The second presentation about Pikunii traditions and culture. Pikunii "religion" relied heavily on their relationships with nature and natural spirits. There are many symbols they used to represent those relationships and this presentation elaborates on some of the Pikunii rituals. Disclaimer: there is far greater detail involved that can be found in the references. These slides are only to teach general information.

1. Ampskapi Pikunii Cultural Life
Stabs-by-Mistake perched on Napi's point on Lower St.
Mary's. Mount Siyeh stretches toward the sky in the hazy
background.

2. Content:
• Presentation 1: PikuniiWay of Life (Pikuniipaattupiisin)
• Original territory and boundaries
• Migration patterns/seasons
• Hunting Methods
• Tipi Life (neetuyis life)
• Pikunii Social Life
• Presentation2: Pikunii Culture
• Iniskim, Bear Knives & Spears (Kyiyisttōwun & Supupissta•tsis)
• War Bonnet and transferring
• Beaver Bundles (Ksisskstuki o'moōkippisstaan)
• Thunder Medicine Pipes (ninnaamsskaa''kwainiimaan)
• Sweat bathing (iitsisskaan), Weasel Suits (aapaasookaasim)
• Okan (oōkaan), Medicine Lodge
• Scarface Legend (Pawukskkii, Pīyōwa)
• Presentation 3: Special Topics
• Gatherers of what?
• Animals, numbers, household words
• Conversations about Native Life with elders in moderate times
• Gifts of the buffalo
• Building the Okan
• Special Requests
Chief Mountain (viewed from the east )

3. Nibai-dabeesin
Nibai-dabeesin – traditional Pikunii life, the "religion" and ceremonies of Pikunii
Kelly Farrah Painting
"The Pikunni world was wild nature. The spirits of nature a great mystery.
The pikunni long ago accepted this Great Mystery as all-powerful and
strivedhard to live in harmony with it. They did not develop complicated
theories about the existence ofnature... They were satifsfied to answer
these questions with humorous anecdotes of the legendary Napi, the old
man...
...The Pikunii knew that one man or one woman alone in the vastness of
nature is just one more than nothing. Thus they sought to establish
relationships with other spirits."
-The Blackfoot Papers, Volume 2, p. 299
• Nature-based spiritual interests ofthe Pikunii are similar to other
natural peoples,no matter the ritual practices
"It (Pikunii tradition) is symbolizedby an awe and respect that the
people have for all the mysterious powers surrounding them –
something by and large lacking from modern technological life."
-'''The Blackfoot Papers,"AHW, p. 299
• Centuries of Pikunii ancestors fought against colonization and
western religion.Eventuallytheir untiringresistance preserved our
traditions.
• Pikunii used prayers,songs,ceremonies and physical articles to help
symbolize some spiritual realm
• Their spiritual relationshipbestowed healingpowers upon them.
Warriors and wise-folkin particular,sought strongrelationships with
their natural spirit

4. Pikunii Elders
• Kahksinoniiks were the elders that had successful spiritual relationships,
which meant successful lifestyles (harmony,food,shelter,good health)
• They were of the most respected and called upon when their "medicine" was
needed; their ceremony, songs, and rituals were to heal a mental state.
• The physical state back then did not suffer from diseases until napikoan
invasions. Physical wounds and old age were the majority causes of death
• Grateful students who wished for the ceremony always kept their spiritual
leaders stocked in whatevertheirmedicine needed
• Pikunii had an abundance ofmedicine bundles.Theywelcomed guests
into theirceremonies to show theirgood relationships with the spiritual
world; this in-part is how our culture was preserved duringcolonialization
• Medicine bundles are deeplyrevered, and some are very ancient.Their
spiritual powers reside in the "practice" and ceremonial transfers,not
within the physical article itself
• Lost or destroyed medicine bundle powers could – and commonlydid - get
recovered by transferred owners.By1910 there was an estimated 20
Thunder Medicine Pipes with the Pikunii,howeverby 1960 there was less
than 10 and our heritage dwindled.By2000s private collections and
recovered bundles brought the sacred bundle count towards 20again and
they are permanent to staynow.
White Dog, smoking a typical Blackfoot pipe, while his wife sits nearby.
TBP, V. 2, p. 304
Kahksinoniiks –elders/grandparents
Natoyiitapiiks - medicine menandwomen
Ninaempsk-achkuineman- "aleader'spipe",ThunderMedicine Pipe
- ceremony

