Crowfoot

Crowfoot (c. 1830 – 25 April 1890) or Isapo-Muxika (Blackfoot: Issapóómahksika; syllabics: ᖱᕋᑲᒉᖽᐧᖿᖷ) was a chief of the Siksika. His father, Istowun-ehʼpata (Packs a Knife), and mother, Axkahp-say-pi (Attacked Towards Home), were Kainai. He was five years old when Istowun-ehʼpata was killed during a raid on the Crow tribe, and, a year later, his mother remarried to Akay-nehka-simi (Many Names) of the Siksika people among whom he was brought up. Crowfoot was a warrior who fought in as many as nineteen battles and sustained many injuries, but he tried to obtain peace instead of warfare. Crowfoot is well known for his involvement in Treaty Number 7 and did much negotiating for his people. While many believe Chief Crowfoot had no part in the North-West Rebellion, he did in fact participate to an extent due to his son's connection to the conflict. Crowfoot died of tuberculosis at Blackfoot Crossing on April 25, 1890. Eight hundred of his tribe attended his funeral, along with government dignitaries. In 2008, Chief Crowfoot was inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame where he was recognized for his contributions to the railway industry. Crowfoot is well known for his contributions to the Blackfoot nation, and has many memorials to signify his accomplishments.

Chief Crowfoot was born in 1830 to the Kainai, known to traders and settlers as the Bloods, one of the tribes of the Blackfoot Confederacy. His father was Istowun-ehʼpata (Packs a Knife) and his mother was Axkahp-say-pi (Attacked Towards Home). He was first known as Shot-Close. Later as a boy, he was given the name Bear Ghost and then his father’s name Packs a Knife after he had been killed by members of the Crow tribe. These different names came at different times in his life as he proved himself a skilled Blackfoot warrior and, later, chief. A year after his father died, his mother remarried a member of the Siksika tribe, Akay-nehka-simi (Many Names), who eventually brought his new wife back to his tribe. Crowfoot followed his new father and mother to the Siksika on foot for several hours, eventually causing the two to turn around and bring both the young Crowfoot and his grandfather Scabby Bull with them to the Blackfoot tribe. It was with this tribe where Crowfoot proved himself as a warrior and leader.