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Siksika Employment and Training Services (SETS) provides career building opportunities to Siksika Nation members, which includes career planning, employment and training, as well as job placement.
We seek to secure employment opportunities for Siksika citizens through employment arrangements and partnerships with industry employers.
SETS believes in the future of our province and our country as we continue to participate in the Canadian economy as valuable citizens.
TOOLKIT FOR EMPLOYERS
This toolkit is designed to provide employers with an introduction to Siksika history, teachings, and cultural foundations. It highlights key values, roles, and practices that continue to shape community life today.
Successful employment is built not only on technical skills and training, but also on strong cultural identity and shared understanding.
This toolkit provides accessible cultural teachings, and considerations for employers who recruit, train, and mentor Siksika Nation members.
Wayne Leather
Barry Yellow Fly
Adrian and Georgia Yellow Old Woman
Eulalia Running Rabbit
Olivia Good Rider
Elizabeth Scout
Facilitator Eldon Weasel Child
We would like to thank and acknowledge the Siksika Nation Elders and Knowledge Keepers for sharing stories, history and protocols with our team in developing teachings for this toolkit:
Population and Territory
Since time immemorial, the Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot People) have lived in and protected a vast territory.
This traditional territory extends from the North Saskatchewan River in present-day Alberta and Saskatchewan to the Yellowstone River in Montana, and from the Continental Divide in the west to Regina, Saskatchewan in the east
The Confederacy is made up of four Nations:
Siksika (Blackfoot)
Kainai or Blood (Many Chiefs)
Aapatohsipiikani (Northern Piikani)
Amskapi Piikani (Southern Piikani, Montana)
Today, the Siksika Nation is based on a reserve in Alberta, situated approximately 80 km east of Calgary and three km south of the Trans-Canada Highway #1. According to the 2021 census, 18,485 people reported Blackfoot ancestry. As of January 2024, 4,218 of the 7,767 registered Siksika members live on reserve.
Learn More
Scan to learn more about Niisitapi Landscapes from the Galt Museum
Scan to download the Destination Blackfoot Google
Map to visit Siksikaitsitapi sites
Map courtesty of Galt Museum & Archives
SIKSIKA
Pre-Contact
Many Siksika stories (iitsini’ksin) have been shared through generations about Creation and the early days (issko’tsiks). The following is told by Chief Robert Breaker: Apiistatoki (Creator) gave Niitsitapi (The Real People) or Siksikasitapi (Blackfoot people), our way of life, ceremonies, protocols, and sacred societies Long ago, Apiistatoki) created the earth and all living people, creatures and living forms
He told the earth (Ksahkomitapi) that she would be the mother of all that he had created, and all his creation would live off her. The Sun (Natosi) was created, and he was told that he would be the one to give light and warmth to everything.
The Creator told Natosi’s wife, the Moon (Kokimikisoom) that, along with all their children (Kakatosiiks) in the sky, they would be the ones to give light at night
After Creator had finished making everything, he called all his creations together to give them names and counsel. He told them that they must never forget their heritage, and to always remember that they came from the Above People (Spomi’tapiiks)
To the animals, he gave them places to live Those who would dwell beneath the earth were called Stahtsitapiiks Those who would live in the waters were named Soyitapiiks
Scan the QR code to learn More about traditional creation and Napi stories
The Siksikasitapi lived by a governance system that was not built on hierarchy, but on consensus. Leadership came from ceremony, from clan ties, and from the wisdom carried within the people
Siksikawa utilized the bow and arrow, hunting alongside the great buffalo jumps and pounds that sustained us for centuries Before the horse arrived, we lived through what is remembered as the Dog Days, Iitotasimahpi Imitaiks In this time, dogs hauled our travois, and our tipis were smaller and lighter
The Siksika always camped near the water by the rivers (niihtaa), lakes (oomksikimmi), creeks (asiiyahtaa), and springs (makisskoom). There, the trees grew, which were needed for the sweat lodges and the Okaan (Sun Dance) lodge. From those same places, we gathered the medicines that still carry the power of healing and ceremony.
SPIRITUALITY
Siksika has maintained a system of spiritual beliefs and practiced culturally specific sacred ceremonies Cultural practices include participating in sweat lodges, the Sun Dance (okaan), using medicine bundles, and other means of purifying the body and soul Okaan is still one of the most important cultural and spiritual practices
Sacred Societies are a large part of Blackfoot culture, with separate groups for warriors, religious members of the tribe, and women’s societies. Each society serves a different function within tribal life.
Today, the current Sacred Siksika Societies include Horns (Iitskinaiksi), Holy Buffalo Women (Mootokiiksi), Brave Dogs (Kanatsomitaiksi), Prairie Chicken (Kiitokiiksi), Bumble Bee (Naamoiiksi) and Mosquito (Kstohksisi).
