UNews - Jerry Potts

Blackfoot Digital Library receives Blackfoot name

caroline.zentner — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 21:38:08 +0000

The Blackfoot Digital Library (BDL) has received a Blackfoot name — Apani. The name, chosen by Elder Jerry Potts, translates to moth or butterfly and means ‘those that transfer knowledge.’

From left to right are Pam and Martin Heavy Head, Jerry Potts, Danielle Heavy Head, Bryce Many Fingers, Lilly Wells and Blair Many Fingers.

“It is noted in Blackfoot mythology as a carrier of information,” said Potts. “On a lot of Blackfoot teepees that come from dreams, you’ll see that symbol on the back of them.”

The BDL, launched about 15 years ago through a joint effort of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Red Crow College, provides a central space for field notes, photographs, images of Blackfoot objects, and recordings that have spread around the world. With a wealth of information, the library is a venue for sharing stories about Blackfoot families and communities. BDL also presents a way to respond to publications that have misinterpreted or misrepresented Blackfoot experiences and way of life and is designed to be an educational resource.

“I really cherish our old ceremonial items, like the beaver bundle,” says Potts. “It goes back thousands of years, back to, on the Blackfoot timeline, when dogs could talk. Those bundles are still active today. The old people, everything they did meant something, and the library allows younger people to learn about these things.”

“It’s really important to have a Blackfoot name attached to the project,” says Danielle Heavy Head, Blackfoot Digital Library liaison. “It sets more of a precedent within the community that this library is an important place, and it holds a lot of knowledge that can be carried forward.”

Along with receiving a Blackfoot name, a core group of people, comprised of Heavy Head, Christine Clark (BFA – New Media ’10, MFA – New Media ’14), a new media professor, library systems staff and students, has been evaluating how the content is structured in the digital library.

“I’m already a big Blackfoot nerd,” said Bryce Many Fingers, an undergraduate student studying psychology and art who is part of the core group. “As an artist, I like to get into dating the archives and collections and seeing the objects on the Mootookakio’ssin site and incorporating that into my art.”

He says learning more about Blackfoot history has given him insight into how to go about creating his artwork. For example, knowing that many of the photos of Blackfoot people taken by white people were an attempt to document a disappearing culture makes him more intentional when taking photos himself.

“There are a bunch of ways that working on the BDL benefits me personally, and then I’m just hoping others can utilize the resource,” he said.

For Blair Many Fingers, a master’s student in the Cultural, Social and Political Thought program, the most valuable lesson was applying Indigenous research methods based on collective relationality with the community of people who contributed to the project.

“I learned from the Elders, knowledge keepers and all the research participants, such as the librarians and FNMI liaison workers we conducted focus groups with, and so much from my supervisors, Danielle Heavy Head, Christine Clark and Dr. Josephine Mills,” Blair said. “The dream world, to the Blackfoot, is where the transfer of knowledge occurs. In that sense, the digital collection of Blackfoot knowledge is a place where people can learn about the Blackfoot way of life. However, I must advise that the digital library is meant to be a spark and gateway to lifelong learning and embodying the values of our ancestors. Part of learning is fostering real-life relations with our Elders, who teach us about the beauty of creation through stories, song, ceremony and language.”

Some of the major changes to the BDL include an extensive land acknowledgement developed by Blair and protocols for using the information in the library.

“That was part of our process of thinking about how we want to bring people into this space and set the terms of engagement with people,” said Clark. “Blair is working on a few more pieces for the site that will talk about protocol and how to access the information respectfully and in ways that are appropriate.”

Another focus for the revitalization work was to add more context to the records, such as sorting records into beginner, intermediate or advanced information, so users can more easily identify the appropriate records. Work was also done to connect each record to a list of names and places where, previously, a record would only link to an origin location and a current location.

“It’s very important to have connections to the land,” says Heavy Head. “Within Blackfoot ways of thinking, everything needs to be connected back to the land where we belong.”

In addition, Bryce has been adding Niitsitapi values to each record while incorporating the Blackfoot language. Work to update the records will continue as the BDL site grows. Having a Blackfoot name provides an umbrella for that future growth.

“When you give something a name, that means it’s alive,” says Bryce.

