Walking the Path of My Ancestors: The Siksikastiapi (Blackfoot Confederacy)

Abstract

This article articulates myself and my community’s journey navigating the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) records written historically about our People (the Bloods) in order to identify who our ancestors are. Through the examination of historical texts, records and materials written by the Oblate missionaries of North-Western Canada, we were able to discover the hidden lived experiences of our People. The purpose of this study was to provide new scholarly insights into the texts and records of the Oblates regarding the Blood People. This research took place at the Alberta Provincial Archives over a seven-month period. This article reviews who the Oblates of Mary Immaculate were, and what measures were used to uncover our ancestors in the Provincial Archives. Data analysis determined that the individual archival records fragmented Indigenous Peoples and their history; however, collectively these records blend together to tell a story.