LEARN MORE
Scan to learn more and visit the Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park
FAMILY STRUCTURES
Niitsitapiisini values include a strong support system for children. They ensured that children had a stable and nurturing environment, even in challenging circumstances.
Clans (ak’sin’iks) were most often made up of people connected through marriage. Within each clan, decisions were made through consensus. No one voice stood above the others; instead, people sought agreement together.
Over time, clans could change Some divided, while others joined together to form new clans, carrying forward new names and new responsibilities, always within the larger circle of the people
Some Siksika clans are the Mu’pi’niks (Rough Ropes), A’pi’ka’yiks (Shunks), Mi’ni’pu’kaks (Spoiled Children), I’ksi’ko’yiks (Meat Eaters), Pah’ski’na’ma’yiks (Unlucky Guns), Sa’yiiks (Daring Leaders), Piitohpikisa (Eagle Rib).
Family is the foundation of our social organization. The term for “wife” is extended to all her sisters and “husband” applies to all his brothers. These terms imply responsibilities in the ways people act toward one another.
Men would care for his wife’s sisters and their families if their husbands died These arrangements became more common in the late 1800s as disease and warfare claimed more males
Traditional parenting involves gentle guidance, love, nurturance, and emotional support for children
Parents and extended family members provide a secure and loving environment for children to grow and thrive. Clans/kin and community would, in turn, provide support and encouragement to the parents.
y p the destruction of the buffalo herds brought devastation to the Siksika people and threatened their survival.
In 1877, Crowfoot and other Blackfoot leaders entered Treaty 7 with the British Crown at Blackfoot Crossing. The treaty promised land, hunting rights, and annuities, but these commitments were quickly undermined
governance, stripping Siksika of much of their independence.
Christian missions and residential schools attempted to dismantle traditional spirituality, language, and culture, replacing them with European religion and values.
i i k s o k o w a i k s S o k k i n i a k i a ’ p i
Scan to visit the Siksika Family Services Corporation website to learn more about programs and services for children and families
Impact on health
Scan to visit the Siksika Health Services website to learn more about mental health and wellness supports for community members
Cultural Respect and Safety
Siksika teachings emphasize interconnectedness, consensus, and respect. Workplaces that reflect these values foster trust and inclusion.
Employers should ensure all employees feel welcomed and respected by incorporating cultural values into workplace practices This might include collaborative decision-making and listening to diverse perspectives
Offering smudge areas, acknowledging the land at meetings, and inviting Elders for ceremonies creates spaces where cultural identity is affirmed These actions demonstrate respect and support cultural continuity
Promote cultural learning: Encourage non-Indigenous staff to learn more about Siksikaitsitapi. This strengthens workplace understanding and reduces the risk of unintentional bias or insensitivity.
Employer Considerations
Education and Growth
For Siksika people, education is often described as the “new buffalo” the source of independence and opportunity
Employers can strengthen employee commitment by providing regular training opportunities, on-the-job learning, and exposure to different career paths This builds confidence and ensures employees are workplaceready.
Employees should be empowered to make choices about their career direction, reflecting Siksika traditions of autonomy and accountability. Employers can show respect by involving employees in decision-making about their professional development. Regular evaluations, constructive feedback, and transparent promotion opportunities give employees confidence in their growth. This also signals that employers are invested in long-term careers rather than temporary roles.
Wellbeing and Support
Siksika wellbeing is holistic and Employers must recognize that productivity and wellness are deeply connected Employers can offer wellness programs that address not just physical health, but also mental and spiritual wellbeing Access to counselling, and wellness breaks are examples of supportive measures
Colonial policies like residential schools and systemic racism have created barriers to trust in institutions. Employers should be aware of this context and provide patient, respectful support that builds long-term trust.
Encouraging structure, time management, and confidence for employees transitioning into new environments helps reduce barriers and improves retention. Many Nation members commute on-reserve to off-reserve for work, and we encourage that employers consider flexible scheduling, transportation supports, or understanding policies that take these realities into account.
Employer Considerations
Community Engagement
In Siksika culture, family and kinship ties extend beyond the nuclear family and play a vital role in wellbeing Employers should understand that employees may need flexibility for extended family obligations such as caring for relatives or attending ceremonies These commitments are not “disruptions” but cultural responsibilities that sustain wellness
Support systems at work help employees thrive. Pairing Siksika employees with mentors and fostering peer encouragement mirrors community-based support found in kinship networks.
Employers should maintain open communication with Siksika leadership, Elders, and organizations. Hosting site visits, engaging in regular dialogue, and honoring MOUs ensures trust is built on sustained relationships, not one-time gestures.