Funding for the Blackfoot name and revitalization project included the Indigenous Research Engagement grant from the Office of Research & Innovation Services, the Niitsitapi Circle of Excellence in Work-Integrated Learning (NCEWIL) from the Centre for Work Integrated Learning and Career Development, and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Library.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge unveils Mootookakio’ssin website, creates bridge to historical belongings

trevor.kenney — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 16:41:56 +0000

Utilizing the latest in web technology, the new Mootookakio’ssin website launched today creates a bridge that connects Blackfoot peoples to historical Blackfoot items housed in British museums, thereby reinvigorating a rich, cultural past through in-depth storytelling and laying a foundation to keep the knowledge of Elders alive for future generations.

Each item was photographed digitally to create 3D images for the website.

The culmination of an ambitious and challenging three-year research project, Mootookakio’ssin (moo-DOO-ka-keyo-sin) has brought together ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and United Kingdom (UK) researchers, three British museums, as well as graduate and undergraduate students, all led by Blackfoot advisors and Elders. The result is a stunning, engaging and interactive website that is now a part of the Blackfoot Digital Library and allows users to see and manipulate historical Blackfoot belongings while telling a story that truly brings them to life.

“We use stories to connect with one another and utilizing the story technique allows us to control the narrative about the item and how it is being delivered,” says Melissa Shouting (BHSc ’19), a member of Kainai Nation and a graduate student in the Faculty of Health Sciences. “Storytelling also allows us to

An example of a Blackfoot Awl Case.

showcase who we are as a People, and how we think collectively when it comes to our knowledge systems.”

Shouting is an accomplished beadmaker who, like many Blackfoot artists, can now utilize the incredible detail of the website to see the intricacies of the historical items to guide their own artistic practices. She was part of the delegation that travelled to Britain to document and photograph the historical items housed in British museums.

“One of the reasons I said yes to going there was because we weren’t just going to look at the items and keep that knowledge to ourselves, we were going there to eventually create this website that really illustrates who we are, and then deliver it back to our community,” she says.

A Blackfoot weapon, this Big Whip is part of the collection.

Blackfoot Elder Jerry Potts, a key resource throughout the project, says the significance of showing these belongings, some which date back to the 1700s, is immeasurable.

“Some of these items were from the first contact the Blackfeet had with settlers. The material we are looking at was developed before there was any trade, so they were made with quill work and natural dyes,” says Potts. “The Blackfoot People are so tied to nature and the landscape, so you look at these items and try to imagine what they saw. Our culture and our belief system are captured in this art — there’s a lot of value in that.”

Christine Clark (BFA ’10, MFA ’14), professor of new media in the Faculty of Fine Arts, says the group accomplished even more than it set out to with its initial proposal, thanks in large part to the cooperative nature of the project.

3D imagery is able to capture the incredibly fine detail of this Blackfoot Moccasin.

“We weren’t sure if we were going to be able to meet all our goals because there were so many unknowns,” she says. “The team dynamics were so important for this project because if any one piece had fallen off, the whole project would have fallen apart.”

Named by Elder Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA) '72, DASc '04), Mootookakio’ssin translates to “distant awareness.” The aim is to connect people living in traditional Blackfoot territory with these non-sacred, historical Blackfoot belongings housed in British museum collections. While COVID-19 restrictions limited the workshopping and outreach activities the group had planned initially, they did allow for more intensive work on the website.

“Our primary goal was to design and build a custom site for the 3D material and involve as much storytelling as possible with each piece, and we were able to do that,” adds Clark. “We were also able to incorporate a feature called RTI (reflectance transformation imaging) where you can change the light source to reveal the surface detail on the items. This has definitely been the most multifaceted website I’ve worked on, and I was really lucky to have one of our recent graduates, Calvin Lloyd (BSc ’20), lead the development of this very challenging project.”

Potts sees the website as another small step forward in educating Blackfoot youth and non-Indigenous people alike on the roots of a rich culture, its resilience and how it continues to resonate even today.

“It’s very new and innovative thinking to try and capture this idea and this traditional knowledge and use it to build bridges and understanding,” he says. “It’s a pretty good start and it works because there was a will at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and with their researchers to make a difference and they had the right people in the room to give direction to the project. We’ve opened up some doors now with other ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and museums in Britain and that’s really exciting.”

Conference explores preservation of Blackfoot history

trevor.kenney — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:45:22 +0000

A local group of researchers and First Nations cultural experts are meeting over the next two days (June 4-5) at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to learn from each other about how to more proactively preserve ancient Blackfoot sites in southern Alberta in the face of future land development.

