Nitsitapiisksakoo: Nitsitapii Landscapes Part 3

×

Expand

unknown

“Iinii (Buffalo) grazing along Otahkoisistah:Otahkoi-tah-tayi:Otahkoíítahtaa (Yellowstone River),” no date

(Photo Courtesy Kyla Black, Gathering Dust Photography)

This installment of the exhibit explores more traditional landscapes of the Nitsitapii including Alberta sites like Cypress Hills and Milk River as well as Montana sites like Yellowstone and Judith River. Through this exhibit, Blackfoot and Non-Blackfoot can learn about the history, original Blackfoot place names, and the cultural importance of these various landscapes to the Siksikaitsitapi.

Since time immemorial the people of the Blackfoot Nations have called southern Alberta home. Their traditional territory stretches north to the North Saskatchewan River, south to the Yellowstone River, west to the Rocky Mountains, and east to the Cypress Hills. They travelled throughout their land guided by the seasons, taking only what was needed from the land and its animals but never to excess and with nothing left to waste. The Nitsitapii have a spiritual connection to the land and through this connection are stewards of this earth.

Many sites located throughout this territory have meaning which can be categorized as Spirit-created, Nature-created, or Human-created. Spirit-created sites are places created and touched by Napi. Napi is the name of the Creator for the Nitsitapii. Nature-created sites are places or geographic features that came into being through natural geologic forces. Human-created sites are places that were created by the Nitsitapi through the alteration of the natural landscape. We are focusing on ten such sites.