BLACKFOOT and CREE

FNMI @ FFLA
Indigenous Nations - Blackfoot and Cree
FNMI @ FFLA

Background
T H E N AT I O N S O F C A N A D A’ S A B O R I G I N A L P E O P L E S

This unit could be developed in three ways by focusing on the Blackfoot, on the Cree or on
both. The following resources are for both, but the unit itself is developed on the Blackfoot.

RESOURCES:

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/cree

https://ourspace.uregina.ca/bitstream/handle/10294/8401/
Cree%20Language%20of%20the%20Plains%20Workbook%20PDF.pdf

https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/brief-history-cree

http://digital.scaa.sk.ca/ourlegacy/exhibit_nehiyawak_leadership

https://education.alberta.ca/media/563937/cree-12y-guide-to-implementation-4-6.pdf

https://education.alberta.ca/media/563938/cree-12y-guide-to-implementation-k-3.pdf
Background
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/
en/article/blackfoot-nation

http://artsalive.ca/pdf/mus/map/
Indigenous-Teacher_Guide_en.pdf

http://www.spiritwrestler.com/catalog/
index.php?q=Blackfoot

http://www.provincialfitnessunit.ca/media/
uploads/Move__Play_Trad_Games.pdf

https://theblackfeetindians.weebly.com/
index.html

https://www.nfb.ca/film/ancient_ones/ Indigenous people, or culture is based on the bison

Siksikaitsitapi, meaning hunt, intrinsically linking them to
The Blackfoot Confederacy,
“Blackfoot-speaking real people.” the Plains. They lived freely on
sometimes referred to as the
The Confederacy’s traditional the land, following bison across
Blackfoot Nation or Siksikaitsitapi,
territory spans parts of southern the plains to hunting grounds
is comprised of three Indigenous
Alberta and Saskatchewan, as where they would utilize bison
nations, the Kainai, Piikani and
well as northern Montana. In the jumps and runs. Because of their
Siksika. People of the Blackfoot
2016 census, 22,490 people portability, Blackfoot people lived
Nation refer to themselves as
identified as having Blackfoot in camps sheltering in tipis.
Niitsitapi, meaning “the real
ancestry. Traditional Blackfoot
people,” a generic term for all
H E R I TA G E I N N O V AT I O N P R O G R E S S
BACKGROUND
CONTINUED …
They also hunted other large game such
as deer, supplementing their diet with
nuts, fruits and vegetables. The bison
remained the most important element of
their economy, diet and way of life.
The Blackfoot were also known for being
fierce warriors with a powerful alliance
system that included not only the nations
of the confederacy, but other Athabaskan
nations, such as the Tsuut’ina. Warriors
were revered among the people, and
belonged to sacred societies that
honoured and tested their courage and
skill. Despite significant population loss as
a result of warfare, the Blackfoot
Confederacy remained one of the most
powerful Indigenous groups on the
Northern Plains, temporarily impeding the
westward expansion of European settlers.
During the summer, groups would NOTE: Blackfoot Nation is the Canadian
converge to hunt bison, and celebrate with population and Blackfeet Nation is the
elaborate feasts and dances. The Sun American population.
Dance, a communal celebration held
annually in mid-summer, was the central https://www.google.com/search?
aspect of Blackfoot cultural life. European q=blackfoot%2C+pdf&oq=blackfoot%2C+pdf&a
qs=chrome..
settlers and missionaries opposed the
69i57j0l5.9175j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Blackfoot’s complex and well-established
traditions. Assimilatory laws and policies
were implemented in order to eradicate
the expression of traditional culture (See
also Indian Act). However, Blackfoot oral
histories passed cultural traditions on to
future generations, including participating
in sweat lodges and sacred societies (such
as the Horn Society), using medicine
bundles, and other means of purifying the
body and soul.
https://www.glenbow.org/blackfoot/teacher_toolkit/
pdf/Land_Resources.pdf
https://theblackfeetindians.weebly.com/index.html
https://blackfootconfederacy.weebly.com/weapons-
and-tools.html
https://www.aaanativearts.com/blackfeet-tribe-index
Indigenous Nations - Blackfoot Peoples
FNMI @ FFLA