5. Basic Medicines: Pipe Smoking
"The smoking of pistakan pipes played roles of importance in the religious,
political, and social life of the historic Blackfoot Indians. Pipe smoking was an
integral part of the involved ritual of opening sacred ceremonial bundles. It
was an invariable part of the act of making peace with enemy tribes. In the
early years of the fur trade Blackfoot chiefs smoked with white traders when
they visited their post before exchange began."
"Unless younger people take an active interest in pipe-making, the old-age
craft will disappear from the Blackfoot Indians."
-Pipes and Pipe-Making of the Blackfeet, John C. Ewers
• Pikunii etiquette called for the tipi owner to offer a pipe to male visitors to
his lodge. Some Pikunii smoked rarely only during a ceremony; some men
would smoke for leisure too. Young men started pipe smoking before their
first war party, young women never smoked. Married women who sat in
ceremonies learned to pipe smoke and only elder women smoked for
leisure for females
• All men and many older women owned pipes. Pipe-making was commonly
a man's craft, although there were a few female crafters too.
• In the 1940s there were at least a dozen elder and middle-aged pipe-
makers on the Amskapi Pikunii and Káínaa.
All information here is paraphrased or copied from "Pipes and Pipe-Making" by John C. Ewers. Scripts
of this are coped in "The Blackfoot Papers," Vol. 2, p. 303
White Dog, smoking a typical Blackfoot pipe, while his wife sits nearby.
TBP, V. 2, p. 304
Káínaa - Blood Band in Canada
Pistakan - tobacco

6. The Legend of Pawukksskii
(Scarface)
• Scarfacewas a very poor young man who lived with his sister.The chief's daughter was loved by many young men,
includingthechum. Pawukksskii found a way to ask the daughter if shewould be Scarface's wife,but she rejected his
offer until he got the scar on his faceremoved. And so that’s what Pawukksskiisetout to do.
• Pawukksskii searched and searched for a ridgethat was said to lead to the Sun's Lodge. He sawmany black peoplethat
were burned and charred from the heat of the sun. He was told that were to be ableto directhim, although they also
gave him plenty fair warnings
• Finally there was a man who insisted Scarfaceturn around,otherwise travel atnight in a certain direction so the sun
would not burn him. As Scarfacewent on, he found a young man named MorningStar, who said thesun was his father
and he could take him to their lodge. Morning Star told his mother, the Moon, that he wished for Scarfaceas a
companion on his daily journeys;although Sun was not the most easy-goingman.
• Once Scarfacewas agreed on for Morningstar's companion,Sun made Scarface's physical appearanceto mimic
MorningStar. Moon mistaken Scarfacefor Morningstar and so he was named The-one-you-took-for-Morning Star. Sun
told Scarfaceand Morning Star they can go anywhere in the sky except directly west and down towards Earth.
• Scarfacebugged MorningStar to disobey his father until he would.The firsttime, Scarfacekilled 7 largegeese that
were attackingthem straightwest. They told Moon and she wished they beheaded the geese and proved their kill (this
is supposed to be the origin of scalpingenemies to prove their kill).The next time they went west, Scarfacekilled 7
angry cranes and went back to behead them at Sun's request.
• When Scarfaceproved his second kills,Sun honored the once poor man with a sack of clothes and said hecan go back
to Earth now. As his tribewas playingarrowand wheel, they noticed a bigblack thingcoming down from the sky,and
they recognized it was chum Scarface.Scarfacerequested they not touch himuntil they build hima sweat lodge and he
comes back out. This story is the origin of the Weasel Suit, Sweat Lodge, and the MedicineLodge – which is supposed
to be where Sun lives.And Pawukkskii had his namechanged to Pīyōwa
Full length story can be foun TBP, Vol.2, pg. 508-510. Image from pg.

