by Outreach Assistant Jessica Tinholt
On June 2, 2021, OWC’s Outreach Assistants were invited by Api’soomaahka (William Singer III) to join Blood Tribe Land Management in planting native seeds in Naapi’s Garden. This project is an important step towards the restoration and conservation of our native prairie, and the Blackfoot way of life.
“Our Mission…. is to provide leadership through ecological consciousness and environmental stewardship by monitoring, resource management and conservation awareness, while promoting protection, sustainable development and partnerships.”
2021 Outreach Assistants Brandon, Sydney, Randy, and Jessica helping to seed at Naapi’s Garden on the Kainai Nation. Photo by Brandon Regier.
We live amongst one of the rarest and most endangered ecosystems in the world. It is not the rainforest or coral reefs, but our temperate grasslands. Only about one per cent of the grasslands in Alberta is protected. This leaves the onus on individuals and private landowners to take action. Native prairie is losing ground to development, agriculture, and invasive species such as leafy spurge. Leafy spurge in particular is harming native medicinal plants like sage and sweetgrass. The grasslands, vital to the health of the Oldman watershed and traditional practices of the Blackfoot people, are worth protecting.
Seeding Day
There is nothing like a sunny day on the prairie. Despite the heat wave passing through Southern Alberta, we were excited to slather on some sunscreen and spend a day on Kainai Nation. The afternoon drive was scattered with wildlife sightings. Randy saw his first ever pronghorn, and we later passed a healthy coyote panting in the heat. As we travelled further into the Nation, we passed St. Paul’s residential school, which closed in 1975. Recent events elevated our unease and grief upon seeing one of 139 residential schools in person. We recognize the strength, wisdom, and kindness of our Indigenous friends, colleagues, and family members who, despite unimaginable oppression, have survived and are sharing their stories to make sure these shameful acts are not repeated.
Api’soomaahka welcomed us outside his home and began sharing the history of Naapi’s Garden. Blackfoot oral history teaches that Naapi is the Old Man, a trickster tasked by the Creator with making the Earth and its creatures. Naapi is the namesake of our river, our watershed, and is even incorporated into OWC’s logo.
Ten years ago, Api’soomaahka told us, he decided to restore the land that had previously been cultivated and return it to a natural grassland. Passing around jars of seeds, he described each species in relation to its importance to Blackfoot traditions. These included seeds of Saokipisatsinikimm (nodding onion), Aohtoksooki (common yarrow), Opitahtsi (biscuit root/prairie parsley), and Sooyaiaiihtsi (three flowered avens), which had been collected on the Blood Reserve and Timber Limit in the summer and fall of 2020. There was also a seed mix courtesy of ALCLA Native Plants, which contained Ki'piaapi (prairie crocus), blanket flower, black-eyed susan, yellow prairie coneflower, and fringed sage.
Seeds of three-flowered avens, a native prairie wildflower. Photo by Jessica Tinholt
The area we were planting that day had been burned two weeks prior and was perfect for seeding. Api’soomaahka introduced us to the Blood Tribe Land Management crew, consisting of Truman Big Swallow, Alvin First River, and summer student Colby Sanspariel. He prepared the seed mix, and we all filled our buckets with native grass seeds.
The grass seed mix consisted of:
Native grass seed mix. Photo by Sydney Taplin
Idaho fescue
Western wheatgrass
Junegrass
Green needle grass
Northern wheatgrass
Bluebunch wheatgrass
The bulk of the seed was provided in 2020 by Tannas Conservation; the remainder of the grass seeds were grown and collected by hand at Naapi's Garden.
The seeding started with a Blackfoot prayer and tobacco offering, then the work began. Everyone lined up along the burned section of ground designated for planting and scattered the seed mix as they walked. The wind scattered seeds near and far (the fluffy seeds of the three-flowered avens often went very far), but the majority found their way to the fertile soil. The breeze was welcome as we walked beneath the hot prairie sun!
OWC Outreach Assistants and Blood Tribe Land Management broadcasting native grass seeds. Photo by Api’soomaahka / William Singer III.
After we had refilled our buckets and passed over the area several times, the new section of Naapi’s Garden was seeded and ready to grow. Api’soomaahka invited everyone into the shade for cool water and snacks, including traditional trail mix made by Api’soomaahka himself. Red-winged and yellow-headed blackbirds flitted around us as we reflected on the afternoon’s success. Api’soomaahka went on to describe his work in schools and how he uses traditional food and plants to connect with children and teach them the Blackfoot way. We thought that he must be quite successful, based on how quickly we gobbled up the tasty trail mix.
Get Involved
More information on Naapi’s Garden can be found on their website and on Instagram (@naapis_garden). Besides volunteering and donating, there is something you can do in your own backyard to make a difference and help protect our native grasslands: plant a prairie urban garden! If you are interested in a low-maintenance yard that showcases beautiful native flowers, creates valuable habitat, and requires very little water, fertilizer, or pesticides, then check out OWC’s Prairie Urban Garden project on how to design your own prairie urban garden.
We are rapidly losing what natural grasslands we have, but they do not have to disappear. By following the wisdom and guidance of Indigenous peoples and their traditional knowledge, we can better understand and conserve the land that we share. As residents of the Oldman watershed, we all have a part to play.
Once more, we thank Api’soomaahka and Blood Tribe Land Management staff, Truman Big Swallow, Alvin First River, and Colby Sanspariel, for a wonderful day, and inviting us to share in the stewardship of our grasslands.
Project Support
We would like to recognize Api’soomaahka, Blood Tribe Land Management, and the Kainai Ecosystem Protection Association for creating and leading this valuable project. We would also like to recognize the Government of Alberta, Calgary Foundation, Alberta Ecotrust Foundation, and Alberta Conservation Association for supporting the OWC’s participation and investment in the project.
