Native Americans

08/06/2025

In 2022, a groundbreaking DNA study offered scientific backing to the Blackfeet (Blackfoot) Nation’s oral history. For generations, the Blackfeet have maintained that their ancestors have lived on the plains of northern Montana since time immemorial. The study, which analyzed genetic material from members of the tribe, showed a distinct lineage that diverged from other Indigenous populations around 18,000 years ago. This finding supports the belief that the Blackfeet did not migrate recently into the region, as once theorized by some historians, but instead have deep roots in their traditional territory going back thousands of years.The Blackfeet Nation is part of the larger Blackfoot Confederacy, which includes groups in both the United States and Canada. Long before European contact, the Blackfeet were known as fierce warriors, skilled horsemen, and expert bison hunters who thrived on the plains. Their cultural stories, passed down through generations, have always emphasized a strong and continuous connection to the land. Now, science adds its voice to those traditions, reinforcing Indigenous knowledge with genetic evidence. It’s a powerful reminder that oral histories often carry truths long before science catches up.

08/06/2025

American Horse – A Shrewd Sioux ChiefOne of the wittiest and shrewdest of the Sioux chiefs was American Horse, who succeeded to the name and position of an uncle, killed in the battle of Slim Buttes in 1876. The younger American Horse was born a little before the encroachments of the whites upon the Sioux country became serious and their methods aggressive, and his early manhood brought him into that most trying and critical period of our history. He had been tutored by his uncle since his own father was killed in battle while he was still very young. The American Horse band was closely attached to a trading post, and its members, in consequence, were inclined to be friendly with the whites, a policy closely adhered to by their leader.
When he was born, his old grandfather said: “Put him out in the sun! Let him ask his great-grandfather, the Sun, for the warm blood of a warrior!” And he had warm blood. He was a genial man, liking notoriety and excitement. He always seized an opportunity to leap into the center of the arena.
In early life, he was a clownish sort of boy among the boys —an expert mimic and impersonator. This talent made him popular and in his way a leader. He was a natural actor, and early showed marked ability as a speaker.
American Horse was about ten years old when he was attacked by three Crow warriors while driving a herd of ponies to water. Here he displayed native cunning and initiative. It seemed he had scarcely a chance to escape, for the enemy was near. He yelled frantically at the ponies to start them toward home, while he dropped off into a thicket of willows and hid there.
A part of the herd was caught in sight of the camp and there was a counter chase, but the Crows got away with the ponies. Of course, his mother was frantic, believing her boy had been killed or captured; but after the excitement was over, he appeared in camp unhurt. When questioned about his escape, he remarked: “I knew they would not take the time to hunt for small game when there was so much bigger close by.”

08/06/2025

08/05/2025

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 began quilting out of necessity during the late 19th century. Though women of different tribes make star quilts, the Lakota in particular are well-known for their quilting.Because Indian men weren't allowed to leave the reservations to hunt, they could no longer obtain animal hides for making robes and clothing, so women turned to quilting to make bed coverings. They learned to quilt from missionaries, from the wives of government officials stationed on the reservations, and at boarding schools.
At first Indian women made quilts with square or geometric patterns. In time, the women created many different geometric patterns for quilting, with the most prevalent contemporary design integral to cultural and ceremonial life being the star quilt.
Indian women of many different tribes, including the Ojibway, made star quilts, but the tribe that has made the design its own is the Lakota. The star pattern of the quilts represents the morning star, a significant symbol in Lakota beliefs and ceremonial life and, although it may have derived from introduced Euro-American designs, it also has antecedents in earlier symbolic hide-painting tradititions.
Lakota women organized quilting societies that replaced the porcupine quill-working societies of the pre-reservation period. Being a member of a quilting society increased a woman's standing in her community. The star quilt in particular became an object of cultural and economic importance to the Lakota.
All young Indian women were expected to make at least one star quilt to take to their new husband's home when they married, they almost never used them to cover beds. Star quilts are used in ways that distinguish their meaning and role within Lakota Sioux life. They are employed as door coverings for dwellings or shelters at ceremonial events and are worn by healers in the yuwipi (curing) ceremonies. More importantly, star quilts have long been a critical element in giveaways and from birth to death, the life-cycle events of Sioux peoples.
In contemporary Lakota society, the female relatives of newborn babies make small star quilts for their new family members. When word comes that a Lakota is dying, a group of Sioux women may gather and make, in as little as four hours, a star quilt to be used at that person's memorial service. Lakota tribal officials give star quilts to prominent politicians to honor them and to establish a basis for reciprocity.
Selling star quilts to tourists and collectors also has become a significant way for Indian women to supplement their income. Individual quilt-makers have long sold their star quilts in places adjacent to reservations, like Rapid City, South Dakota. More Indian women are taking advantage of the internet to offer their wares to the public, as well.

