The Siksikaitisitapi or Blackfoot Confederacy is made up of four nations: Kainai – Blood Tribe, Piikani – North Peigan, Amskapi Piikani – South Peigan Blackfeet, and Siksika. The territory of the Siksikaitsitapi is located in the Northern Great Plains and goes from the North Saskatchewan River (north) to the Yellowstone River (south), from the Rockies (west) to the Great Sand Hills in Saskatchewan. There are approximately 24,000+ Siksikaitsitapi members. The Rural Routes to Climate Solutions (RR2CS) Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project (SAP) is an opportunity for Siksikaitsitapi members to highlight climate solutions that align with Blackfoot ways of knowing.
Through community gatherings, workshops and field days and a variety of communications tools (podcast, articles, etc.), the Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project establishes a platform where Siksikaitsitapi members can collaborate, share experiences, and make collective decisions on two key issues:
Once the climate solutions that meet the criteria have been identified by project participants, the next step for the project will be to explore, discuss and determine how to accelerate the adoption rates of these solutions in the Siksikaitsitapi. Once again, it will be project participants who will come together to determine the best path forward for increasing adoption.
The first phase of the Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project (2021-2022) brought attention to the challenges surrounding on-Nation farming and ranching for Siksikaitsitapi members that we were unaware of prior to the initial launch of the project such as barriers created by the Indian Act or the challenges accessing financial capital to expand or start an agricultural operation.
Phase 1 also taught us the importance of addressing health concerns and food security in addition to exploring culturally appropriate land stewardship practices in agriculture. All of these learnings have been incorporated into the objectives of Phase 2, the Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project’s current phase.
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In this episode Blackfoot land steward Api’soomaahka (William Singer) shares how restoring native plants, food systems and Blackfoot ecological knowledge can heal both land and community. Learn about his work with Naapi’s Garden, the story of Katoyiss and the alignment between traditional knowledge and climate solutions in the prairies.
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In this episode of the Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project (SAP) podcast series, Lance Tailfeathers sits down with Wolf Caller (Elliot Fox), a leader in land management and now a member of Kainai First Nation’s Council. They discuss the past, present and future of agriculture in Kainai First Nation in southern Alberta, exploring how Blackfoot ways of knowing can help to protect water systems against droughts, enhance food security and protect native species.
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You never know what Mother Nature is going to dish out, whether it is going to be the good, the bad or the ugly, so being able to observe, learn and adapt can be just as handy as mechanical skills.
And now we have educational programs that blend Blackfoot ways of knowing and agriculture.
In this episode of Rural Routes to Climate Solutions, we are taking a look at the Red Crow Community College’s Niitsitapi Agriculture Certificate Program with JR Weasel Fat of Kainai, Alberta.
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If you’re still wondering how best to incorporate regenerative technologies into your daily operations then you might need a crash course, or at least a motivating podcast episode, that speaks to the business of bacteria. In this kick-off episode of the Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project podcast series, we sit down with Joshua Day Chief to discuss how growing good bacteria can recharge your soil, plant and water health to make way for producing a better product.
Norma Wolfchild, a member of the Blood Tribe, has spent nearly 20 years helping her community develop small business ventures, working with the Blood Tribe Economic Development as a small business development officer. After her husband was diagnosed with diabetes, she was determined to establish a healthier lifestyle with organic, nutrient-rich foods. She now has a thriving garden, a small horde of livestock and honey-producing bees.
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In this episode, knowledge holder Dr. Leroy Little Bear shares his work to restore the Iinnii. Little Bear sheds light on why this work is important, not only for the land but for the people and their connection with songs, ceremonies and stories centred around the Iinnii. He also highlights the importance of working together with the air, land, and water to foster the ideal environmental conditions we need to survive and thrive.