Blackfeet Understandings of Death
- General overview of Blackfeet cosmology, with focus on human-nature relations (Hernandez 1999; Vielle 2016)
- Blackfeet people were given teachings charging them with “respect for the interdependence of humans, all earth life, and the larger circle of the universe because they are inseparable. They are connected and their relationship is reciprocal” (Hernandez 1999, 6).
- Blackfeet deathways, while significantly changed since pre-contact times, are still imbued with cultural meaning that is unique to the Blackfeet way of life.
- Blackfeet people see the earth as a social being (Hernandez 1999, 7) – this is reflected in the treatment of the corpse both traditionally and contemporarily. Blackfeet people do not express the disgust associated with corpses that mainstream Americans do. Their death-related rituals often include wakes, with friends and family gathered to mourn together and wish farewell to the deceased (Vielle 2016).
- Corpse isn’t sent to be with funeral director, left alone till wake and/or burial. During the wake, which is typically held in a family home or community center, family and friends have a feast. Everyone who visits is given a plate of food – [clip from interview with Roger, with comment about how people will respond to this with “so you’re just eating with the body in the same room?” and he says, “yes, it’s like eating one last meal with them.”]
- Family and friends bring gifts, sing songs, for the deceased to take on their journey in the afterlife. Some very traditional families fast and sweat for four days to a week after burial, to support the deceased on their journey, which can be difficult. The deceased person also feels loss and grief, so this process can also serve for those left behind to mourn with them.
- Blackfeet people see the earth as a social being (Hernandez 1999, 7) – this is reflected in the treatment of the corpse both traditionally and contemporarily. Blackfeet people do not express the disgust associated with corpses that mainstream Americans do. Their death-related rituals often include wakes, with friends and family gathered to mourn together and wish farewell to the deceased (Vielle 2016).
- Blackfeet deathways are intimately tied up with broader cultural understandings of human-nature relations
- All living things in nature are relatives to humans; human remains (traditionally) returned to the earth in one form or another (traditionally cremated and ashes buried, now more often body is buried) to become part of another life – must treat non-human world with respect, because we all will return to it one day (Vielle, 2016)
- [clip from interview with Roger, with short discussion about the cycle of life and death, life begetting life through the process and death and renewal]
- Challenge to human-nature dichotomy – doesn’t really exist in Blackfeet conception of nature like in Western; humans are integral part of natural world, related to all other forms of life. Our death facilitates the growth of new life in the world – cyclical.