7. Basic Medicines:Iniskim:
• Tale says therewas a second wife gathering for her husband, a Beaver
Bundle holder, in a time of no food. The buffalo were gone, and the
people werestarving when she found a stonethat looked like a buffalo
and eventually broughtthe buffalo after shedid the ceremony, she
dreamt
• Iniskimpowers bring food and good luck, still today.
• Beaver Men werethe main handlers ofIniskims. They can either be
transferred aloneor with some other bundle.
• Beaver Bundles have them. A painted neet-uyis has them. They are used
for good luck of any kind and some wear them everyday
-ParaphrasedfromMike SwimsUnderstory,TBP,Vol.2,p. 307
Bear Spears and Bear Knives:
• Tale says thehead Chief of all the Bears, Medicine Grizzly, took
sokumapiin for a winter and taught him the ferociousnessand
ceremony of the Bear
• Only the bravestwarriors of theSiksika considered being a Bear Knife
or Bear Spear Holder. There's a Bear painted lodge too
• The bear spear contains the nose and teeth nearby each other to
representa grizzly's keen senses, a spearhead at the end to represent
the grizzly's tusks,eaglefeathers on the handle, and the staff
wrapped in sacred painted bear hide, and grizzly claws to rattle like a
charging grizzly's claws. Lastly, a griz claw in their hair during battle
• They werecommon medicine for battles; turning up fierce and
daunting warriors.Has healing powers too. more on page 310ofTBP.
Left: Iinii roaming
foothills of the
Blackfeet Nation
Right: A Bear Knife
with its bundleof
accessories.Marshal
Noice Photo, Bob
Scriver Collection
TBP, AHW, Vol. 2, Page
306 and 312
respectively

8. Basic Medicines: Warbonnets
• Bonnets are powerful, ancient, and sacred headdresses for the Pikunii. After Mountain Chief
had his transferred to him, he rode into battle escaping many arrows and bullets without
injury. The honor of wearing one itself is immense and transferring a bonnet is very involved
• The picture to the right bottom shows warriors with two styles of headdresses feather and
straight-up, thought to be transferred from the Bull Society. The horn bonnet has weasel tails
string hanging down on the sides same as the feather bonnets, and a pair of horns. Some
horns are painted red or blue; and a string with bells tied across the horns.
• When a bonnet is not in use it is kept in a round leather case; hung from a tripod on the
west side of the tipi. There are many songs from bonnet transfers – Mountain Chief who told
this account knew seven songs mostly from the war class.
Bonnet Transferring:
• A sweat house is first made, and the bonnet stays protected in its case on top of the
sweathouse. The sweat house must be round and the dirt from the pit should be placed
outside to the west of the lodge. Lighter dirt should be placed near the edges and door.
• Ashes of the pipe that are burnt are emptied to the SE, then SW, then NW, then NE, and the
rest in the fire pit of the sweat lodge. Songs in the sweat house are Bull songs. They sing
four songs each time before they open the doors, the fourth time is when the ceremony
ends.
• Then they go to the owner's neet-uyis, he sits at the rear right with his bonnet tied above
on a pole; the "buyer" sits opposite to him on the left side. There is smudge area made of
lighter dirt, buffalo dung, and sage; then the sweetgrass smudge begins while singing
"Above is powerful, the ground is powerful." The bonnet is taken down and placed next to
the smudge. Then the owner and buyer slowly take the bonnet out, stopping four times,
singing "Buffalo I take"
• Then they sing one more song to unwrap the bonnet from the calico, singing "Buffalo I have
taken." As he removes the cloth, he shakes the bonnet, and the observers cheer for the
buyer. Four drums are used, and the buyer's face is covered in white paint, then a red streak
across the eyes. Then he takes a cup of white dirt to represent buffalo habits and sings the
painting song "The ground is our medicine... the water is my medicine." A white mud cross
is stamped on the buyer and his wife's robes and the two couples go through more rituals
before the transfer is completed.
All information was paraphrased from Mountain Chief telling his transferred rights and ceremonies. This slide is
a very shortened version. To read about Transferring War Bonnets, go to The Blackfoot Papers, by Adolf H.W.,
Above: Drawingof a horn bonnet, notes from
D.C. Duvall c.1911,explained by Mountain Chief
Left: Warriors wearingdifferentstyles of
headdresses.P. 314
Taboos: Never break a buffalo skull in the
neet-uyis; nor throw any buffalo skull
parts into the fire. Also it is not allowed
for someone to pass in front of the
owner of the bonnet.

