Who is the blackfoot tribe

Major uses of the land are ranching and farming. The principle crops are wheat, barley and hay. There are eight major lakes and miles of fishing streams. The tribe operates four campgrounds. The museum exhibits the creative achievements of North American artists and craftspeople. A permanent exhibit displays artifacts of the Northern Plains Indians, and two special galleries feature changing presentations. The museum also houses a gift shop. The tour feature half- and full-day tours of the Blackfeet Nation with historic and cultural points of interest.

In the spring, when the buffalo moved out onto the grasslands, the Blackfoot followed after all trace of the winter had ended. During the summer, the Blackfoot lived in large tribal camps, hunting buffalo and engaging in ceremonial rituals.

In mid-summer, the people grouped for a major tribal ceremony, the Sun Dance. The assembly provided for ceremonial rituals, social purposes, and warrior societies based on brave acts and deeds.. Large buffalo hunts provided food and offerings for the ceremonies. After the Sun Dance assembly, the Blackfoot once again separated to follow the buffalo. The first time the Blackfoot saw horses was in when the Shoshone tribe attacked them on horseback.

For this reason, the Blackfoot were pleased when Europeans began to arrive, allowing them to gain horses themselves.

However, their sentiments changed quickly as smallpox epidemics ravaged their population in the mids. Though they continued to trade buffalo hides, horses and guns with the encroaching settlers, they primarily obtained their horses through trade with the Flathead, Kutenai and Nez Perce tribes.

January 23, , one of the worse slaughters of Indians by American troops occurred, since known as the Marias Massacre. While the U. Cavalry was looking for a band of hostile Blackfoot Indians led by Mountain Chief, they stumbled instead, onto a peaceable band of Piegan Indians led by Chief Heavy Runner. In the early morning hours, the cavalrymen spread out in an ambush position along the snowy bluffs overlooking the Marias River. The encampment was unprotected as most of the men were out hunting and before the command to fire was made, Chief Heavy Runner emerged from his lodge waving a safe-conduct paper.

When an Army scout by the name of Joe Kipp shouted that this was the wrong camp, he was threatened into silence. Two other bands — the Bloods and the North Blackfeet — now reside on Canadian Indian preserves scattered throughout Alberta.

Blackfeet territory once ranged into southern Canada and south through Montana to Yellowstone National Park. Theirs was a nomadic life. Before acquiring horses, dogs were used to pull the travois as they traveled in search of bison. They were one of the first tribes to use pishkuns — steep cliffs over which herds of bison were driven for harvesting. Once the Blackfeet obtained horses, they vigorously broadened their territory by pushing other tribes such as the Kootenai, Flathead and Shoshone west of the Continental Divide.

Their hunting lands soon covered an enormous landscape. By the early s, they were doing battle with most tribes who ventured into the Northern Great Plains. It is estimated their numbers exceeded 15,, and this size, coupled with their warrior skills, struck fear in the hearts of all who encountered them.