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Living with other beings
We respected the gifts and abilities of the plants, animals, and spirits of our world. Rather than try to dominate these other beings, we found ways to coexist with them.
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Omahkai’stoo (raven)
Ponoka (elk)
Ksisststaki (beaver)
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Aimmoniisi (otter)
Makoyi (wolf)
Iipisowaahs (Morning Star)
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Ksiistsikomm (Thunder)
Naato'si (Sun)
kakato’si (stars)
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Trading with Our Neighbours
Our territory had everything we needed. We lived with our neighbours just as we lived with all of Creation. We were not interested in forcing our way of life on our neighbours. We traded with them to develop good relationships with people who lived nearby. Still, we did not let anyone enter our territory without our permission.
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Collection of Glenbow Museum |
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Our Trading Ceremony
We innaihtsookakihtsimaan (made peace treaties) before we began to trade. These treaties ensured that the trade was done in a spirit of goodwill. We exchanged gifts as a sign of friendship.
We smoked a pipe and asked the Creator to witness the treaty and help everyone live up to their responsibilities.
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Using Sign Language
First Nations people speak many different languages. Before Europeans arrived, we talked to each other by using sign language.
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Collection of Glenbow Museum
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Aiksikksiksi (Bitterroot)
Aiksikksiksi (Bitterroot) is a plant that grows on the west side of the mountains. It was an important part of our diet. To collect it we had to travel far and enter someone else's territory. Instead of doing this, we traded buffalo meat and hides for bitterroot.
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Bitterroot,
Collection of
Glenbow Museum
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Obsidian
Although we had plenty of stone in our own territory to make into tools, we sometimes traded for special kinds of stone. Obsidian is volcanic glass and has very sharp edges. It came to us from people who lived in Wyoming and on the northwest coast.
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Obsidian,
Collection of Glenbow Museum
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Ponokaomitaa (Horses)
Our people always remembered the small horses that were once here, but had disappeared . When the Ponokaomitaa (horses) came back they were much bigger and we called them "elk-dogs" because they were big like elks but were useful like dogs. We traded buffalo hides and meat with our neighbours in exchange for horses.
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Ponokaomitaa (Horses) |
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