Join us at the campfire for tales from around the world, told by storytellers of all backgrounds and creeds. From the heros and heroines of old, let us relearn and rediscover the wisdom of our ancestors. Shhh..the story begins..
Introduction: The Blackfeet, also known as the Blackfoot, is one of the largest Algonquian tribes and formerly one of the most powerful located in the Northwest Plains Region. They are called "Siksikawa" (pronounced "sheek-sheek-ahwah"), which literally means "black foot." There are two beliefs regarding the origin of the name: the first refers to the blackening of their moccasins by walking near prairie fires; and the second refers to the long-ago black painting on some moccasins of these Native Americans. The Blackfeet consist of three tribes: the Siksika, the Blood, and the Piikani (which was later corrupted to "Piegan"). Today, the Piikani are based primarily in Montana, while the Siksika and the Blood are found chiefly in the Alberta area of Canada.
One of the major characters in many Blackfeet legends is Napi, also referred to as "Old Man." Napi serves two purposes: he is revered as the one to whom numerous people offer prayers; and he is also a trickster of sorts. In some of the legends, Napi is downright dangerous...and rightly so! Supposedly the offspring of the Sun and the Moon, Napi is chronicled in some tales as being one of those who brought the Sun Dance to the people.
Old Man came from the South, creating the mountains, prairies and forests as he passed through...he also made the birds and animals. As he traveled Northward, creating all manner of things as he went along, Old Man painted the ground red here and there...much the same way as it remains today.
He created the Milk River and then crossed it but, being tired, Old Man then went up onto a little hill and laid down to rest. As he lay upon his back, stretched out on the grass with arms extended, he marked his figure with stones. Those stones may still be seen, indicating where the body of Old Man rested after his hard work.
After a while, Old Man continued North, but tripped over a knoll and fell down hard on his knees. He said, "You are a bad thing to make me stumble so!" Then, he raised up two large buttes and named them the Knees, which they are still called to this very day. Traveling further North, Old Man covered the plains with grass so that the animals might feed. He marked off a portion of ground and caused all kinds of roots and berries to flourish in the soil...camas, carrots, turnips, bitterroot, serviceberries, bullberries, cherries, plums and rosebuds. He then planted trees and called forth many species of animals to live upon the fertile ground.
When he created the bighorn sheep with its large, heavy horns, he placed it out on the prairie, but it failed to travel easily upon such land. The beast did not move very fast and what movement it did make was awkward. So, Old Man took the sheep it by its big horns and led it up to the mountains. There, he turned it loose, where it could skip about among the rocks and traverse fearful places with no trouble whatsoever. "This is where you are meant to be," stated Old Man. "This is what you are fitted for...the rocks and the mountains."
While he was in the mountains, Old Man created the antelope from a mound of dirt and also turned this beast loose, to see how it would fare. The antelope ran so fast that it fell over some rocks and hurt itself. Perceiving that the mountains were not at all the place for such an animal, Old Man took the antelope down to the prairie and, there, turned it loose. He watched it for a moment and then said, "So this is what you are suited for...the broad prairie," and he smiled as the antelope ran joyfully at full stride across the land.
One day, Old Man decided he would make a woman and a child. So he formed them both of clay...a woman and a boy. After moulding the clay into human shapes, he said to them, ""You must be people." Then, he covered his creations and went away. The next morning, he returned to the place and removed the covering, but the clay had changed little. The second morning was the same...and the third...little change. On the fourth morning, when Old Man removed the covering and regarded his clay creations and told them: "Get up and walk." They did and traveled to the river with their maker. There, Old Man told the woman and boy that his name was Napi or Old Man. And that is how people came to be, created from clay by Napi.
The first humans were poor and naked and did not know how to do anything for themselves. Old Man showed them the roots and berries and said "These, you may eat". He pointed to certain trees, telling them: "When the bark of these trees is young and tender, it is good. Then you can peel it off and eat this also." He told his people that animals should also serve as a means of food. "These are your herds," he informed them. "All the little animals that are upon the ground...squirrels, rabbits, beavers, skunk. All good to eat. You have no need to fear eating of their flesh. The birds that fly...these too I made for you so that you may eat of their flesh."
Napi took the first people over the prairie and through the forests and the swamps, to show them the different plants he had made. He told them which herbs would cure sickness, often saying: "The root of this herb or the leaf of this herb, if gathered during a certain month of the year, is good for a certain sickness." It was in this way that the people learned about the art of medicines.
