The Glenbow Museum, Calgary

A quick trip to Calgary for a conference gave us the opportunity to check out the Glenbow Museum. This museum is well worth the visit. One of the highlights is their exhibit on the Niitsitapi (The Blackfoot) - Our way of life. It covers how their culture, connection with the land, connection with plants, buffalo and other animals.  

I was particularly impressed with the pictographs recording major events such as the year smallpox struck and killed so many. Here's an example of Raw Eater's (a warrior hunter) recording on a buffalo hide, of his hunting and other feats.  
We were lucky to see a special exhibit which closed a day or two later, the Sacred Robes exhibited five hide shirts that had been collected over 150 years ago. These shirts (with one exception) depicted sacred stories and histories of the Blackfoot nation.


On another floor, is an exhibit of First Nations artifacts from the north, south, east and west of the Niitsitapi. I spotted the Coast Salish spindle whorl and had to take a picture of it.