crees resulted in the killing of their leader. The violence in Blackfoot country further resulted in 6 prospectors camped on the Oldman River being killed by the Bloods.
In the south, a Blood war party killed Charles Carson, nephew of Kit Carson.
An intertribal battle erupted and resulted in the deaths of Blackfoot and enemy tribes.
To halt confrontations on Montana frontier, the Americans presented treaty with the Bloods, Peigan and Blackfoot which reduced the size of the reservation and opened the southern part of hunting grounds for settlement. The treaty of 1855 was considered a farce by tribes because it was not attended by their leading chiefs. Authorities in Washington refused to ratify treaty.
In 1868, Americans made another attempt to negotiate a treaty with leading chiefs but it too was not ratified. Bloods were active participants in the US treaties and considered American Indians until the International Boundary was surveyed in 1874.
Conflict with Americans came to tragedy in 1869–70 after a prominent Montanan Malcolm Clark was killed. The US Marshal enlisted help from military Colonel Baker and conducted a mid-winter attack on a Peigan camp and massacred 173 men, women and children, known as Baker Massacre. (A. Hugh Dempsey, Red Crow, Warrior Chief. Fifth House Publishers, 1995.)
The massacre which occurred on January 25, 1870 attacked the wrong camp in their effort to locate the murderer of the rancher. This event drove the Blackfoot tribes into Canada rather than face the hostility of the settlers in Montana.
In late 1869, Alfred Hamilton and John Healy, Sun River merchants, built a trading post called Fort Hamilton (known as Fort Whoop-Up) at the confluence of the Oldman River and St. Mary River (site of Lethbridge). They made a roaring business selling whisky and trade goods. Other traders followed until the area from the Belly River to the Bow was awash with whisky. The Blackfoot People were at the mercy of the whisky traders. The impact was devastating.
In 1870, the Canadian government was notified of the American invasion on its territory and the whisky trade and its impact on the Blackfoot people. The existence of the American forts destroyed trade with the Hudson’s Bay Company as the Blackfoot People remained in the prairies as the American posts were established between Fort Benton and Edmonton. The Prime Minister’s response was to introduce law and order by creating force as the immediate situation required police or military action, not peacemaking.
The Prime Minister introduced legislation to form the North-West Mounted Police to travel west to stamp out the illicit whisky trade. The force was organized in 1873 and commenced duties in 1874 in Blackfoot country. A site was chosen for a fort on the Oldman River. Assistant Col. James F. Macleod met with the leaders and explained to them: the Queen sent the police to enforce law for the Indians and whites and to protect the people from the liquor traffic and traders.
The arrival of the North-West Mounted Police opened up the region to incursions by their enemies and unwanted traders trespassing on their land and hunting buffalo. The leaders requested a meeting with the commissioner. They were concerned that treaties were being made elsewhere and the Queen was not recognizing Blackfoot possession of their hunting grounds. They wanted a stop to the invasion of their territory. White men were taking the best locations for settlement and police were protecting the white people against them. They expected to have a mutual understanding with the government.
Sioux under Sitting Bull crossed the line following their defeat of the United States Seventh Calvary near Little Bighorn River and the RCMP and the settlers feared they might form an alliance with the Blackfoot People. Blackfoot antagonism towards Métis and Cree might have erupted into a violent confrontation. RCMP told the Blackfoot that a treaty gathering was to take place for making Treaty Seven in terms most favourable to the Government.
(A. Hugh Dempsey, The Great Blackfoot Treaties. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd, 2015, pp. 63-82)
Treaty Seven, The Blackfoot Treaty, 1877
David Laird, lieutenant-governor of the North-West Territories was commissioned to negotiate Treaty Seven. Laird was escorted across the plains by NWMP assistant commissioner A. G. Irvine to Blackfoot Crossing where he learned the meeting place had been changed from Fort Macleod to Blackfoot Crossing as demanded by Crowfoot.
Laird and his escorts made their way south to Fort Macleod where Colonel Macleod handed Laird a dispatch from the minister of the interior “covering the Commission relating to the Treaty and a copy of the Order in Council of 12 July, in terms of which the commission was issue.”
In Fort Macleod, a number of Blood chiefs asked to be treated at the fort but Laird refused their request as the commissioner wanted all the tribes together. After the refusal, some Bloods and Peigans indicated they would not attend the meeting but go buffalo hunting instead. To them, it was just another treaty like the ones they made in the past with the whites and other tribes.
