According to the text hidden under the calendar pad, Nobody Has Pity on Me was also named Burton Bear Child, son of Louis Bear Child and Coyote Woman. Neither Bear Child is in the Blackfeet genealogy database, but there are … Continue reading
The information under the calendar pad says the man in the portrait, Tom Dawson, was born in Fort Benton, Montana in 1862. When still a boy, he went with his father, a Scot named Andrew Dawson, to Scotland. After his … Continue reading
According to the information under the pad, Blackfeet babies were traditionally named by the tribal medicine man. When the woman in this painting was born, the medicine man went for a walk and returned saying he saw a bird that … Continue reading
The description of the painting under the pad notes that “Dancing Boy, whose family name is Calvin Last Star,” is “the most accomplished young dancer among the Blackfeet.” Naturally, the borders of the calendar show a young Indian dancing. Click … Continue reading
Julia Wades-in-Water, shown in this painting, was the wife of Wades-in-Water, the tribal sheriff for the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. In 1905, after he became sheriff, she became the first Native America female police officer in the nation, and she worked … Continue reading
Wades-in-the-Water, the person depicted in this painting, is listed in the Blackfeet geneology as “Wades in Water.” But there are actually two: Wades in Water is listed as having married Knife Scabbard and they had two children: Jimmy Wades in … Continue reading
Mountain Flower is the subject of the 1944 calendar painting. She is also in Great Northern’s 1958 portfolio of Reiss’ paintings. The portfolio says, “Mountain Flower is a symbol of her generation. Educated, her manners bespeak the white man’s culture, … Continue reading
Great Northern put a Winold Reiss portrait of an aging Blackfeet warrior named Takes the Gun Strong (see below) on its 1943 calendar. I don’t have that calendar, but I do have a 1943 Great Northern calendar. That’s because the … Continue reading
The calendar identifies the subject of this painting as “Sundance–Piegan Chief.” However, I can’t find anyone named Sundance in the Blackfeet genealogy database. In fact, very few of the names of people in the annual calendars are in the database, … Continue reading
As previously noted here, from 1928 through 1932 the Great Northern issued a new calendar each month, most of them featuring a painting of a Blackfeet Indian by Winold Reiss. In 1933, either as an economy measure or because they … Continue reading
