User talk:Akahoney

''Hey my name is myazieayea a chamberlain i'm 20 years old and i'm native american. the tribe is blackfoot. there is some info you to learn bout me and my life.

Is the name of the tribe "Blackfoot" or "Blackfeet"? Where did it come from? This name is a translation of the word "siksika," which means "black foot." Probably it is referring to the dark color moccasins worn by the people. Some Blackfoot people are annoyed by the plural "Blackfeet," which is obviously an anglicization; however, most use the two words interchangeably.

Where do the Blackfeet live? The Blackfeet are original residents of Montana and Alberta, where most of them still live today.

How is the Blackfeet Indian nation organized? Like most Native American tribes, each Blackfoot community lives on its own reservation ("reserve," in Canada), which belongs to them and is legally under their control. Each band, known as a "tribe" in the United States and a "First Nation" in Canada, is politically independent and has its own leadership. However, the US and Canadian governments still consider the Blackfeet citizens and control some of their decisions. Each Blackfoot band has its own government, laws, police, and other services, just like a small country. In the past, the Blackfeet were led by a council of chiefs, one from each clan. The Blackfeet really valued harmony, so every council member had to agree on a decision before action could be taken (this is called consensus). Today, Blackfoot council members are usually popularly elected... but they still operate on consensus principles.

What language do the Blackfeet speak? Most Blackfoot people speak English today, but about one-half of them also speak their native Blackfoot language. Blackfoot is a musical language that has complicated verbs with many parts. Most Blackfoot words are very long and difficult for English speakers to pronounce, but one easy word that you might like to learn is "Oki" (pronounced "oh-kee,") which means "Hello!" You can also listen to a Blackfoot woman speaking her language here and read a glossary of Blackfoot words here.

What was Blackfoot culture like in the past? What is it like now? Here's a link to the homepage of Blackfoot elder Long Standing Bear Chief. On his site you can find information about Blackfoot traditions in the past and today.

How do Blackfoot Indian children live, and what did they do in the past? They do the same things any children do--play with each other, go to school and help around the house. Many Blackfoot children like to go hunting and fishing with their fathers. In the past, Indian children had more chores and less time to play, just like early colonists' children. But they did have toys and games to play. Here is a picture of a hoop game popular among the Black feet. As for babies, Blackfoot mothers, like many Native Americans, traditionally carried their babies in cradleboards on their backs--a custom which many American parents have adopted now.

What were Blackfoot homes like in the past? The Blackfoot people lived in conical buffalo-hide houses called tipis (or teepees). Since they migrated frequently to follow the buffalo herds, a tipi had to be carefully designed to set up and break down quickly, like a modern tent. An entire Blackfoot village could be packed up and ready to move on within an hour. Today, Native Americans only put up a tepee for fun or to connect with their heritage. Most Blackfeet live in modern houses and apartment buildings, just like you.

What was Blackfoot clothing like? Did they wear feather headdresses and face paint? Yes--distinguished Blackfeet men wore tall feather headdresses, different from the long warbonnets of the Sioux. Men wore their hair in three braids with a topknot or pompadour, and women wore their hair loose or in two thicker braids. Both genders painted their faces for special occasions. They used different patterns for war paint, religious ceremonies, and festive decoration. Blackfoot women wore long deerskin dresses and the men wore dark buckskin tunics and breechcloths with leather pant legs tied on. Blackfoot dresses and war shirts were fringed and often decorated with porcupine quills, beads, and elk teeth. Both Blackfeet women and men wore moccasins on their feet and buffalo-hide robes when the weather got colder. Later, Blackfoot people adopted some European costume such as calico dresses and felt hats. Here are some pictures of Blackfoot clothing. Here is a link to our page on Indian clothing in general, where you can find more photographs and links about these traditional clothing styles. Today, some Blackfoot people still wear moccasins or a buckskin shirt, but they wear modern clothes like jeans instead of breechcloths... and they only wear feathers in their hair on special occasions like a dance.

What was Blackfoot transportation like in the days before cars? Did they paddle canoes? No--the Blackfoot Indians weren't coastal people, and when they traveled by river, they usually built rafts. There were no horses in North America until colonists brought them over from Europe, so the Blackfeet used to use dogs pulling travois (a kind of drag sled) to help them carry their belongings over land. Once horses were introduced the Blackfoot culture quickly adopted to them and the people became much more migratory.

What was Blackfoot food like in the days before supermarkets? The Blackfoot staple food was the buffalo. In the past, Blackfoot men usually hunted the buffalo by driving them off cliffs or stalking them with bow and arrow. As they acquired horses, the Blackfoot tribe began to pursue the buffalo herds for communal hunts, moving their villages often as the buffalo migrated. In addition to buffalo meat, the Blackfoot Indians ate small game like ground squirrels, nuts and berries, and steamed camas roots.

What were Blackfoot weapons and tools like in the past? Blackfoot hunters and warriors used powerful bows and arrows, clubs, and hide shields.

What are Blackfoot arts and crafts like? Blackfoot artists are known for their fine quill embroidery and beadwork. You can see some photographs and read some more details about these art forms at our American Indian arts site.

What kinds of stories do the Blackfeet tell? There are lots of traditional Blackfoot legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is very important to the Blackfoot Indian culture. Here is a story about a man who tried to steal the Sun's pants.

Can you recommend a good book for me to read? You may enjoy Blackfeet Indian Stories, which is a collection of legends retold by a lifelong friend of the Blackfoot people. There's also a nice art book, Blackfeet Crafts, that can help you learn about traditional Blackfoot art form like beadwork and quillwork. If you want to know more about Arapaho culture and history, two outstanding books for younger readers are Blackfoot Children and Elders Talk Together and Story of the Blackfoot People. You can also browse through our reading list of recommended American Indian books in general.

How do I cite your website in my bibliography? You will need to ask your teacher for the format he or she wants you to use. Our names are Laura Redish and Orrin Lewis and the title of our site is Native Languages of the Americas. The site was first created in 1998 and last updated in 2005.

Thanks for your interest in the Blackfoot Indian people and their language!'''