In the days prior to the treaty, both Natives and whites began to congregate at the Crossing to lay out the campsite and to bring in supplies and goods for the distribution. On September 12, Colonel Macleod arrived at the Crossing followed by Laird on September 16 only to discover a few Blackfoot had arrived.
At the Crossing, the Blackfoot nation—Bloods, Peigan, Blackfoot and Sarcee—were camped on the south of the Bow River near the tents of the Mounted Police and stores of the American traders. Across the Bow were the lodges of the Stoney, a Treaty Six people who end up in Treaty Seven after there was no one around to implement a schedule as recommended. They were to meet a commissioner for Treaty Six two months before the Treaty Seven meeting. Governor Laird, commissioner for Treaty Seven assumed the Stoney would be part of Treaty Seven extended an invitation to them to attend. The Stoney arrived with their interpreter Rev. John McDougall expecting to sign their adhesion to Treaty Six, but once they got there, the subject never arose, and they dutifully signed Treaty Seven. Camped next to the Stoney was a trader for Hudson’s Bay Company and a camp of Crees, made up of old women and children under the leadership of Bob Tail.
At Blackfoot Crossing, the Blackfoot refused to permit the cutting of trees to make permanent buildings. The conference area was a simple marquee. A canvas to protect the goods and supplies were in a stockade at the river bottom. The Mounted Police were not permitted near the camp of the Blackfeet except for distributing supplies. The Montanans kept their horses in roped corrals in the valley waiting to be traded. To the east, horses owned by those attending the treaty like Blood Chief Bull Back Fat had more than a hundred animals. The horses seemed unguarded, roaming at will but if the herd was approached, a Blackfeet head popped up among them. The Blackfoot hunted buffalo nearby and brought fresh meat to the camp. The women tanned the hides and prepared pemmican and dried meat for sale to the traders.
Upon his arrival to Blackfoot Crossing, Laird informed Crowfoot the treaty discussions would begin on September 17 even though there was not enough leaders present for the discussions. On September 17, Laird began the negotiations and Macleod spoke in response to specific questions asked by the chiefs in attendance. Many of the Bloods and Peigan had not arrived and after a brief meeting Laird suggested the negotiations be delayed for two days to allow time for other chiefs to arrive. The Mounted Police were instructed to issue rations but Crowfoot and other chiefs would not accept rations until they heard the terms offered to them by the Commissioner. Throughout the camp, old friends met and ceremonies and social activities were held.
While waiting for the other chiefs to arrive, the commissioner spoke with Bob Tail, party of the Crees who came to sign an adhesion to Treaty Six. Accordingly, an adhesion was signed on September 25, 1877 and payment was made to the band.
Government officials were still not sure how the Blackfoot would respond to the terms of the proposed treaty and there was no doubt the Blackfeet were in a position to command the situation. On September 19, the Union Jack flew and an honour guard of mounted men escorted the commissioner to the tent, while the police cannon signalled the opening of the negotiations. The Blackfoot, Sarcee, Stoney chiefs, and a few Blood and Peigan chiefs in attendance gathered in a semi-circle extending about a third of a mile around the council tent. Behind them sat several hundred men, women and children. At the tent were missionaries, traders and the wives of the commissioners. At the centre were the interpreters.
Crowfoot, head chief of the Blackfoot and his escort spread a robe on the ground in front of the council tent. Chief Crowfoot and Lieutenant-Governor Laird smoked the pipe of peace and the conference was underway. Laird had spoken only a few words when a problem arose. The interpreter, Jerry Potts was not able to convey the ideas expressed in English into appropriate Blackfoot language. Interpreter Jean L’Heureux was banned from the service as he was acting interpreter and advisor for Crowfoot. The best interpreter to be found for Laird was “Jemmy Jock” Bird, who was eighty years old and blind. He had been the official interpreter at the 1855 treaty with the American government. He was educated, experienced and fluent in seven languages including Blackfoot, Stoney, Cree and Sarcee. He was with a group of Métis at Blackfoot Crossing to dissuade Governor Laird from imposing restrictions on buffalo hunting.
In his opening speech, Laird tried to create the impression that the Great Spirit and the Queen were in harmony and that the Sun Spirit had given the Queen the power to rule over them. The Great Spirit has made the white men and red men as brothers and the Great Mother wishes them all good. The good Indian has nothing to fear from the Queen or her officers. She sent the police to end the whisky trade and punished the offenders and how much good this has done.
