Blackfeet Creation Tale
As told by: Chewing Black bones
The Blackfeet creation tale starts off in the beginning with and old man. Old man originated from down South. Old man starts to travel away from the South and decides to head north. Along the way he creates mountains, animals, rives, forests and much more beauty. The old man walked across the Milk River and laid down to rest. He marked his figure with stones you can still see to today. Along his journey north he tripped over a knoll, and fell to his knees. He then rose up two buttes in the air and named them the knees. He carried on and created the Sweet Grass Hills with rocks he had in his pocket. For all the animals he created he made equal size food for them to flourish on. Still going north, the old man created berries, roots, plums, and all the vegetation in the land. He decided to create women and children out of clay. He took them off to the rive where he revealed his name-NAPI. He showed them what to eat. He told them to eat the berries, roots and animals that they share the land with. He led them across the forests and plains and brought them to the swamps that carry the natural herbs that have the power to heal. Old man went further north and created more people out of clay and showed them how to survive as he did the others. He also gave them the gift of buffalo and taught them how to kill and eat them. Old man went further north and created even more people. Old man decided to take a rest and sat down on a mountain slide. He wanted to have some fun and came to the conclusion that this hill would be a good hill to slide on. You can still see the old mans marks the Blackfeet people called them the “Old Manos sliding ground.” Old man left the people he created and gave life and moved westward telling the people he will one day return.

This myth is important to the Blackfeet people because its always comforting to know where you came from or at least have an entertaining story.

Bodmer, Karl. “Piegan Blackfeet Man Pioch-Kiäiu.” August 21 1833. Painting. Wikimedia
Commons. 11 November 2008.



Black Bones, Chewing. “Legend of the Beginning: Blackfeet Creation Tale.”
Northwest, Montana: Ella E. Clark. 1953. 6 November 2008.