[Algonquiana] Blackfoot Etymology for Archery-related Terms

[Roland Bohr]

Hello All,


I am looking for more information on the etymology of two Blackfoot terms. I found these in George Bird Grinnell's book Blackfoot Lodge Tales; they refer to subgroups, or "bands" of the Siksika and the Kainai that existed in the late nineteenth century. The terms are, in Grinnell's spelling:



Puh-ksi-nah'-mah-yiks Flat Bows (Siksika)


Sak-si-nah'-mah-yiks Short Bows (Kainai)



David Thompson and other fur traders often referred to the Plateau region as "flatbow country." Indeed, as one moves through Indigenous cultures from the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains towards the west coast, bows become increasingly flatter in cross section, reaching the flattest, lenticular cross sections among cultures on the west coast and California. Was the Siksika term "flat bows" then a reference to the actual hunting weapon, i. e. a technological peculiarity, or did it refer to heavy intermarriage between that particular Siksika group and people from the Plateau region who may also have been called "flat bows" by the Siksika?


What is the etymology of the other archery-related term; the one from the Kainai? Blackfoot People were known to be among the tallest on the Plains and yet, often used really short bows. I have examined several older bows from Kainai First Nation and they are indeed considerably shorter than other Plains bows.


Any help with this would be much appreciated.


Best regards,


Roland Bohr


Roland Bohr
Director, Centre for Rupert's Land Studies
5CM12
University of Winnipeg
515 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba,
R3B 2E9

Ph.: (204) 786-9007



________________________________
From: Algonquiana <algonquiana-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org> on behalf of MONICA MACAULAY <mmacaula at wisc.edu>
Sent: Friday, June 21, 2019 10:09 AM
To: Algonquiana
Subject: [Algonquiana] AC 51 dates!

Good news, everyone! I've just been in touch with Janine Metallic, and the dates for the 51st Algonquian Conference at McGill will be October 24-27, 2019. Call for papers soon!

Monica
_______________________________________________
Algonquiana mailing list
Algonquiana at listserv.linguistlist.org
http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/algonquiana