9. Pīyōwa's gifts from Sun: more basic medicines
Sweat Bathing Weasel Suits
"Pikunnimen liked to wear weaselsuits the way policemen and soldierslike to
wear fancy decorated uniforms" - TBP, Vol. 2, p. 317
• Weasel Suits are treated the sameway as a bundle – transferred, with
songs and hung at the back of the neet-uyis
• During a Weasel Suit transfer, theolder men who owned a suit used hand
drums to sing. They paint yellow and red on their face, arms, and body:
somepainted their shirt this sameoriginal transfer design.
• Every outstanding man owned a Weasel Suit. There was ceremonies for
painting specific designs on the suit.
Pīyōwa - Scarface's nameafter he had earned Sun's respect.Pawukksskii was his origninal name
Iitsisskaan –sweat lodge
Aapaasookaasim–weasel shirt
"Any man can use a sweatlodge if he wants. He needsa pipe, incense, and
water." -TBP, A.H.W., Vol. 2, p. 326
• The women put a bundle on top of the sweatlodge, they help prayer
and songs, and they raiseand lower the doors.
• The ceremony depends on the leader and the respectivebundle that is
on top. Some sweatlodges arebuilt with twelve willows and twelve
rocks, others havefourteen of each. The sweatlodge for the Okan has
100 willows and 100 rocks.
• The man invites a leader and builds him a sweat lodge. The lodges can
be re-used if they are not used for death.
Right: p. 317, vol. 2
Left: p. 326, vol. 2

10. Ninaempsk-achkuineman (Translates to "Leader's
Pipe, but physically known as a Thunder Medicine Pipe bundle)
• Legend says thatthe beautiful wifeof the chief left camp to be the wifeof
Thunder (a spirit). Thunder eventually sent her back to her people with his
own sacred pipe. She taught her mother and father the ceremony and that
sacred pipe was handed down through hundreds of Pikuniidivisions.
• Everyonein the tribe received blessings and strength fromthe Thunder
Medicine Pipe. Commonly the chief, the leader of the tribe, was the
possessor of this pipe. The original pipe fromThunder was given to the
girl's father, with instructions that the wifehelp carefor it and performthe
ceremonies too – usually they are transferred to husband and wife.
• The woman does the daily handling and caring for their Thunder Pipe
bundle. She made incense morning and evening, hanging it outside on a
tripod whenever possible. If camp weremoving soon, the bundle indicated
when and which direction.
• Anyonecan go to the keeper of a Thunder Pipe bundle and ask to be
blessed with it by prayer, songs, ceremony, and facepaintings which they
should providegifts for. Anyonecan sponsor theceremony for opening a
Thunder Pipe bundle, paying for the ceremonial leader, along with the
singers, and providing a feast afterwards. Anyonewith patience and
ambition, who is willing to make the personaland material sacrifices, can
become a holder of the Thunder Medicine Pipe bundle
• Medicine-pipe men (ninampskankwenimanor ninampskan) werethe
holders of a medicine pipe bundle and they received a great deal of
political, social, and religious recognition. They wereoffered firstseatof
the neet-uyis (opposite lodge owner) and their wifesat second highest, no
lower than the host's wife. The best meat fromgamewent to
the ninampskanalong with firstcuts of the íínii
• Ninampskan werecalled upon for importantfunctions, selecting Okan
Above: Medicinepipe hangs over doorway c. 1905. The door
paintingis sacred and associated with the bundle
transferring.
Above Right: Paul Kanepaintingin 1843.Notably, the
dimensions of the sacred pipecould be misrepresented
becausecarryingsuch a largeobjectwas unsuitablefor
migration.
Right bottom: A Thunder Medicinepipe sketched in 1843 by

