The Blackfoot Confederacy or Niitsítapi (meaning "original people"; c.f. Ojibwe: Anishinaabeg and Quinnipiac: Eansketambawg) is the collective name of three First
Nations in Alberta and one Native
American tribe in Montana.
The Blackfoot Confederacy consists of the North Peigan (Aapátohsipikáni), the
South Peigan (Aamsskáápipikani), the Kainai
Nation (Káínaa: "Blood"), and the Siksika Nation ("Blackfoot") or more
correctly Siksikáwa ("Blackfoot people"). The South Peigan are located in Montana, and the other three are located in
Alberta. Together they call themselves the Niitsítapi (the "Original People"). These groups shared a common
language and culture, had treaties of mutual
defense, and freely intermarried.
Blackfoot history and culture
The Blackfoot were fiercely independent and very successful warriors whose territory stretched from the North Saskatchewan River along what is now Edmonton, Alberta
in Canada, to the Yellowstone River of Montana, and
from the Rocky Mountains and along the Saskatchewan
River past Regina.
The basic social unit of the Blackfoot, above the family, was the band, varying from about 10 to 30 lodges, about 80 to 240
people. This size of group was large enough to defend against attack and to undertake small communal hunts, but was also small
enough for flexibility. Each band consisted of a respected leader, possibly his brothers and parents, and others who need not be
related. Since the band was defined by place of residence, rather than by kinship, a person was free to leave one band and join
another, which tended to ameliorate leadership disputes. As well, should a band fall upon hard times, its members could split-up
and join other bands. In practice, bands were constantly forming and breaking-up. The system maximized flexibility and was an
ideal organization for a hunting people on the Northwestern Plains.
During the summer the people assembled for tribal gatherings. In these large assemblies, warrior societies played an important
role. Membership into these societies was based on brave acts and deeds.
Blackfoot people were nomadic, following the buffalo
herds. Survival required their being in the proper place at the proper time. For almost half the year in the long northern
winter, the Blackfoot people lived in their winter camps along a wooded river valley perhaps a day's march apart, not moving camp
unless food for the people and horses or firewood became depleted. Where there was adequate wood and game resources, some bands
might camp together. During this part of the year, buffalo wintered in wooded areas where they were partially sheltered from
storms and snow, which hampered their movements, making them easier prey. In spring the buffalo moved out onto the grasslands to
forage on new spring growth. The Blackfoot did not follow immediately, for fear of late blizzards, but eventually resources such
as dried food or game became depleted, and the bands would split up and begin to hunt the buffalo.
In mid-summer, when the Saskatoon berries ripened, the people regrouped for
their major tribal ceremony, the Sun Dance. This was the only time of year when the entire
tribe would assemble, and served the social purpose of reinforcing the bonds between the various groups, and reidentifying the
individuals with the tribe. Communal buffalo hunts provided food and offerings of the bulls' tongues (a delicacy) for the
ceremonies. After the Sun Dance, the people again separated to follow the buffalo.
In the fall, the people would gradually shift to their wintering areas and prepare the buffalo jumps and pounds. Several
groups of people might join together at particularly good sites, such as Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. As the buffalo were naturally driven into the area by the
gradual late summer drying off of the open grasslands, the Blackfoot would carry out great communal buffalo kills, and prepare
dry meat and pemmican to last them through winter, and other times when hunting was poor. At
the end of the fall, the Blackfoot would move to their winter camps.
The Blackfoot maintained this traditional way of life based on hunting bison, until the near extinction of the bison by 1881 forced them to adapt their ways of life in
response to the effects of the European settlers and their
descendants. In the United States, they were restricted to land assigned in the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 and were later given a distinct reservation in the
Sweetgrass Hills Treaty of 1887. In 1877, the Canadian Blackfoot
signed Treaty 7, and settled on reserves in southern
Alberta.
This began a period of great struggle and economic hardship, as the Blackfoot had to try to adapt to a completely new way of
life, as well as suffer exposure to many diseases their people had not previously encountered.
Eventually, they established a viable economy based on farming, ranching, and light industry, and their population has increased
to about 16,000 in Canada and 15,000 in the U.S. today. With their new economic stability, the Blackfoot have been free to adapt
their culture and traditions to their new circumstances, renewing their connection to their ancient roots.
See also
Notable Blackfoot descendants
Footnotes
External links
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