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A trip into Montana's Indian Country begins at night around a tipi's hearth

By Susanne Huelsmeyer
Off the Beaten Path.

The fire crackles, its light casting shadowy figures on to the wall of the tipi and a flickering orange glow on the faces in the circle. Hushed expectation keeps our voices low and our bodies bent forward. Outside, the wind howls across the open prairie and tears at the corners of the Blackfeet lodge, painted with traditional designs: ravens, stars, the universe. Sitting comfortably inside, we glance at the door opening as it moves, a sudden draft making the fire dance wildly for a moment. 

The pipe passes from hand to hand, from mouth to mouth, its smoke curling upward. “It travels to the spirits,” the voice of Ee-Nees-To-Wah-See reminds us. This is serious business. The pipe travels as we pay respects to the spirits and to the customs of the Blackfeet. That’s why we have come: to learn, to cross a bridge. The women, sitting on the left side of the tipi, smoke a smaller pipe, the “women’s pipe.” Gender roles are very strict and defined in Blackfoot culture.

I look across the fire pit into the faces of the people who have come from far corners of the country, some from even across an ocean, to be here tonight. We have come together in this painted house of long wooden poles and canvas on the reservation of the Southern Blackfeet, to share a unique cultural experience. Meanwhile, our host has broken into song while beating a drum. Needless to say, he has our rapt attention. His song honors us, his guests. Soon, the food arrives and we start feeling at home. Sharing food has always been the best way to bring people together. Tonight, we savor traditional fare: elk soup and buffalo roast.

After leaving the tipi tonight, we will set out on an exciting journey through Indian country. It will take us to various tribes and many interesting historical sites. Most importantly, though, it will bring us in personal touch with people of a culture very different from ours. On our trip, we listen to the elders and their wisdom and talk to modern teachers in schools, and health care providers in hospitals on the reservations. We witness the excitement of a powwow and we cross the border to Canada to participate in a Peigan sweat lodge.

Our small group bonds in our shared purpose, while our Blackfoot guide helps us understand the many aspects and facets of Indian life. We venture deep into Indian country, its culture, its past and present – into its very soul. Because of the unique nature of this organized tour, arranged by Off The Beaten Path, a specialist in small group cultural travel out of Bozeman, Montana, we are not merely passers-by observing a culture from the outside. We are right in the middle of it.

And we will be changed forever.

The author markets Off The Beaten Path trips in Europe and co-leads various Indian trips. Please visit Off the Beaten Path.