11. Beaver Bundles
• BeaverBundlesare the largestandmostcomplex ceremonialbundlesof the Pikunii –theyare alsothe
mostancientof medicine bundles,beingrememberedasfarbackas the DogDays in1750.
• BeaverMen andWomencare for the bundlesandwere knownasthe "original Blackfoot
environmentalists."BeaverMenandWomenwere veryversedandknowledgeable about spiritualsongs,
ceremonies,andritualsforhealingandstrength.Theyknew waysof birdsandanimals,plantlore,the lore
of stars and heavens, the actionsof weatherandthe migrationpatternsof buffalo.
• BeaverBundlesare generallymade upmanydifferentitems;the pipe stem wasthe mostcolorful and
wasoftenseparatedandsoldfirstwhenthe bundlesbegantheirdecline years
• Afterthe lastold-time BeaverCeremonyin1966, the nextBeaverceremony wasnothelduntil1989. It was
the firstpublicBeaverceremonyforthe siksikaitsitapi–thenone washostedby
the Uput''siipikunii(NorthernPikunii),the firstinover30 years.
• By 2004, itwas fairto creditMike SwimsUnderandSuzette Blackplumewithrevivingthe modern-
day BeaverBundle ceremony,now withoveradozenactive bundles
• Theywere alsoincharge toI'nssimaapisstaa''kaan,whichprovidedthe mainingredientforpipe smoking
duringceremonies - once commercializedtobaccowasintroduced,the Pikuniidesertedtheirplanting
ceremony~1860s, butthe Kaini kepttheirplantingceremonyuntilthe 1950s
• There wasover 400 songsfor the BeaverBundle,chief WhiteCalf was likelymost-versedbecause he was
saidto have sung200 songsina row, nochiefswere creditedknowingthemall.There are 'main'songs
neededtoleadthe ceremonytoo.
• BeaverMen andWomen had spenttheirentire livestothe vocationof a BeaverBundle keeper –itwas the
Pikunii equivalentof aPhD.BeaverMen were encouragedtoopenthe bundleassoonastheirknowledge
wassufficientwithaidfromtheirelder.BeaverWomenwere commonlySunDance womentoo
• BeaverMen usuallyopenedorsangtheirsongs ateach new Moon,or at leastsangthe songs.26 days were
a Moon, andthe otherfourdayswere knownas"whenthe Moon coversherself," 30 daysaltogether
• Watchingthe moonsallowedforBeaverPeopletotell whentheirpeople shouldgather.Bywatchingthe
moontheyknewthe weather,forinstance:if the Moontiltedbackwardsinthe skyweatherwouldbe mild.
If the moontiltedforwardinthe sky,the weatherwouldbe coldandharsh.A ring of cloudsaroundthe
moonmeantthatthe ChinookWindswere comingtowarmthe land;theyalsostudiedcuesfromnature
and birdsforthe weather.
• Most Pikunii medicines were hung outdoors on a tripod during the daytime, but the
Beaver Bundle was too large and heavy so it was placed at the back of the neet-
uyis on the ground. During a camp movement, the bundle was tied to a travois and
carried by a special horse or favorite dog
• The main incense was ssiputsimoi in the warm seasons, in the cold seasons it was
omach-kahs
• The owner of a Beaver Bundle was credited with a great memory for all the songs,
rituals, and dances required for the ceremonies. The following are taboo of a Beaver
Bundle owner:
• Cannot kill any birds or animals in his/her bundle
• Cannot cut their hair in mourning
• Cannot show fear near water, although must sing a song when entering water
• They must sit still in their tipi, not talking loudly or moving about
• If a guest asked them for food, they would be given all in the lodge and eat it
in one sitting (for this reason the wives would offer food before anyone asked)
• Beaver Men must offer their pipe before others ask – otherwise he would
have to smoke until ill
• He must be home most of the time. He cannot beat his wife without singing a
specific song. She has a defense song that he cannot beat her after she sings.
• He cannot take back property once it has been loaned
• He can only accept a pipe if it is offered in front of him with the bowl on the
ground
• The bundle is not to be taken outside unless the camp is being moved, or
when ashes are being moved from the firepit
Pisstaa''kaan- tobacco
I'nssimaa– plant/sowseeds
Ssiputsimoi –sweetgrass
Omach-kahs– BigTurnip
https://digitallibrary.uleth.ca/digital/collection/bdl/id/3118/ - Follow this link to watch the last 'old-time' Beaver Bundle transfer in 1966 by the
Bloods. The last 'old-time' Amspskapi-Pikunii transfer was done in 1962 in Star School.

