Book

The old north trail: or, Life, legends and religion of the Blackfeet Indians

University of Nebraska PressLincoln • Published In 1968 • Pages:

By: McClintock, Walter.

Abstract
This travelers account, written by Walter McClintock, a member of the U.S. Forest Service, presents a first-hand descriptive report on the Blackfoot Indians. The data were collected during the first four years (1896-1900) that McClintock lived and traveled among the North and South Peigan, Blood and Northern Blackfoot divisions of the Blackfoot Tribe. Through directed and informal interviews and participant observation, information was gathered on Blackfoot inter-divisional contacts (including the formation of large camps for ceremonials), history, subsistence activities and religion (including a number of the medicine ceremonials), as well as life-histories of several prominent chiefs and medicine men and numerous texts of legends, songs, prayers, myths and stories. McClintock became the adopted son of Mad Wolf, a prominent chief; this position facilitated participation by the author in tribal and inter-tribal activities. The concluding chapter, written after observing the Blackfoot 14 years after the author's first visit, discusses the rapidity and extent of culture change resulting from, in part, White contact and the U.S. government's policy. The appendices include Blackfoot music, explanation of terms used by the author and terminology for and uses of various plants.
Subjects
Spirits and gods
Eschatology
Sodalities
Prayers and sacrifices
Sacred objects and places
Acculturation and culture contact
Organized ceremonial
Literary texts
Ethnometeorology
Magic
Structures
Norms
Culture summary
Observation in research
Mythology
Animism
Property
culture
Blackfoot
HRAF PubDate
1999
Region
North America
Sub Region
Plains and Plateau
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Traveler
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Sarah T. Bridges ; 1974
Field Date
1896-1910
Coverage Date
not specified
Coverage Place
northwestern Montana, United States; southern Alberta, Canada
Notes
Walter McClintock
'A Bison Book'
Reprint of the 1910 ed.
Includes unacc. melodies
Includes index
LCCN
68013651
LCSH
Siksika Indians