DOG DAYS IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA By Jack Brink Archaeological Survey of Alberta Occasional Paper No. 28 Prepared by: Published by: Archaeological Survey Alberta Culture of Alberta Historical Resources Division ABSTRACT This volume addresses the question of the positions of various Plains Indian tribes across the southern Alberta landscape at about the time of first European influence and, later, actual European contact. The primary data sources consulted are the published historic and ethnographic accounts of the four tribes given serious consideration: the Blackfoot, the Kutenai, the Gros Ventre and the Snake or Shoshoni. It is argued that, although there is much contradictory evidence, the most likely scenario for Late Prehistoric to Protohistoric Period tribal positions in southern Alberta is as follows: the Blackfoot occupied the Parkland region of central Alberta and western Saskatchewan; the Kutenai resided in the mountains, foothills and Plains of southwestern Alberta; the Gros Ventre inhabited the area around the Forks of the Saskatchewan rivers in south-central Alberta and Saskatchewan; and a group called the Snake occupied most or all of southern Alberta as far north as the Bow River. It is further argued that the Snake are most likely a group of Shoshoni Indians who had migrated from the southwest out of the Great Basin. The essay concludes with a discussion of the potential contributions of archaeological studies to the resolution of problems of identifying ethnic or tribal groups. A case study from Saskatchewan is presented which documents encouraging results with respect to placing prehistoric/protohistoric Cree positions using a combination of archaeological and ethnohistoric records. The search for ethnicity and tribal placements in the archaeological records is also discussed. - iii - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This paper originated from a request by John Dormaar and Terry Moore to prepare a report on the topic of later Prehistoric/Historic Period peoples of southern Alberta for the 1985 annual meeting of the Archaeological Society of Alberta in Lethbridge. I thank these gentlemen for involving me in this project and for encouraging me to pursue a paper that clearly turned out to be more complicated than we all had imagined. Dr. Moore, who is preparing a publication of the conference papers, graciously consented to publication of the full report in the Archaeological Survey of Alberta Occasional Paper series, and I am grateful for his advice and encouragement with this paper. An early draft of the report was commented on by Hugh Dempsey, Richard Forbis, Brian Ronaghan, and Dale Russell. Comments from these gentlemen resulted in the correction of several factual errors I had made, as well as a thorough reconsideration of some of my interpretations. At the same time as I express my sincere appreciation for the advice provided, I nevertheless accept full responsib1ity for the views expressed in this report. Two office colleagues, David Burley and Rod Vickers, likewise provided a stimulating environment during the production of this report, and I thank them for their interest and support. That some of the research and writing of this paper was conducted in the Archaeological Survey of Alberta office is indicative of the support of research advocated by the Director of the Survey, Paul Donahue. For this freedom, and for initially recommending that I address this topic, I thank him. The secretarial services of Kathy Miller and Martina Purdon have greatly improved the report. Kay Brink and Gabriella Prager have both provided expert editorial services. Finally, my thanks to the professional and avocationa1 archaeologists of the Northern Plains whose interest and enthusiasm makes this type of research seem so rewarding. - iv - TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ••.•. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iv LIST OF FIGURES •• •• vi i INTRODUCTION •• 1 BLACKFOOT •••••••• •••• 4 Blackfoot Linguistics •.•••.•••••• 5 Blackfoot: Historic and Ethnographic Evidence. 9 KUTENAI •••• 28 THE GROS VENTRE 34 SHOSHONI/SNAKE . 41 THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE • 49 CONCLUSIONS •.••••••• 55 Territory and Ethnicity 59 REFERENCES CITED •••.