12. Beaver Bundle Cont.
Beaver Bundle Origins: told byJames White Calf, to Adolf Hungry Wolf in 1968
Is-goch-tsi-gooh! (Long ago!)There was a Pikunii chiefthat wasa great hunter, trapper, andvoyager for specific animals and
birds. He couldtrap orkill eagles, bears, buffalos, elk, and otherbig animals. His trapping seasonwas spent onlowerSt. Mary's
Lake withjust hiswife andchild.
One daythis manwent to checkon his traps and came back to find his neet-uyis withjust hissoninside, nowife. So he waited
thinking she might have gone to gathersomething, but she nevercame. That night a spirit came to him andtoldhim hiswife is
alive and goingto be safe until he gets her back. The spirit thentoldthe chief in-order to get his wife back, he must trapa small
white beaverthat was the sonof the BeaverChief.
The chief had to catchthe small, white beaver bare handed and without harm sohe couldtrade the beaver chief for hiswife.
The spirit thentoldthe chief that it would come back the next night to teachhim how to trapthe beaverson. This is what the
spirit saidto him"here...first get some elk, deer, and buffalochips, mix them until they're fine. Thenrubthat all over your body
to coveryourhumanscent. Next dig a pit and coverit withbrush, you canhide here until yousee him." The spirit told him that
he wouldbe backonce he caught the small beaver. So the chief waitedfor the beaver, andthe first dayhe hadnot seenhim,
just otherwildlife at the water. The next dayhe saw the white beavercome out of the water, andthe chief waited forhim to
get far enoughawayfrom the water that he couldchase him andcatch him.
The chief caught the small beaver andbrought himbackto his neet-uyis andwaitedthat night for the spirit. The spirit came and
told the chief "TwoUnderwaterPersons will come to askforthe white beaver, but don't let him go. Don't goawayfrom
your lodge anddon't leave him alone. Whenyou hear them coming, just fix a place for themto sit."And sowhenhe heard
them comingfrom the water, he prepared theirseats as theyarrivedinhuman-form, holding babybeaverand his sononhis
lap. The underwaters persons said to him"we have a message fromthe Beaver Chief. If you sedback his son, he will returnyour
wife free." The chief withthe beaver andbaby son deniedthe offer saying his son neededsomeone to playwith. The
underwaterpersons told himtheywillnotifythe chiefand, inthe meantime,, he needs to prepare analtarspot forBeaver
Chief.
Earlythe next morning the chief was upto prepare hisneet-uyis andhe started hearingsongs comingfrom the water. He heard
fourof them and he couldhearhis wife singingtoo, theysung "Now I amstartingformyhome." Once theyreached the neet-
uyis, theywent completelyaroundit siginging"Here Is myhome, I have foundit."Then his wife walkedincarrying a stragne
bundle that she placedat the back byherhusbandandproceededto make anincence forthe BeaverChief. As BeaverChief
entered, he wasfollowe bymanydifferent water birds, water animals, land animals, andland birds;singing "Our walking here
was sacred, out singing here is sacred."
The BeaverChiefsaid to the man"We have brought backyourwife andshe has come witha gift foryou. She has brought you
my bundle..whichI keepmymedicinesandtobacco. Now we will transferthe bundle to you."BeavherChief sang a song saying,
"I want the feathers of aneagle." Thenhe sang"I want the skinof a black coyote." Then he sang "I want the skinof a fisher."
The next song "I want a white buffalo calf skin."Eachof these songs and requests were fulfilled bythe chief withhis trapper
bag. ThenBeaver Chief said"I have transferredyou mybundle andits four most important items. These I give you andyour
wife." But the chiefwas not satisfied because his son and himhave sufferedalone all winterwithout theirwife/mother.
So the chiefaskedwhat else is there to give him foroffering. Most gave theirskins andfeathers, naamskii (lizard), turtle (spoo-
pii), and frog were last to offer their skins. The elkandotter offeredtheir whistles. The buffalocow offeredhis hide to wrapthe
bundle. The buffalobullofferedhis hooves fordancingduring ceremony. Lastly, the BeaverChief gave him the painting song
abd a strongdogwith a travois for the bundle.
Both stories areentirely shortened versions ofthe oral stories. To readthefullstory;The BlackfootPapers, AdolfH.W., Vol. 2,p. 477-483
Beaver Bundle Origins:told by Chief White Calf 1897,to George B. Grinelle
There was once a poor orphan who was raised by his grandma.He was ragged and dirty,with sore eyes. His
grandmother would haul their belongings on her back and her travois with one dog. The head chief's youngest