The Blackfoot people knew and respected the police for living up to their promise of one law for Blackfoot and the whites. The leadership of James Macleod had proved to be a crucial factor in affecting Blackfoot attitudes toward the government.
Laird added, “the Great Mother heard the buffalo were being killed very fast. The Councillors made laws that would protect the buffalo to save for your food. Treaties have been made with the Indians starting from the east and now the Queen has sent Col. Macleod and myself to ask you to make a treaty. In a few years the buffalo will probably be destroyed. For this reason, the Queen wishes to help you to live in the future in some other way. She wishes you to allow her white children to live on the land, raise cattle and grain and if in agreement, she will assist you to raise cattle and grain and give you the means of living when the buffalo are gone. The Queen wishes to make a treaty with equivalent terms as was accepted by the Crees. Some Indians wanted farming implements. Your lands are more adapted for raising cattle; would be better for you.” There was no mention of surrendering the land.
In 1877, there was no cattle ranches or farms in southern Alberta that would allow the Blackfoot to make an informed choice. There was no suggestion that an immediate decision be made. The Blackfoot could only draw on their experience with the Americans and their 1855 treaty (Lame Bull). In Montana, the Blackfoot had seen their reservation chopped in size, rations were not consistent and the people were hunting buffalo. After twenty years under treaty, the Blackfoot in Montana had no farms, ranches and no examples for their Canadian relatives to follow.
Laird went on, “if you sign the treaty, every man, woman and child will receive an annual payment of five dollars and a one-time bonus payment of twelve dollars. The chiefs and councillors will be paid a larger sum, suit of clothes, silver medal and flag. A reserve and timber land, roads, cattle, potatoes, ammunition, teachers will instruct your children to read,” i.e., the Bible. These were the principle terms. A few questions from the chiefs were answered by Laird. The tribes were encouraged to further discuss in the council lodges. Some were in favour of the terms; but most were against them and one threatened to withdraw unless better terms were made. Crowfoot had dealings with the white people. Crowfoot may have been wise enough to see all sides of the treaty question and understood most or all the terms.
Council convened the next day and Laird made some clarifications about hunting rights on the prairies; a fair price for land, coal and timber sales; the Queen’s promises being fulfilled; punctual payments; service of the police. Laird had his say and was now ready to listen and explain what the people needed to know.
Blood Chief Medicine Calf expressed his concern about the hunting ground belonging to them and not the Queen or government, and his bad experience with the 1855 treaty and broken promises. He tried to negotiate for higher annual payments and reimbursement for timber which was dismissed by Laird. Asked that Crees and half breeds to be sent back to their own country was outright refused by Laird.
The Peigan chief expressed his hope the promise made by the commissioners are secured as long as the sun shines and the water ran. Stoney Chief Bearspaw was in favour of the terms of the treaty. He was the first to accept the terms of treaty.
Any move to accept the treaty was discouraged by Crowfoot until the arrival of the Blood chiefs and prominent men of the tribe. Crowfoot seem to realize this meeting was something more than a promise of the Queen’s friendship. On the evening the Bloods arrived led by Red Crow, Crowfoot immediately went into session with Red Crow and the other leaders. The main point Red Crow understood was that; Colonel Macleod as one of the commissioners favoured the treaty. Based on this and Crowfoot’s favourable attitude towards the negotiations, Red Crow was inclined to accept the terms and gained the approval of his council. Both Crowfoot and Red Crow conferred with their elderly wise men whose advice they respected. Because he had participated in the negotiations from the beginning, the final word was left to Crowfoot.
In the meantime, Colonel Macleod visited the head chiefs of each tribe to discuss the location of their new reserves. Crowfoot sought to consolidate the tribes and suggested a common reserve near Blackfoot Crossing which passed as best game country but poorest farming land. The common reserve included the Bloods but other tribes preferred their traditional wintering grounds. Macleod got the land descriptions of the reserves to be included in the document. A list of government-recognized chiefs, their councillors and band members were chosen and the list was prepared for treaty payment. At the negotiations, Laird read the entire treaty to the assembly which was translated by the interpreters at the site. The chiefs agreed to surrender 50,000 square miles of hunting grounds and other terms by touching the pen so his X could be marked. Indicated the final conclusion of the last treaty with the Indians of the North West.
(A. Hugh Dempsey, The Great Blackfoot Treaties. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd, 2015, pp. 83-123.)
