Blackfoot Mural Story
Hi my name is ________________________. The mural above represents the Blackfoot Reservation. The
Blackfoot reservation is located in Northwest Montana, established for the Blackfoot people in 1851 and
redefined through the Treaty of October 17, 1855. This was the first reservation that the American Indian
people were forced to move onto in Montana. The reservation is approximately 1 ½ MILLION ACRES!
Currently there are roughly 7,000 tribal members living on or near the reservation. On the mural you can see
the Blackfoot Nation’s Flag. The colors of the flag, which are white, blue, and black represent the earth, the
cosmos, the elements, the plants, the animals, and the people. The circle of feathers represents the cycle of
life in which all people and living things are connected. The eagle feathers represent the many bands of the
Blackfoot tribe as well as the majesty of the eagle. Inside the flag is the outline of the current Blackfoot
Reservation. Behind the flag you can see Chief Mountain, a sacred place for the Blackfoot Nation in Glacier
National Park. They believe it is a place of spiritual energy and has been traditionally used as a ceremonial site.
The legend of Chief Mountain is a sad one. It tells of a brave war chief who dies at the hand of his enemies.
His beautiful wife and baby cannot bare the loss. It is believed they are buried among the rocks at the base of
Chief Mountain.
Crow Mural Story
Hi my name is_____________________. The mural behind me symbolizes the Crow Reservation. The
Crow Reservation, established in 1851, is located in south central Montana, near Billings. It is about 1.57
million acres. About 10,000 tribal members live on or near the reservation. Of those tribal members 85%
speak the traditional Crow language. This is the Crow tribal emblem. The sun and rays represent the different
clans of the Apsaalooke (the traditional name of the Crow). The mountains depicted on the emblem
represent the Pryor and Big Horn Mountains as well as the Wolf’s Teeth. The rivers shown are the Big Big
Horn and the Little Big Horn Rivers. The white teepee represents the teepee given to Yellow Leggings from
White Owl as a spiritual gift for the Apsaalooke. The mural also shows two ducks. The ducks represent a
Crow Legend that tells about the creation of the world. The Crow believe that the world was all water until
Old Man sent two ducks into the water to look for land. One duck came to the surface with a ball of mud in
his bill. The duck gave Old Man the mud and from this he created the world as
it is now. Finally, you will see a picture of the Big Horn Medicine Wheel. The
Plains Indians between 300 and 800 years ago created the Big Horn Medicine
Wheel. It can still be found in its original location in the Big Horn Mountains.
It is considered a highly sacred place.
Flathead Mural Story
Hi my name is_______________________. This mural represents the Flathead Indian Reservation. The
Flathead Reservation is located in northwest Montana and is one of the largest reservations in Montana. It is
approximately 1,240,000 acres. Established in 1855, it serves as a base for members from the Salish,
Kootenai, and Pend Oreille tribes. Blooming roses border the mural. The bloom of the wild rose was very
important to the Salish and Pend’Oreille people because it signaled the birth of the buffalo calves and that it
was time for the summer buffalo hunt. The mural also shows the Flathead Reservation flag. In the center of
the flag is a typical teepee used by the Plains Indians. On the teepee is a picture of a buffalo and the paw
prints of the bear. These pictures represent fishing and hunting, two important aspects of the lives of the two
tribes. Behind the teepee lie the Rocky Mountains. The entire emblem represents an Indian Shield with the
traditional bow and arrow. The feathers are seven eagle feathers, which symbolize the seven members of the
Flathead Council. The mountains on the mural represent
the Mission Mountains, which are part of the Flathead
Reservation.
Fort Belknap Mural Story
Hi my name is________________________. The mural above the windows represents the Fort Belknap
reservation. The Fort Belknap reservation was established in 1889. It is located in north central Montana.
The Fort Belknap reservation is home to the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes. The Gros Ventre call
themselves AH-AH-NE-NIN which means the white clay people. They believe they were made from the
white clay that is found along the river bottoms in Gros Ventre country. On the mural you can see the Fort
Belknap Flag. The emblem represents a shield, which illustrates protection of the two nations in the past, the
present and the future. The shape of the flag’s emblem is a circle, which represents the circle of life. The six
feathers hanging from the shield stand for the twelve elected council members. The centralized buffalo skull,
divided into brown and white, symbolizes the coexistence of two tribes functioning as a whole. The jagged
line across the skull’s forehead represents the Milk River, which flows through the reservation. Finally, above
the skull in green is Snake Butte, a sacred place
where many Indians go on vision quests.
Behind the emblem lies a silhouette of
Montana's Rocky Mountains. Many Indian
people believe that spirits dwell in north central
Montana’s rocky ranges. Their rugged peaks,
clustered like tepees in a camp, offer access to
the supernatural and provide a nesting place for
eagles, the messengers of the spirits.
Generations of Blackfeet, Gros Ventre,
Assiniboine, and Chippewa-Cree have used these isolated areas for fasting, prayer and vision questing. In
these mountains, the Great Spirit’s precious gifts of water, plants, animals, and solitude can be found.
Fort Peck Mural Story
Hi my name is __________________. This mural represents the Ft. Peck Reservation, established in 1886.
