Ceremonies and Beliefs
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Aboriginally the religious life of the Blackfoot centered upon medicine bundles, and there were more than fifty
of them among the three main Blackfoot groups. The most important bundles to the group as a whole were the
beaver bundles, the medicine, pipe bundles, and the Sun Dance bundle. Christianity is practiced now by most
Southern Piegan with Roman Catholicism predominating. The Blackfoot apparently never adopted the Ghost Dance, nor is the Peyote Cult present. The Sun Dance and other native religious ceremonies are still practiced
among most of the Blackfoot groups.
By the middle of the nineteenth century, the Sun Dance had become an important ceremony. It was performed
once each year during the summer. The Sun Dance among the Blackfoot was similar to the ceremony that was
performed in other Plains cultures, though there were some differences: a women played the leading role
among the Blackfoot, and the symbolism and paraphernalia used were derived from beaver bundle ceremonialism.The Blackfoot Sun Dance included the following: (1) moving the camp on four successive days ; days (2) on the fifth day,building the medicine lodge, transferring bundles to the medicine woman, and
offering of gifts by children and adults in ill health; (3) on the sixth day dancing toward the sun, blowing eagle-
bone whistles, and self-torture; and (4)on the remaining four days, performing various ceremonies of the men's societies
,
Aboriginally the religious life of the Blackfoot centered upon medicine bundles, and there were more than fifty
of them among the three main Blackfoot groups. The most important bundles to the group as a whole were the
beaver bundles, the medicine, pipe bundles, and the Sun Dance bundle. Christianity is practiced now by most
Southern Piegan with Roman Catholicism predominating. The Blackfoot apparently never adopted the Ghost Dance, nor is the Peyote Cult present. The Sun Dance and other native religious ceremonies are still practiced
among most of the Blackfoot groups.
By the middle of the nineteenth century, the Sun Dance had become an important ceremony. It was performed
once each year during the summer. The Sun Dance among the Blackfoot was similar to the ceremony that was
performed in other Plains cultures, though there were some differences: a women played the leading role
among the Blackfoot, and the symbolism and paraphernalia used were derived from beaver bundle ceremonialism.The Blackfoot Sun Dance included the following: (1) moving the camp on four successive days ; days (2) on the fifth day,building the medicine lodge, transferring bundles to the medicine woman, and
offering of gifts by children and adults in ill health; (3) on the sixth day dancing toward the sun, blowing eagle-
bone whistles, and self-torture; and (4)on the remaining four days, performing various ceremonies of the men's societies