The Importance of Stories in Indigenous Culture

The Importance of Stories in Indigenous Culture

The Blackfoot stories transfer theknowledge and skills of culture, language and traditions.   Duringthe winter the Nitistapii would tell the stories and the transmission ofknowledge would take place with the stories and conversations between the youngand old.  Blackfoot stories were used to teach morals, ethics, andbehaviors that were important to the Blackfoot.  The youth observed andlearned the transfer of traditions through storytelling with the elders. Spiritual awareness was taught through the stories. 

Elders say the lesson taught in the storiesare the integrity of compassion, of generosity, of sharing, and of respect allof creation. Because all of creation comes from the Creator, who created theskies, and the earth, and the animals on the land, and the birds of the air,and the animals in the water. Everything is connected. The stories are embeddedinto our customs, many times shown in our lodge designs and in our ceremonialitems.   

Through oral history the Blackfoot peopletransferred the legends and Napi stories from generation to generation. These stories were meant to teach life’s lessons and teach the traditions ofthe Blackfoot.  The stories traverse the times, the Creation stories havebeen told since time immemorial.   

To keep learning more about the richIndigenous culture that helps make the melting pot of lethbridge so unique,keep reading more on our Indigenous Lethbridge page!

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