Customer Reviews

Modern Blackfeet: Montanans on a Reservation

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I had to read this book for a Anthropology class. The Modern
Blackfeet is a Anthropological book that reviews the economic,
political and social situation the Blackfeet were in on the reservation in Browning, MT in the 1970s. It talks about many
different aspects of Blackfeet life on the reservation but it's
main overall theme is that the Blackfeet are divided into two
sides. The Indian oriented meaning those Blackfeet who participate in traditional Blackfeet cultural activities on a daily basis and carry with them the beliefs of the pre-reservation Blackfeet and the White Oriented meaning those Blackfeet who participate in Euro-Ameri activities and carry
mainstream societies values like the Christian work ethic of hard work,consumerism and the accumulation of wealth. I grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, MT from 1980 to 1994 and am enrolled there as a decendent which means im not a fully enrolled member because I don't have a high enough degree of Blackfeet Blood to get enrolled but my parents do. I can't vote in tribal elections, receive per capita payments from the tribe or run for tribal political office but I get all the other benefits like health care, college money, ect. I think Mcfee makes some significant points that are still relevant in his book
such as the degree of Blackfeet Blood meaning nothing in terms of
cultural knowledge. Just because you have a high degree of Blackfeet Blood doesnt mean your living a traditional Blackfeet's
life. Iv'e seen people on the Blackfeet Reservation with a high
degree of blood who do not speak the Blackfeet Language or know
very little about the culture mainly because cultural shame forced their post-reservation ancestors to stop teaching it to
them hence their family knows little or nothing about the traditional Blackfeet ways. Mcfee doesnt mention that in his book but that's the reason many Blackfeet families are neither fluent in their language or knowledgeable about their culture. And that I would argue is one of the weaknesses of his book. Too
often he does not go into the reasons how the Indian Oriented and
White oriented got their values and why the Blackfeet economy is
bad. But I guess to do that would invite controversey and many
writers in Native American Studies are afraid to go there. Overall I would say in some parts this book is outdated since like all Human societies things change and time marches on. The
line between Indian-Oriented and White-Oriented is becoming increasingly blurred in my opinion since it is now cool to be indian and more Blackfeet are making the effort to learn their language and culture. Today there are new dividers in our tribe
such as the coming political battle between enrollees and decendents who want to be enrolled, tribal employee versus the trustee and tribal government versus the state and federal government. Mcfee's book doesn't go into any of that but if your
looking for a good book on the 1970s Blackfeet or are just interested in the Blackfeet Tribe this one is worth your time and
money.