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The North American Indian Blackfoot tribe comprises three closely related bands: the Piegan, the Blood, and the Siksika.

The three groups traditionally inhabited the lands now known as Montana in the United States and Alberta, Canada. They remain in this area, with one U.S. reservation and three Canadian reserves.

In the United States, the Blackfoot are officially known as the Blackfeet Nation, although the term is not plural in the Blackfoot language. Nevertheless, Blackfoot and Blackfeet are frequently used interchangeably, and, in the United States, the latter might be used most often. The Blackfoot traditionally refer to themselves as Nizitapi, which translates to "real people." Reportedly, the term Blackfoot was a reference to the black-dyed moccasins worn by many tribal members at the time of their first contact with Europeans.

The Peigan are also known as the Piikani, the Blood may also be known as Kainah or Akainiwa, and the Kiksika may also be called Blackfoot Proper. The Peigan were separated into Northern (Aapátohsipikáni) and Southern (Amskapi Piikani) groups.

The Blackfoot Confederacy (Niitsitapi, Siksikaitsitapi) is an umbrella or collective term used to refer to the linguistically related groups that make. up the Blackfoot people. Other American Indian groups, such as the Sarcee (Tsúùtínà) and the Gros Ventre (A'aninin), are sometimes connected with the Blackfoot; although they spoke different languages, they were frequently allied with the Blackfoot Confederacy.

Historians believe that the Blackfoot originally inhabited the Great Lakes region, but were among the first American Indian tribes to migrate west after Europeans came into the region. Once they acquired horses and firearms, the Blackfoot became nomadic bison hunters, although fish was also an important part of their diet.

Banded together for mutual assistance, the four nations that make up the Blackfoot Confederacy have separate governments ruled by a head chief, although they regularly come together for social and religious celebrations.

In the 19th century, the Blackfoot Confederacy was divided by the political border between Canada and the United States. In the latter part of the century, both Canada and the United States forced the Blackfoot to give up their nomadic traditions and settle on reservations (United States) or reserves (Canada). At that time, the South Peigan were the only Blackfoot group who chose to remain in the United States, settling in Montana. After leaving the Confederacy, the Gros Ventres also settled on a reservation in Montana.

Although the Blackfoot were forced to accept significant changes in their culture and traditions to accommodate life on a reserve or reservation, traditionally they were split into bands of from twenty to thirty people, but would come together for times of celebration. During periods of peace, they would elect a peace chief, although, in times of war, the title of war chief was not achieved by election but earned through acts of bravery.

Individual Blackfoot belonged to various societies within the Blackfoot nation, each of which served various functions for the tribe. Young Blackfoot would be invited into societies after proving themselves through recognized passages and rituals. Blackfoot men had to be prepared for battle, which was accomplished not only by establishing the necessary skills but also through spiritual cleansing, a practice that became known to Europeans as war paint. Warriors won prestige by "counting coup," which involved tapping the enemy with a stick and getting away. Warriors were blessed by members of the tribe's religious society. Ceremonies included the "Sun Dance," or "Medicine Lodge Ceremony."

Considered sacred plants, sage and sweetgrass are used by Blackfoot for ceremonial purposes. These herbs are burned, with the user inhaling and covering themselves in smoke, a process known as smudging. Sage is said to rid the body of negative emotions, while sweet grass draws in positive energy. Sweetgrass is also used in pipe-smoking mixtures, along with bearberry and red willow plants.

In traditional Blackfoot culture, the men were responsible for choosing their marriage partners, but women had the option of accepting them or not.

A challenge for the Blackfoot people today, as with many other American Indian tribes, is that their own language is spoken by fewer and fewer people. A sign language once used by the Blackfoot to communicate with other Plains Indians during bison hunts has been lost altogether. Blackfeet Community College, a private tribal community college on the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, Montana, offers courses in the history, culture, and language of the Blackfoot.

Topics relating to the Blackfoot are the focus of this portion of our web guide.

 

 

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