Sky Stories: Indigenous Astronomy

The Blackfoot people live in the northern Plains in Alberta, Canada, and Montana, USA. We are made up of three groups:

• The Siksika were usually found in the north and eastern part of the territory. This name translates as Blackfoot.
• The Kainai lived in the central part of the territory. Kainai means Many Leaders. We are also known as the Bloods.
• The Pikani camped along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains and the southern edge of the territory. Today they are divided into the Amsskaapipikani (Southern Pikani) in Montana and the Apatohsipikani (Northern Pikani) in southwestern Alberta.

Although we all share a common language and culture, there are differences among our tribes in some of our practices.

Traditionally, our people were nomadic. We travelled constantly throughout our Territory, hunting game and collecting plants. In the past, we were not united in any formal alliance, but because the three divisions often supported one another, many people referred to us as the Blackfoot Confederacy. Today we live a modern life on four reserves in the United States and Canada, and we work together to find ways to keep our culture alive.

We call ourselves Nitsitapii, although we are known as the Blackfoot. We have many stories of the Spomi-tapi-ksi (the Sky Beings) who are part of our world and who have helped us and taught us many important lessons. The Spomi-tapi-ksi guide us on our journeys and define the seasons.

All beings must coexist to survive in the world. The Spomi-tapi-ksi stories are used to teach respect for all of life and to encourage peaceful coexistence. We have many stories about people who have died and become stars. These stories remind us of proper behaviours.

According to the Blackfoot of the North American Plains, there was once a camp of 10 lodges. In one of them lived a family of nine children, seven boys and two girls. While the six older brothers were away on the war-path, the eldest girl, Bear Skin Woman, married a grizzly bear. Her father was so angered that, with the help of the others, he surrounded the grizzly’s cave and killed him. When Bear Skin Woman found out about her husband’s death, she changed into a huge grizzly bear, becoming Bear Skin Woman. She attacked the camp, killing everyone, including her father and mother. She spared her youngest brother and sister. The two were greatly frightened when they overheard her talking to herself, planning how she might kill them. One day, when the younger sister went to the river for water, she met her six brothers returning from the war-path. She told them what danger they were in, and they planned to rescue her. She gathered many prickly pears and was instructed to place them in front of the lodge in such a way that there would be a safe way for the children to escape. The children left the lodge at midnight. When the older sister heard them leave, she followed, only to step on the prickly pears. Roaring with pain, she changed herself into a bear again and ran after her brothers. The younger brother had strong medicine powers.

When Bear Skin Woman overtook them, the younger brother shot an arrow into the air. Immediately the children found themselves just as far in advance of their sister as the arrow flew. Bear Skin Woman got close again, but the younger brother waved his medicine feather, which brought thick underbrush in her way. Then he made a lake come between them. Finally, in the last effort to escape, he made a large tree into which the seven brothers and their little sister climbed. But the grizzly knocked the four lowest from the tree. She was about to kill them when the younger brother waved his medicine feather and, singing a song, shot an arrow into the air. Immediately the little sister arose to the sky. He shot six arrows, and each time a brother went up. Finally the younger brother followed, and all of them together formed the family of the Seven Brothers. They took the same position in the sky that they had in the tree. The small star at one side of the handle is the younger sister, while the four at the bottom are the brothers who had been knocked from the tree by their sister, the grizzly.

- As told by Brings Down the Sun, Apatohsipikani.