The First Iniskim

Long before the pioneers and settlers arrived on the North American continent, tribes of the Blackfoot Indian Nation roamed the Canadian West in search of the mighty buffalo which sustained them.  One very cold winter, the Blackfoot people were suffering because there were no buffalo to feed or clothe them.  All hope seemed lost until one day, while gathering firewood, a blackfoot woman thought she heard a voice singing.  She became frightened and started to leave the area, but the voice called out to her, "You - woman - will you take me? I am Powerful! Buffalo is our Medicine".   She turned around in the direction of the voice and noticed an unusual looking stone sitting on the ground near her pile of wood.  She immediately recognized its wonderful appearance and energy.  Further noticing that the stone was sitting on a little bunch of buffalo hair, she was convinced that it held powerful medicine able to help her starving tribe, and took the beautiful stone back to her people.

That night, in a dream, the stone came to her and sang its song again.   Then it told her, "I have come to you and your people because I pity you.  My power is able to communicate with the buffalo and bring them here. I have chosen you to bring me, the "lniskim", back to camp because you are humble and I know your thoughts are good.  I will have my power bring back the buffalo, but you must warn your people that my power is always announced by a strong storm, and when it arrives it will look like a buffalo, a lone bull. You must tell your people not to harm him.  The rest of the herd will follow as soon as he has passed safely through the camp".

The "lniskim" told her that it had many relatives on the prairie, and that all of them were in contact with the same power as it.   The "lniskim" said that any of the people who wished to have GOOD FORTUNE from this power should look for one of its relatives and bring it home and treat it with respect.

The Blackfoot woman went to the elders of her tribe and told them of her dream.  The elders were skeptical of anyone who claimed to have been called upon in a dream and given power.  In spite of their doubt, she received approval from the medicine man to sit at the head of the tipi, and lead the ceremony that had been shown to her by the "lniskim".  While she covered the stone with the sacred paint she sang one of the songs:

lniskim, it says: "Buffalo is my Medicine". lniskim, it is saying: "I am Powerful"

The men of the tribe soon realized that this was no ordinary stone, that it must be sacred.  They were anxious to see the power of the stone.  The woman then rubbed the "lniskim" over her body four times and prayed at great length.  Then she sang another song:

"This lniskim, my men, it is Powerful"

Just as the tribe left, the woman told them about the warning in the dream.   A crier was sent around camp telling the people to prepare for a big storm and not to harm the single bull that was to show up in camp after the storm.

Before long the breeze turned into wind, and the tipi covers flapped loudly against their poles.   The unfastened tipis of those who disbelieved the woman were blown down and their contents hurled away.  They heard loud hoof beats and heavy breathing in the darkened camp.   It was the lone bull wandering through the camp.  No one dared harm him.

In the morning the storm stopped and there was a large herd of buffalo grazing beside the camp.  The people were able to bring down as many as they needed, for the animals just wandered without alarm.   The people cried with happiness for they had real food again.   Everyone brought a tiny offering of buffalo meat or fat and placed it before the sacred "lniskim" which was sitting on a little pile of fur inside of the cleared-earth altar at the back of the tipi.  Ever since this time, "lniskim" was used in their buffalo hunting ceremonies.

This amazing stone known to the Blackfoot people as "Iniskim", means "the buffalo rock".   Ammolite has since become an essential artifact of the Blackfoot's "medicine bundle" (a collection of sacred artifacts which protect the tribe in their journeys and bring health and fortune).   Today you will recognize this same buffalo artifact as CAPI Ammolite gem. Its magical appearance still inspires awe in all who see it.