wife secretly started fallingin lovewith the orphan,whose name was Apikunni (Scabby Robe). At the women's
dance society – where they dressed up as their lover – the chief's youngest-wife dressed poorly,ragged with
coyote skin on her to show her love. When Apikunni sawher dressed likehimalongwith the people being so
surprised sheliked him,he ditched the dance to hunt for a vision for power.
"In four days come back to this placefor me" Apikunni said to his partner that was there.
Apikunni wandered away from the spot after four days of no vision.When his friend arrived,he was worried and
sad that Apikunni might be dead. Apikunni wandered until he came to a high cut bank where he laid and cried
feeling sorry for himself.Then a young man appeared telling himhe must come to his father's lodge, to firstshut
his eyes. Apikunni opened them and he was insidea Beaver Lodge, with the Beaver family surroundinghim.
Apikunni told the old beaver he wished for power, to which he replied positively,only if Apikunni stick around
all winter so he could be taught old beaver's powerful ways – enough to become the chief.
All winter the young beaver man was sent to get other old beavers to singand also check on every moon if itwas
almosttime for the ice to clear up, when Apikunni would be ableto go back to his camp.The ice began breaking
and old beaver invited the other beavers over one lasttime to teach the songs once more and said,"you can go
home in four days now."
Once it was time to go home, the beaver boy told Apikunni his father was going to offer him a choicefrom all the
medicines that hung in their lodge. Beaver boy told Apikunni that the only medicine he should insisteach four
times his father will ask,is thestick that was always floatingon water, between cut ice, at the back of the lodge;
nothing but that stick.After Apikunni and old beaver did the selction process old beaver firstexemplified
discontempt, then said "Alrighttakeyour brother than. That stick is your youngest brother, you must keep him
with you at all times."He gave Apikunni an eagle whistler and said whenever you need to get across deep water,
use this bone whistleand your littlebrother will help you across.Then Apikunni was approved to go back to his
camp and old beaver fixed his soreeyes and made him into a fine young man.
As he rode towards his camp,he sawanother camp member and asked about his young maiden and grandmother,
he was told they are mounring and shabby rightnow. So Apikunni told him go back and build me four sweat
lodges.Elders came to his sweats becausethey were curious where he had been. Apikunni sungmany songs in
each four lodges they had never heard, but they questioned his powers still.So the next morning the warriors set
out to find some enemies, the snakes. Apikunni insisted himand his littlebeaver brother go with.
Once they had found the snakes,they were across a big,swift,deep river that did not look good. So Apikunni told
them waithere for I will go across and kill thesnake chief.Apikunni made his medicineand dove under water to
swimacross;the snakechief sawhim and was going to meet him in the water to spear Apikunni whileunderwater.
Apikunni overtook the chiefs spear and stabbed him with his own spear.After he brought the chief back across to
his war party,they scalped himand took his fineclothes.
Once back,the camp believed Apikunni's powers and his maiden took the snakechief's spear and scalp to the
orignial chief.Then the chief said,"I amthe head chief here, of all thepeople, but your poiwer is much greater

14. The Okan
• The Okan has long been considered the greatest ceremony among all
four Blackfootdivisions
• Itwas traditionally the only time that the various bands of the
siksikaitsitapiwould join together
• The Pikunii wished to preserveand promotetribal harmony with all of
nature; especially with the Sun, the most powerfulnaturalsymbol
• Natoas bundle, the 100-willow sweatlodge, and everything else
involved in the Sun Dance ceremony haveat least two differerent
accounts of their origin
• Best known is the story of Pawukksskii, Scarfacebroughtback a number of
spiritual practices fromSun
• These include the making of altars, and incense upon them, the building of
sweatlodges and the purification rituals held within them, the wearing and
decorating of certain sacred clothing, and the building of the sacred Medicine
Lodge, symbolic home of the sun
The information provided in The Blackfoot Papers is minimal. An elder with Medicine Lodge
rights will give a live oral presentation abouts its significance and roles in the Pikunii Traditions
pictures and stories start at page 507, The Blackfoot Papers