It is important to differentiate between the bands, tribes,

Interdisciplinary and nations in any study of FNMI. The Cree and Blackfoot
have a shared history, but differ in many important ways.
Lessons
SCIENCE
This background information was retrieved from Canadian
or North American reference sites and can be used as a
platform for many different lesson plans, across the
Research the buffalo and all the ways that the Blackfoot
curriculum. If designed as a collaborative Grade Level
used this hunted animal in sustaining their lives and
study, the following activities could be done concurrently
lifestyle. Resource: https://
or independently to provide students with both range and
www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/bison#
depth in their FNMI studies.
https://wanderingbull.com/native-americans-buffalo/
http://www.saskschoolsinfo.com/firstnations/bison.html
Lesson Topics/Activities
M AT H
Let us assume that this set of activities is being built for the
middle school level, Grade 6. The following is a short list of
possible satellite lessons aligned to the Alberta Program of
Calculating, tabling and graphing data is important. Find the
Studies and using these thematic elements for the population numbers of Buffalo in Canada from https://
embedded FNMI study: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_bison_conservation_in_Canada
AND https://bisoncentral.com/bison-by-the-numbers/
Indigenous Nations - Blackfoot Peoples
FNMI @ FFLA

More Subjects and Lessons … A R T S - D R A M A , A R T, M U S I C

SOCIAL STUDIES
Artistry is an important means of expression for the Blackfoot.
Research the following to find ideas that could be used in the
classroom:
Conflict has occurred between the people of Canada’s first nations
- the Blackfoot and Cree. This was the last major battle for First
http://artsalive.ca/pdf/mus/map/Indigenous-
Nations People in CANADA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Teacher_Guide_en.pdf
Battle_of_the_Belly_River
https://www.ehow.com/info_8529757_blackfoot-indian-
Students could research this conflict and compare it to other global crafts.html
conflicts of the same time period.
https://www.nscrd.com/uploads/document/files/activities-
LITERACY handbook-en.pdf

https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/
1302806502670/1534952037248
The oral tradition was important to these people and the Glenbow
Museum has recorded some of their stories: https:// P H Y S I C A L E D U C AT I O N
www.glenbow.org/blackfoot/EN/html/traditional_stories.htm
Students could write their own oral legends of family values or
http://www.provincialfitnessunit.ca/media/uploads/
traditions and record the stories.
Move__Play_Trad_Games.pdf
LOREM IPSUM DOLOR

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THE CHALLENGE:

Plains bison, a symbol of the west, were almost wiped out in the late
1800s by over hunting and slaughter. At one time, 30-60 million bison
roamed North America, from Mexico to northern Canada. Large herds
migrated and grazed across open grasslands and played a critical role
in shaping grassland ecosystems. By 1888, no bison were left in the
wild in Canada and only one herd remained in the wild within
Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Since 1905, and the
bison reintroductions, there are now about 2,200 plains bison and
about 11,000 wood bison roaming wild in Canada. However, these still
small numbers mean populations remain vulnerable to habitat loss,
disease and with domesticated bison that have cattle genes. The
grassland habitat though for these animals is now limited by both
agriculture and urbanization.

THE QUESTION: How do we continue to protect the buffalo in

Canada for the future?
BLACKFOOT (and CREE)
F N M I K N O W L E D G E F R O M Y E S T E R D AY F O R T O D AY

DISCUSSION
Do we think that this will work? Are there changes that we need to make as we move
the theory into practice?
What will be our timeline? Could we celebrate the learning with a summative grade
level newspaper?
How would you make reflections on the work once taught?
Is the process of curricular planning value?
What will our assessments look like?
Could this act as the Unit Plan?