Blackfoot Nations

This is not the complete history of Blackfoot people. It is one definition of a complex history of people and places. This information is only meant to be your first step in understanding and researching the indigenous nations of the Blackfoot and the rest of North American tribes.

Who are the Blackfoot People

The Blackfoot Confederacy or Niitsítapi (meaning "real people”) is the collective name of three First Nations in Alberta and one Native American tribe in Montana.

The Blackfoot Confederacy consists of the North Piikani (Aapátohsipikáni), the Blackfeet or South Piikuni (Aamsskáápipikani), the Kainai Nation (Káínaa: "Blood"), and the Siksika Nation ("Blackfoot") or more correctly Siksikáwa ("Blackfoot people"). The South Peigan are located in Montana, and the other three are located in Alberta. Together they call themselves the Niitsítapi (the "Real People").

The Blackfoot were fiercely independent and very successful warriors whose territory stretched from the North Saskatchewan River along what is now Edmonton, Alberta in Canada, to the Yellowstone River of Montana, and from the Rocky Mountains and along the Saskatchewan River past Regina.

The Piikani Nation

Location: The Piikani Nation is located along Highway #3 midway between the towns of Fort Macleod and Pincher Creek. Brocket townsite is located on the reserve along the highway.

The People: The Piikani, by themselves, were the smallest Blackfoot Tribe to sign Treaty 7, though with the Blackfeet Tribe in the neighboring State of Montana, they form the largest tribe of the Blackfoot Nation. The current chief of the Piikani Nation is Chief Reg Crow Shoe.

The Kainai (Blood) Nation

Location: The Kainaiwa reserve, which is the largest reserve in Canada, is located approximately 200 km south of Calgary. It straddles Highway #2 south of Fort Macleod, and stretches west of Cardston in the south to the city of Lethbridge city limits in the northeast. The Kainaiwa business community is located in the townsite of Standoff, at the junction of Highway #2 and Secondary Road #505.

The People: Early legends tell the story of a Blackfoot who visited a Kainaiwa camp. He asked "Who is the Chief here?" When the men nearby heard this question, they all answered "I am." The Blackfoot then stated, "I will call you the Tribe of Many Chiefs." This was how they received the name Kainai (from Aka - "many" and Nina - "chief"). The current chief of the Kainaiwa Nation is Chief Charles Weasel Head. With reference to the name "Blood", this was the name given to them from the first traders as a result of the Red Ochre, which they used on their faces and ceremonial objects.

The Siksika Nation

Location: Siksika Nation is located one hour's drive east of the city of Calgary, and three kilometres south of the Trans Canada Highway #1. The Administrative and Business district are strategically located adjacent to the Town of Gleichen to accommodate visitor traffic.

The People: Siksika has a total population of approximately 4,200 members. Siksika are a part of the Blackfoot Confederacy which also consists of the Piikani and Kainaiwa of southern Alberta and the Blackfeet in the State of Montana.

The Siksika Nation is governed by a chief and twelve councillors, all of whom are elected by members for two-year terms. The current chief of the Siksika Nation is Leroy Good Eagle. The Siksika Nation is in the process of developing a framework for self-government which will define and control the Nation's own destiny, and remove it from jurisdiction of The Indian Act which was legislated into force by the Canadian Government in 1876.

The Blackfeet (Aamsskáápipikani - Southern Piikuni)

Location: Blackfeet Country is located in the northwestern part of Montana that includes most of Glacier County. On the north it borders the Canadian Province of Alberta Canada. On the west it shares a border with Glacier National Park and elevation vary from a low of 3,400 ft. in the southwest to a high of over 9,000 ft. at Chief Mountain on the northwest boundary.

The People: This is home to the Blackfeet Nation which has approximately 15,200 enrolled members of which 8,650 are off-reservation and 7,000 reside on the reservation. Some of the Tribal members are original allotted and un-allotted land owners and other lease, rent etc. Most of the Tribal members are in the ranching and farming business. For the most part Tribal members are business owners and run a successful business in Browning with non-members. The current Chairman (Chief) of the Blackfeet Nation is Earl Old Person

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