Big Idea Project_Prospectus

Prospectus

For my Big Idea Research Project, I am investigating the Oral Traditions of the Blackfoot people, that is the myths, legends, and stories that have been passed on from generation to generation for centuries. These narratives are rich in cultural history, and demonstrate the relationship the Blackfoot People had with the land, the animals and each other. These aspects of the Blackfoot culture are vital when understand the people and for forging healthy relationships with them now and in the future.

My goal for this research is to determine what oral traditions of the Blackfoot show about the people and the values and how this information can be applied to foster stronger ties with the people. I want to investigate the significance of Napi, sometimes referred to as the Old Man, and how his role in the Blackfoot Tradition can be used to gather deeper knowledge of the people and the roles in respect to nature land and other people.

I imagine that my research will show that the people have exceedingly deep connections with the land, and that the figure of Napi served as a way to explain phenomena the people observed in the natural world but had no understanding as to why they occurred. There are multiple stories about Napi that seem to support this hypothesis; in one tradition Napi gifts his warm furs to the rocks and then later gets cold and takes the furs back.  The rocks are angered by this and chase Napi across the prairies until they are finally persuaded to stop. This story was used to explain the presence of the glacial erratics that are scattered throughout much of the Blackfoot people’s traditional territory.

For my final paper, I plan on examining a selection of the traditions of the Blackfoot people. After an initial analysis, I will then compare my findings with those of other academics that have conducted similar research into the narratives that are important in Blackfoot culture. The final portion of my research paper will be a summary of my finding and the implications and possible applications of this research.

I will begin by examining a variety of individual traditions and examine whatever implications that these narratives may have in an isolated context. I will then study the broader mythological corpus as a whole unit and draw more concrete conclusions and parallels between the stories. After I have conducted by own analysis I will turn to the work of other scholars are compare my findings with theirs. I will conclude by stating the results of my research and any applications it may have.