••• 64 - v - LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Map of the Northwestern Plains •• 10 2 Postulated positions of selected Plains groups circa A.D. 1700 ••• 57 - vii - // INTROOUCTIOI~ When elderly Blackfoot Indians refer to this pre-horse period, they commonly identify it by the expression IIwhen we had only dogs for moving camp. II Let us simply refer to that time as IIdog daysll (John Ewers 1958). This paper addresses the question of the locations of various native Indian groups across southern Alberta and adjacent regions at the time of the first contacts with European culture and eventually with Europeans themselves. The goal of this exercise is to attempt to resolve some of the ambiguity regarding which different tribal groups resided in what areas of the Northwestern Plains just as European culture irrevocably changed the nature of Plains Indian life. Success in this endeavour may better prepare us to examine the archaeological record of the Northwestern Plains with the aim of correlating the material remains of prehistoric groups with the historic, named tribes. Furthermore, the endeavour itself may shed some light on the basic nature of these Plains groups with respect to their activities and behaviors associated with travel, migration, warfare and concept of territory. Although the paper title refers to the vast span of time during which native culture existed free of European influence, the reader will soon note that the great bulk of the data employed in this study is of a historic nature. The title reflects the concern with deducing native positions at the time of contact, and not the method by which this is achieved. The task at hand is formidable. The likely origins, migrations, and territorial boundaries of a single people could easily consume an entire essay, and we must touch on more than a dozen groups. Further, the investigation must include critical historical records as well as ethnographic and anthropological reports. Finally, the question can also be seriously addressed through an examination of the archaeological record of relevant areas. Clearly, accomplishing all these goals is beyond the scope of this paper, and one cannot hope for a magical solution to questions of such enormous complexity. The purposes of this paper are to attempt a broad and comprehensive review of the stated subject; to present the major arguments and relevant data; to comment on and evaluate these data when possible; and to provide a basic reference If I -·2 - work which may allow other students of the subject to pursue further research. Three primary lines of evidence will be brought to bear on the topic of tribal placements in the Late Prehistoric-Historic transition period. Most importantly, the historical records which shed light on tribal positions and movements in and around southern Alberta will be emphasized. By and large, these are the journals of fur traders and explorers who generally were the first Europeans to contact the relevant native peoples. True, these documents are at times flawed and often painfully short on desired details, yet they remain our very best evidence. With few exceptions, the accounts consulted are the published versions of these historic documents. Undoubtedly, this report could have benefited significantly by inclusion of unpublished materials, especially some of the Hudson1s Bay Company records. This acknowledged flaw will leave ample room for growth and development of the subject matter.* Secondly, the ethnographic and anthropological works pertaining to these peoples, which often incorporate a review of tribal origin and migration legends or traditions, will be consulted. Although the focus will be on the earliest of these studies, it is recognized that all these accounts suffer from the effects of time on the memories of the elders. Finally, the potential contribution of archaeological studies to the question of tribal identity and territory will be briefly examined. Largely, this will focus on the well recognized problems and some potential directions which might prove fruitful, rather than the specifics of the archaeological data. Native Indian groups which either did figure or may have figured in the late prehistoric and historic utilization of southern Alberta and adjacent lands include representatives of five major language stocks: the Algonkian family (Blackfoot, Blood, Peigan, Gros Ventre/Atsina, Plains Cree); the Siouan family (Mandan, Hidatsa, Crow, Assiniboine); the Athapaskan family (Sarsi); the Shoshonean or Uto-Aztecan family (Shoshoni); the Salishan family (Flathead, Pend dIOreille), and the *Unless indicated otherwise, all quotes in this text are reproduced without alterations or additions. - 3 - Kitunakan family (Kutenai) (Wissler 1922; Lowie 1954; Hoijer 1946). Clearly, detailed consideration of the protohistoric and historic record of all these groups is prohibitive. The great array of potentially relevant groups is presented here more to illustrate the lack of fixed limitations regarding territoriality on the Northwestern Plains than to suggest that all these groups lay serious claim to late prehistoric occupation of southern Alberta. Only four tribal groups will be examined in detail: the Blackfoot, Kutenai, Gros Ventre/Atsina and the Snake/Shoshoni. The Plains Cree are generally considered to be relatively recent immigrants to the Plains region (Mand1ebaum 1979; Russell 1982).