Old Man then showed his people how to make weapons with which to kill the animals in order that they might have food. First, he cut some serviceberry shoots and peeled the bark. He then took one of the larger ones, flattened it, tied a string to it and thus, made a bow. Then he caught one of the birds he had created, removed feathers from its wing, split them, and tied them to a shaft of wood. Initially, he tied four feathers to the wood and then shot the arrow. But he found that it did not fly well or accurately hit the mark unless he used only three feathers. Then, he broke sharp pieces from some of the stones around him. When he tied them onto the shaft, he found that the black flint stones and some of the white flint stones made the best arrow tips.
When the people had learned how to made bows and arrows, Old Man taught them the best methods of shooting animals and birds. But, because it is far from healthy to eat raw animal flesh, he showed the first people how to make fire. He gathered soft, dry, rotten driftwood and then found a piece of hard wood into which he drilled a hole with an arrow point. He gave the first man a pointed piece of hard wood and showed him how to roll it between his hands until it sparked and the driftwood caught fire. He then showed the people how to cook meat, so that they would not get sick from the raw flesh.
Old Man instructed them to get a certain kind of rock that was on the land, while he found a harder stone. With the harder stone he had them hollow out the softer stone to make a bowl. Thus did they make their dishes. He also told the first people how to obtain spirit power. "Go away by yourself," he ordered, "and then sleep. Something will come to you in your dream to help you...it may be a form of animal. Whatever this animal tells you to do while you slumber, you must do it. Obey the words...be guided by them. If later you are in need of assistance, if you are travelling alone or you cry for help, your prayer will be answered. The animal may be an eagle or a bear or a buffalo. Whatever animal hears your prayer, you must listen to it." And that was how the first people got along in the world...by the power that was given to them in their dreams.
With this accomplished, Old Man returned to his Northward travels. Many of the animals he had created followed him. They understood when he spoke to them and became his servants. When he reached the North point of the Porcupine Mountains, he created more mud images, blew upon them, and they too became people...men and women. "What are we to eat?" they asked. By way of answer, Nagi made many images of clay in the form of buffaloes. He blew his breath upon them, they stood up and, at his sign, began to run. "These animals...these buffalo," Old Man told the people, "They will be your food."
"But how are we to kill them?" asked the people.
"I will show you," replied Nagi.
He took them behind a cliff and told them to build rock piles. "Now hide behind those rock piles," he said, " and I will lead the buffalo this way. When they get opposite of you, rise up."
After instructing them, Nagi went toward the herd of the buffalo. When he called to them, they began to run toward him, folloiwng him until they were inside the piles of rock. Then Old Man dropped back. As the people rose up, the buffalo ran in a straight line and jumped clear off the cliff.
"Go down and take the flesh of those animals," Old Man cried.
The people tried to tear the limbs apart, but they were unable to do so. Nagi went to the side of the cliff, broke off some pieces with sharp edges, and told the people to cut the flesh with the rocks. They obeyed and, when they had finished skinning the buffalo, set up some poles and placed the hides upon them. Thus, did they construct a shelter to protect them while they slept.
After Old Man had taught the people all of these things, he started off again, travelling North until he came to where the Bow and the Elbow rivers met. There, he created more people and taught them the same things. From that point, he went even further North. When he had almost reached all the way to the Red Deer River, he was so tired that he lay down on top of a hill. The form of his body can be seen there today...on the top of the hill where he had rested.
When Old Man awoke, he traveled farther North yet until he came to a high hill. Climbing to the top, he sat there for a while, gazing out over the country. Nagi was very satisfied with all he surveyed. Looking at the steep hill below him, he murmured: "This is a fine place for sliding. I will have some fun!" And he began to slide down the hill. The marks where he slid still remain and the place is known to all Blackfeet as "Old Man's Sliding Ground".
Old Man cannot die. Long ago, he left the Blackfeet and went away toward the West, disappearing up into the mountains. Before he took his leave, he told the people: "I will always take care of you and, some day, I will come back."
Even today, some believe that Nagi spoke the truth and, when he does return, he will bring with him the buffalo, who many believe the white men have hidden. Still others think that before he left, he said that when he did return, he would find them to be a different people, living in a different world from that which he had created.
Novareinna welcomes all tale-travelers to Penumbra, her beautiful site/sight of stories and poetry and design.
A section has been added to Penumbra entitled "Rainbow Bridge," dedicated to the memory of our beloved animal companions. It features various pieces of work, whose words, it is hoped, will bring solace and comfort to those who have lost a dear little furry (or feathered or scaled...etc.) one.
It contains an area known as "BlueBird Bower" where a memorial may be placed by anyone upon request in the name of their departed pet (no species refused).
Just click on "RainBow Bridge" on the home page to access the area in question.