Treaty 7 Word Search
Treaty 7 Quiz
Who were the commissioners assigned for Treaty Seven?
Where did the signing of Treaty Seven take place?
Who were some of the interpreters for the negotiation of Treaty Seven?
Who was the chief that spoke on behalf of the Blackfoot Confederacy?
Who were the commissioners representing?
What are some of the terms of Treaty Seven?
How many square miles of land were surrendered?
Which tribe was the first to accept the terms of the treaty?
Who was the last chief to arrive at the treaty negotiations?
Who else was at the treaty negotiations?
Treaty 7 Word Scramble
MOSCRIESINMO AIRLD
COL ASJME MCOEDLA
FHCIE DRE WROC
CHEIF OOWORFTC
PERNRTERTEI YRJRE STOTP
ACLTBFKOO SCGOSRIN
A YTERT ESEVN
MIORSISENMOCS
DOUHNSS BAY AOPCMNY
MNERACIA EDRTARS
UHINTGN BULOFAF
UEQNE
IEAITOSNTNOG
TRYETA SNATEYPM
ACPM FO REESC
TOENYS
WOB EIRVR
FTRO CLDAOME
REV OHJN AMLLDCGUO
ERTNEAMEG
Word Scramble Answers
MOSCRIESINMO AIRLD: Commissioner Laird
COL ASJME MCOEDLA: Col James Macleod
FHCIE DRE WROC: Chief Red Crow
CHEIF OOWORFTC: Chief Crowfoot
PERNRTERTEI YRJRE STOTP: Interpreter Jerry Potts
ACLTBFKOO SCGOSRIN: Blackfoot Crossing
AYTERT ESEVN: Treaty Seven
MIORSISENMOCS: Commissioners
DOUHNSS BAY AOPCMNY: Hudson’s Bay Company
MNERACIA EDRTARS: American Traders
UHINTGN BULOFAF: Hunting Buffalo
UEQNE: Queen
IEAITOSNTNOG: Negotiations
TRYETA SNATEYPM: Treaty Payments
ACPM FO REESC: Camp of Crees
TOENYS: Stoney
WOB EIRVR: Bow River
FTRO CLDAOME: Fort Macleod
REV OHJN AMLLDCGUO: Rev John McDougall
ERTNEAMEG: Agreement
The Blackfoot Genesis
All animals of the Plains at one time heard and knew him, and all birds of the air heard and knew him. All things that he made understood him, when he spoke to them, the birds, the animals, and the people.
Old Man came from the south travelling north, making the people, animals and birds as he passed along. He made the mountains, prairies, timber and brush first. He put rivers here and there with falls on them and red paint here and there on the ground—fixing up the world as we see it today.
He made the Milk River (the Teton) and crossed it, and being tired went up on a little hill and lay down to rest. As he lay on his back, stretched out on the ground with arms extended he marked himself out with the stones. You can see those rocks today. He went on northward and stumbled over a knoll and fell down on his knees. Then he said, “you are a bad thing to be stumbling against;” so he raised up two large buttes there, and named them the Knees, and they are called so to this day. He went on farther north and with some of the rocks he carried with him he built the Sweet Grass Hills.
Old Man covered the plains with grass for the animals to feed on. He marked off a piece of ground and in it he made to grow all kinds of roots and berries, camas, wild carrots, wild turnips, sweet root, bitter root, sarvis berries, bull berries, cherries, plums and rose buds. He put trees in the ground. He made the bighorn with its big head and horns, he made it out on the prairie. It did not seem to travel easily on the prairie; it was awkward and could not got fast. So he took it by one of its horns, and let it up into the mountains, and turned it loose; and it skipped about among the rocks, and went up fearful places with ease. So he said, “This is the place that suits you; this is what you are fitted for, the rocks, and the mountains.” While he was in the mountains, he made the antelope out of dirt, and turned it loose, to see how it would go. It ran so fast that it fell over rocks and hurt itself. He was that this would not do, and took the antelope down on the prairie, and turned it loose; and it ran away fast and gracefully, and he said, “This is what you are suited to.”
One day, Old Man determined he would make a woman and a child, her son; so he formed them out of clay. He said to the clay, “you must be people,” and then covered it up and left it. Next morning he went back and took the covering off, and saw that the clay shapes had changed a little. The second morning and third morning there was more changes. The fourth morning, he looked at the images, and told them to rise and walk; and they did so. They walked down to the river with their Maker, and then he told them that his name was Na’pi, Old Man.
