The Old North Trail: or Life, Legends and Religions of the Blackfeet Indians Hardback - 2010

The Old North Trail: or Life, Legends and Religions of the Blackfeet Indians is a non-fiction book written by Walter McClintock. The book provides a detailed account of the culture, traditions, and beliefs of the Blackfeet Indians, a Native American tribe that lived in the northern Great Plains region of the United States and Canada. It covers a wide range of topics, including the history of the Blackfeet people, their social structure, hunting and fishing practices, and their relationship with the natural world. The book also delves into the legends and myths of the Blackfeet, exploring their creation stories, spiritual beliefs, and rituals. McClintock, who lived among the Blackfeet for several years, provides a firsthand account of their way of life and offers insights into their worldview. The Old North Trail is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Native American history and culture.1910. In the Preface, the author explains how he came to write this volume: After becoming acquainted with the Blackfeet Indians, I realized that there were locked up in the breasts of the old chiefs and medicine men rich treasures of folklore, religious beliefs and ceremonials. I saw that the younger generation was indifferent to their tribal customs, traditions and religion. I also observed that they had no written language, and it seemed inevitable that, with the passing of the old chiefs and medicine men, their ancient religion and folklore would fall into oblivion. When I discovered that I could obtain the unbosoming of their secrets and that the door was open to me for study and investigation, I resolved that I would do my best to preserve all the knowledge available. Partial Contents: My Introduction to the Blackfeet; My Adoption by Mad Wolf; Hunting in the Rocky Mountains; A Rocky Mountain Blizzard; Mad Wolf Gives the Beaver Medicine Ceremonial; Legend of the Beaver Medicine; My Rocky Mountain Goat Hunt; Winter on the Plains; Ghost Stories; Reminiscences of Father De Smet; Sun Worship; Beginning of the Sun-Dance; Marriage Customs; Forming the Sun-Dance Camp; Painted Tipis; The Sun-Dance Camp; Evening Scenes in the Camp; An Initiation into the Medicine Pipe Society; Ceremonial Transferring the Medicine Pipe; and The Present Condition and Future Prospects of the Blackfeet.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.