The Blackfoot Indians
The wind blows across the lone prairie, causing the golden heads of
grass to sway in a synchronized motion. On the horizon stands a herd of buffalo
with bowed heads silhouetted by the slowly sinking sun. In the east stands an
Indian war party mounted on horseback, each individual in different multicolored
attire, all with either bows or spears in hand. As they move in for the attack,
the mystical scene slowly fades from vision....
This dreamlike scene was once everyday life to the American Indian
before they were robbed of all that made their life real. The Indians
originally came over to North America via the Bering Strait at a time when the
ice age caused the gap to freeze over. ...
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arrival of the white man than some tribes due to their location. "In 1855,
there were approximately 2,400 Northern Blackfoot, 2,000 Blood, and 3,200 Piegan.
The total population of Blackfoot varied as follows: 15,000(1780), 9,000(1801),
7,600(1855), and 4,600(1932)" ( ). The decline of population was
most likely due to the white man's diseases and the annihilation of the buffalo.
In 1781, the Blackfoot had their first serious attack of smallpox. An epidemic
of smallpox again occurred in 1838, 1845 1857, and 1864. In the winter of 1864,
the tribe was struck with measles and about 780 died. In the winter of 1883 to
1884, more than 1/4 the Piegan population died of starvation (600). This was
mainly the result of official stupidity and the disappearance of the buffalo.
The Blackfoot were typically large-game hunters and were mainly
dependant on the buffalo for their diet, clothing, and receptacles. They also
hunted such animals as the elk, deer, and antelope. ...
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dried indoors. The blossom was more prized than the stem or leaves,
which were picked just before the frosts came. The stems provided the greater
part of the smoking tobacco. Both crops were oiled with buffalo fat before
being stored in a pouch for future use. Seeds were set out for the following
year without selection. The cultivating of the tobacco plant was done by old
men, and women assisted them. Men were the main smokers of tobacco, but some
women smoked it in small pipes. Being a superstitious people, some Blackfoot
would not smoke while an old pair of moccasins were hanging up; others put the
pipe on a slice of buffalo tongue before use. The peace pipe was always passed
by ...
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"The Blackfoot Indians." Essayworld.com. February 11, 2004. Accessed April 18, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Blackfoot-Indians/2922.
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