08/05/2025

The Science of Smudging: What Sage Does to BacteriaThe Science of Smudging: What Sage Does to Bacteria
Smudging is the ritualistic burning of sage (usually white sage) and other herbs like cedar, sweetgrass, or lavender.
This practice is typically performed using a bundle of dried sage leaves, called a smudge stick, which is lit and allowed to produce smoke.
The smoke is then gently wafted through the air using a feather or hand, while intentions of cleansing or healing are set.
The aromatic smoke produced by burning sage has long been believed to have purifying properties, and practitioners of smudging often use it to cleanse homes, objects, or even people.
But beyond the spiritual and psychological benefits, does burning sage have any measurable impact on the physical environment?
Key Findings:
• The study found that burning medicinal herbs like sage significantly reduced the number of airborne bacteria. In fact, the smoke from the herbs eliminated up to 94% of airborne bacteria in a closed space within just one hour.
• What’s even more impressive is that the air remained almost completely free of harmful bacteria for up to 24 hours after smudging. Some potentially pathogenic bacteria were absent even after 30 days in the smudged environment.
These findings suggest that the antimicrobial properties of burning sage could indeed help reduce the presence of bacteria and other microbes in the air, making it a viable option for air purification in enclosed spaces.
How Does Smudging Work?
The antimicrobial effects of sage smoke are believed to come from the bioactive compounds found in the plant, including volatile oils and terpenes like 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol), camphor, and thujone.
When burned, these compounds are released into the air and may interact with the cellular structures of bacteria, effectively neutralizing them.

08/04/2025

Sitting Bull was the first man to become chief of the entire Lakota Sioux nation.Sitting Bull was born around 1831 into the Hunkpapa people, a Lakota Sioux tribe that roamed the Great Plains in what is now the Dakotas. He was initially called “Jumping Badger” by his family, but earned the boyhood nickname “Slow” for his quiet and deliberate demeanor. The future chief killed his first buffalo when he was just 10 years old. At 14, he joined a Hunkpapa raiding party and distinguished himself by knocking a Crow warrior from his horse with a tomahawk. In celebration of the boy’s bravery, his father relinquished his own name and transferred it to his son. From then on, Slow became known as Tatanka-Iyotanka, or “Sitting Bull.”
Sitting Bull was renowned for his skill in close quarters fighting and collected several red feathers representing wounds sustained in battle. As word of his exploits spread, his fellow warriors took to yelling, “Sitting Bull, I am he!” to intimidate their enemies during combat. The most stunning display of his courage came in 1872, when the Sioux clashed with the U.S. Army during a campaign to block construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad. As a symbol of his contempt for the soldiers, the middle-aged chief strolled out into the open and took a seat in front of their lines. Inviting several others to join him, he proceeded to have a long, leisurely smoke from his to***co pipe, all the while ignoring the hail of bullets whizzing by his head. Upon finishing his pipe, Siting Bull carefully cleaned it and then walked off, still seemingly oblivious to the gunfire around him. His nephew White Bull would later call the act of defiance “the bravest deed possible.”

08/04/2025

A photograph of Native Americans taken in 1908 by Edward Curtis would be a striking and historically significant image, capturing a moment in time that reflects both the resilience and the challenges faced by Native American communities in the early 20th century. Edward Curtis, a renowned American photographer and ethnologist, dedicated much of his career to documenting the lives, cultures, and traditions of Native American tribes. His work, often referred to as the "North American Indian" series, aimed to preserve the ways of life of these indigenous people, many of whom were facing displacement, assimilation pressures, and the loss of their traditional ways of living.In this particular photo from 1908, the Native Americans would likely be shown in traditional attire, which could include intricate beadwork, feathered headdresses, and other items symbolic of their culture and identity. The image would capture them in a moment of dignity and strength, perhaps during a ceremonial event, in their everyday lives, or as they posed for Curtis's lens. Despite the ongoing forces of colonization and forced assimilation, the subjects would exude a sense of pride and cultural continuity, conveying the deep connection to their heritage that they carried with them.
Curtis's photographs, while beautiful and insightful, have also been critiqued for presenting an idealized version of Native American life, sometimes overlooking the complex realities and struggles faced by these communities during this period. Nonetheless, his work remains invaluable as a record of Native American cultures, many of which were disappearing in the face of systemic policies designed to erase them. This particular image, from 1908, stands as a reminder of the enduring strength of Native American identity, the importance of cultural preservation, and the power of photography in capturing history.