The reservation boundaries for the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes were redefined in 1889. This reservation is
the second largest and covers over 2 million acres. It is located in the NE part of Montana. You will notice
that at each end of the mural is a tribal chief. The two chiefs stand for the two tribes that live on the Fort
Peck Indian Reservation. The two white stars represent honor. When the missionaries came in the late 1800s
they introduced fabric and sewing to the Indians. Soon after, the “Morning Star” quilt was born. Since then
the “star quilt” is considered one of the most valued gifts of the Northern Plains Indians. In the center of the
mural lies the Fort Peck emblem. The emblem represents the four directions. The yellow stands for the east,
the direction from which the sun comes. The black stands for the west, which signifies the end of life, the end
of the day. White signifies the north, the direction that brings cold. The color red stands for the south the
direction, which brings warmth and light. Throughout the entire mural is corn. Women always planted corn.
The way in which corn grew signified the type of person who planted it. For example, if it grows straight and
the rows on the cob are full of kernels, then the woman who planted this corn is considered thoughtful, and
very truthful. If, however, the rows on the cob are broken and not full, the planter is considered careless and
not very thoughtful. So women of the Sioux tribe took great care when planting corn.
Northern Cheyenne Mural Story
Hi my name is____________________. The mural behind me represents the Northern Cheyenne
Reservation. The Northern Cheyenne reservation was created in 1884 and redefined in 1900. It is located in
south central Montana near the Crow reservation. The largest picture on the mural is that of Bear Butte
located in the Black Hills, South Dakota. Bear Butte is one of the most scared mountains to the Plains
Indians. Up to 60 different tribes traveled to Bear Butte to fast and pray. It is said that Bear Butte looks like a
sleeping bear lying on its side with its head pointed toward the northeast. Today people from all over the
world come to Bear Butte for a spiritual connection. Above Bear Butte are four arrows. These represent the
Cheyenne sacred arrows. It is believed that the creator Maheo gave his people the four scared arrows: two for
hunting, two for war. The Cheyenne believe that without these arrows there would be no Cheyenne tribe and
so they were highly guarded by Arrow Keepers and passed down through the generations. Below Bear Butte
is the Northern Cheyenne Flag. The flag is very simple in appearance. The symbol on the mural represents
the morning star, which was the emblem of Chief Morning Star, also known as
Chief Dull Knife. The morning star is the last star to disappear in the morning
and the first star you see at night, it is also known as Venus. Chief Dull Knife
was the Cheyenne Chief who led his people to their new home after they were
defeated in the War of the Plains. The symbol is also used during the Sun Dance.
Rocky Boy Mural Story
Hi my name is_______________________. The colorful mural behind me stands for the Rocky Boy
Reservation. The Rocky Boy reservation was established in 1916. The reservation is home to the nations of
the Chippewa and the Cree. Both nations were very powerful. The seal of the Chippewa Cree Tribe
represents the circle of life on this reservation. Baldy Butte, part of the Bear Paw Mountains, that are located
on the reservation, is the sacred mountain of this tribe and is pictured inside the seal. The sun at the center
of the seal represents rising life from the east. Its rays represent the fifteen sacred Grass Dance Chiefs who
preserve the culture of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. The eagle represents strength, wisdom, and bravery. The
Buffalo symbolize food and shelter. Both animals are considered sacred. The bear paw tracks towards the top
of the seal symbolize the Bear Paw Mountains where the Chippewa Cree now make their home. The teepee is
where all values and customs are derived from since the creation of the Red Man. On the seal you will also
see two sacred pipes. These pipes represent the last official chiefs of the Chippewa and the Cree, Chief Rocky
Boy and Chief Little Bear. Also on the mural are seven fires. These stand for the seven prophets who told the
future of the Chippewa Cree. The story says that each fire represents a different prophesy. By the fifth fire
the story says that a great struggle will grip the lives of all the Native people. The
sixth fire told of children being taken away by those who deceived the people. But
the seventh fire tells of a rebirth, that the Native peoples will emerge and a new
people will be born; a merge between the red skinned people and the light skinned
people.
Little Shell Mural Story
Hi my name is_______________. The final mural represents the Little Shell Tribe. Unlike the other tribes,
the Little Shell Chippewa or Ojibway, who call themselves Anishinabe, are considered a landless people, which
means they have no reservation; they have headquarters in Great Falls, Montana. The Little Shell mural
represents being landless by showing only sky. At the top of the mural stands the buffalo, which is the main
symbol of the Little Shell flag. Below the buffalo is a circle, appearing much like a compass rose, with four
projections representing the creator, Kitche Manitou. If you follow the line from Kitche Manitou it leads to a
semicircle. The semicircle represents the sky and the universe. Immediately below it is
the sun, representing life and time. Under the image of the sun lies the image of man
within a sphere. Together the man and the sphere represent human life and existence.
The rays shooting from this symbol represent the tree of life, specifically, plants from
which all-living things are sustained. Below that is a straight line representing the earth
and rock. The teepees symbolize the different styles of living, different families, and
different communities. The people above the teepees represent man, woman, language,
and culture. The mural in its entirety represents the Ojibway logo.