As they were standing by the river, the woman said to him, “How is it? Will we always live, will there be no end to it?” He said; “I have never thought of that. We will have to decide it. I will take this buffalo chip and throw it in the river, if it floats, when people die, in four days they will become alive again; they will die for only four days. But if it sinks, there will be an end to them.” The woman turned and picked up a stone, and said; “No, I will throw this stone in the river; if it floats we will always live, if it sinks people must die, that they may always be sorry for each other.” The woman threw the stone into the water, and it sank. “There,” said Old Man. “You have chosen. There will be an end to them.”
It was not many nights after, that the woman’s child died, and she cried a great deal. She said to Old Man, “let us change this. The law that you first made, let that be a law.” He said, “Not so. What is made law must be law. We will undo nothing that we have done. The child is dead, but it cannot be changed. People will have to die.” That is how we came to be people. It is he who made us.
The first people were poor and naked and did not know how to get a living. Old Man showed them the roots and berries and the bark of trees they could eat at a certain time of the year. He told the people that the animals should be their food and gave them to the people saying, “These are your herds.” He said, “All these little animals that live in the ground—rats, squirrels, skunks, beavers—are good to eat.
You need not fear to eat of their flesh.” He made all the birds that fly, and told the people that there was no harm to eat them. He took the people through the timber, swamps and prairies and showed them the different plants and roots to pick at certain times of year to use for certain sickness.
In those days there were buffalo. The people had no arms but those black animals with long beards were armed; and once, as the people were moving about, the buffalo saw them, and ran after them, and hooked them, and killed and ate them. When Napi saw this, he was very sad. He said; “This will not do. I will change this. The people shall eat the buffalo.” He went to the people and show them how to make a weapon to kill these animals. He cut some sarvis berry shoots, peeled the bark off and tied a string to it and made a bow. He caught a bird and took feathers and tied them to the shaft of wood. He found black flint stone and made arrow points. Then he taught the people how to use these weapons. He told the people not to run from the animals. When they run at you, shoot the arrows at them as they get close and you will see that they will run from you. The people did as they were told.
At this time these people had flint knives given them, and they cut up the bodies of the dead buffalo. It was not healthy to eat the meat raw. Old Man taught them how to make a fire with fire sticks and to cook the flesh of the animals and eat it. Then they got a kind of stone and used a harder stone to hollow out the softer stone and made a kettle of it.
Old Man said to the people; “Now, if you are overcome, you may go and sleep, and get power. Something will come to you in your dream, that will help you. Whatever these animals tell you to do, you must obey them. Be guided by them. Cry aloud for help, your prayer will be answered. That is how the first people got through the world, by the power of their dreams.”
Old Man travelled and when he got to the north point of the Porcupine Mountains, there he made more mud images of people. They asked, “What are we to eat?” He made images of clay in the form of buffalo and made them to run. He said to the people, “Those are your food.” They said to him, “Well now, we have those animals; how are we to kill them?” “I will show you,” he said. He took them to the cliff, and made them build rock like this >; and he made the people hide behind the piles of rock, and said, “When I lead the buffalo this way, as I bring them opposite to you, rise up.” After he told them how to act, he led the buffalo inside the lines, he dropped back, the people rose and the buffalo ran in a straight line and jumped over the cliff. He told the people to go and take the flesh. He broke off some pieces of stone with sharp edges and told them to cut the flesh with these. He taught the people to make mauls to kill the buffalo that had not died from the jump. When the people had taken the skins of these animals, they set up poles and put the hides on them and made a shelter to sleep under.
After he taught those people these things, he continued to travel north until he came to where Bow and Elbow rivers meet. He made more people and taught them the same things. When he came nearly to Red Deer’s River, he reached the hill where the Old Man sleeps. There he lay down and rested. The form of his body is to be seen there yet. He went farther north and came to a fine hill. He climbed to the top of it and sat to rest. He said to himself, “Well, this is a fine place for sliding; I will have some fun,” and he began to slide down the hill. The marks where he slid down are to be seen yet, and the place is known to all the people as “Old Man’s Sliding Ground.”
In later times, Napi said, “Here I will mark you off a piece of ground, and he did so. Then he said, “There is your land, and it is full of all kinds of animals, and many things grow in this land. Let no other people come into it.”
(George Bird Grinnell, Blackfoot Lodge Tales: The Story of a Prairie People. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1892; Scituate, Digital Scanning Inc., 2001, pp.)