Niitsitapiisini: Our Way of Life (The Story of the Blackfoot People)
June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada
Image: Gerald Tailfeathers, “Blood Camps”, 1956, Collection of Glenbow Museum via Niitsitapiisini: Our Way of Life.
The Niitsitapiisini: Our Way of Life virtual exhibit presents the culture and history of the Blackfoot-speaking people as they know and understand it. It was developed through a unique collaboration among the people of the Blackfoot Confederacy and Glenbow Museum.
This project grew out of the development of Niisitapisinni: Our Way of Life, a permanent gallery at the Glenbow Museum. Eighteen Blackfoot elders worked with Glenbow staff to lead the design of the exhibition and infuse traditional knowledge and contemporary lived experiences into an innovative storytelling experience that shared the history and culture of the Blackfoot people.
"Daisy Norris, Blackfoot woman.", [ca. 1910-1915], (CU1133903) by Reed, Roland W.. Courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.
The Niitsitapiisini: Our Way of Life gallery is currently closed to the public due to Glenbow’s building renovations, but you can visit the Niitsitapiisini virtual exhibition to discover the history, values and traditions of the people who have lived for thousands of years in the northwestern plains of Alberta and Montana. Here, the Blackfoot share their story in their own words; they will take you on a journey through Niitsitapi history up to the present day.
Traditional Blackfoot Territory via Niitsitapiisini: Our Way of Life.
June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, a time to recognize the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. To read more about Indigenous history, please visit the Prairie Indigenous eBook Collection hosted by the Calgary Public Library. The Collection brings together over 300 titles from publishers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. This significant addition to the Alberta eBooks repository increases access to stories by Indigenous authors and writings about Indigenous culture, serving as the first of its kind in Canada.