According to volunteer conference organizer Jerry Potts, a member of the Apatohsipiikuni (Northern Piikani, or Canadian) community, for more than a century archaeologists have recorded, studied and analyzed the remains left by Niitsitapii – the First Nations people of the area.

"This research has enhanced understanding of the material culture of ancient Niitsitapii and has contributed to the preservation and protection of many sites, but most often, these contributions are from a Western, scientific perspective and focus on the material remains – tipi rings, settlement sites and other physical reminders," says Potts. "This conference, the first of its kind in Alberta, brings the keepers of traditional knowledge together with archaeologists to develop the foundation a comprehensive understanding of how Niitsitapii lived with their landscape."

More than 150 participants are expected to attend over the two-day period.

Potts says that land-use studies by the Siksika, Kainai, Apatohsipiikuni (northern Piikani) and Ammskaapipiikuni (southern Piikani, or Montana-based Blackfeet) communities are using the knowledge of the elders to revive and preserve traditional knowledge about these places, integrating the physical remains with the spiritual aspects of the places.

"For millennia, Niitsitapii lived on the plains of the area that is now known as southern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan and Montana. Within this territory people not only found resources that provided sustenance for life, they also developed close spiritual relationships with aspects of the environment. These sites of historical, cultural and spiritual significance occur throughout the Blackfoot landscape," he says.

Some of the key points participants will discuss include:

- Ways to facilitate the integration of traditional knowledge with assessment and mitigation projects associated with resource and industrial development

- Processes to open discussions among archaeologists and Blackfoot representatives that will bring a Blackfoot perspective to their research

- How to bring a Blackfoot perspective to issues of public use and preservation of important locations on the Blackfoot landscape, leading to culturally-sensitive site management plans

- Ways to encourage students, both native and non-native, to participate and to gain an understanding of how archaeologists and Blackfoot may have different perspectives and how it is possible to work together.

Recital hall to host Windy Mountain Festival

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:42:55 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Recital Hall will welcome a bona fide "festival" when the Windy Mountain Music Festival kicks off its concert series here, Thursday, May 28.

Celebrating works by composers of the past and executed by musicians and performers of the present, Windy Mountain promises a variety of music and musicians across a variety of locations.

The Recital Hall is a new venue this year, hosting the first concert of the series. A pre-concert talk begins at 7:15 p.m. with the concert to follow at 8 p.m. An opportunity to meet the musicians follows the concert.

"We chose the U of L Recital Hall for the first performance for two reasons," says Gerard Gibbs, general manager, Windy Mountain Music Festival. "It is the finest recital space in the city of Lethbridge and it's also home to the Faculty of Fine Arts, a new partner in the music festival. The hall holds 200 guests, and we are sure you will agree it is a great fit to showcase the hard work and dedication of the performers featured at the festival."

The concert in the Recital Hall is entitled Glass Reflections and includes music from Italian composer Nino Rota, a work by American composer Phillip Glass (performed by special guests the Smith Quartet), a Rondeau for Glass Harmonica, violins, viola, cello and bass and music by Schubert.

The second and third concerts in the series allow patrons to take a step back in time, as they will be held in Fort Macleod's Empress Theatre.

"This venue is the province's oldest operating theatre, and is at the heart of Fort Macleod," says Gibbs. "Be sure to notice many of the original features from the past exhibited throughout the building while enjoying works performed by the wonderful guest performers of today."

The fourth concert, at the Anglican Christ Church of Fort Macleod, honours the rich history of southern Alberta with an inspirational piece written as a tribute to the life of Jerry Potts by composer Allen Bell. Throughout the performance, author Fred Stenson will also recite segments from his written work on the life of Jerry Potts.

The festival closes at a third new venue, Christ Church Elbow Park in Calgary.

"As a member of the Calgary classical music community, I've had the opportunity to perform in Christ Church Elbow Park numerous times and I'm very pleased we were able to add this as our final venue of the festival. Aside from being one of the most outstanding acoustic spaces in the city, it is located in a serene neighborhood that you might think is an extension of our customary rural settings," says Gibbs.

A Festival Pass for all five concerts is priced at $98, while tickets for individual performances are $26 for regular admission and $12 for students. To purchase tickets, call toll free 800-540-9229, or locally 403-553-4404 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.windymountain.ca

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