Houses of the Blackfoot Confederacy

"Encampment of the Piekann Indians" Karl Bodmer 1833

The tribes forming this group are the Siksika, or Blackfeet proper, the Piegan, and the Kainah, or Bloods. Closely allied and associated with these were the Atsina, a branch of the Arapaho, but who later became incorporated with the Assiniboin. These tribes roamed over a wide territory of mountains, plains, and valleys. Early accounts of the manners and ways of life of the Blackfeet are to be found in the journals kept by traders belonging to the Hudson’s Bay Company, who penetrated the vast, unknown wilderness southwestward from York Factory daring the eighteenth century. Although the records are all too … Read more

Kainah Tribe

Kainah First Nation, Kainah Indians, Blood Indians (Ah-kai-nah, ‘many chiefs,’ from a-kai-im many , ni´-nah chiefs ). A division of the Siksika, or Blackfeet, now living on a reservation under the Blood agency in Alberta, Canada, between Belly and St Mary Rivers. The subtribes or bands are Ahkaiksumiks, Ahkaipokaks, Ahkptashiks, Ahkwonistsists, Anepo, Apikaiyiks, Aputpsikainah, Inuhksoyistamiks, Isisokasimiks, Istsikainah, Mameoya, Nitikskiks, Saksinahmahyiks, Siksahpuniks, and Siksinokaks. According to the Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for 1858, there were then 300 tipis and 2,400 persons. In 1904 there were 1,196 persons on the reservation, of whom 958 were classed as pagans. Alternate … Read more

Siksika Tribe

Siksika Indians. A tribe of the Siksika confederacy (see below). They now (1905) live on a reservation in Alberta, Canada, on upper Bow River, and are officially known as the Running Rabbit and Yellow Horse bands. They were divided into the following subtribes or bands: Aisikstukiks, Apikaiyiks, Emi-tahpahksaiyiks, Motahtosiks, Puhksinahmahyiks, Saiyiks, Siksinokaks,Tsiniktsistsoyiks. Pop. 942 in 1902, 795 in 1909. Siksika Confederacy Siksika Confederacy, (‘black feet’, from siksinam ‘black’, ka the root of ogkatsh ‘foot’. The origin of the name is disputed, but it is commonly believed to have reference to the discoloring of their moccasins by the ashes of the … Read more