Regalia and Clothing

• The First Nations' people from the plains wore hides as their clothing. Moose skins made the best moccasins and deerskin was used to make leggings and women's dresses.

Decorating

• The Blackfoot were very artistic people.  They often decorated their clothing with paint made from nature.   They used iron to make a reddish color and they used minerals to get the colors green, orange, purple, and yellow.  The Gall Bladder of the buffalo was also used for the colour yellow.

• The Blackfoot often used porcupine quills to decorate their clothing Shells, bones,  and claws from animals were also used for decorations.    After the horse arrived, the horse's hairs were used for strings.  Traditionally, sinew was  used for strings and ropes.  Sinew was made out of the tendons of animals. 

photo courtesy: http://www.paleotechnics.com/sinewpage.html

• When the Europeans arrived, furs were traded for things like the beads used in clothing.  These were very popular with the Blackfoot people because of their love of artwork and design.

Scalplock Outfits

• The Blackfoot owner of this Scalplock suit from 1840, must have been not only an outstanding warrior but also a man of great wealth.  For the Blackfoot, some regalia would be created in making a blessing.  In this clothing the warrior is making a blessing to the sun, the weasel and the bear.

Find out more about this Scalplock suit at

http://www.civilisations.ca/tresors/treasure/245eng.html

All contents copyright © 2003, C.B.E. All rights reserved.
Web Author: M. Speight

Last updated March 19, 2003