Introduction

The introduction begins with the story of Bull Back Fat, a Blackfoot chief who visited both American and British fur traders in 1832 to remind them of their obligations to Blackfoot people. Bull Back Fat was one in a long line of savvy Blackfoot diplomats who, between 1720 and 1877, used the unique borderlands geography of Blackfoot homelands to preserve their influence, sovereignty, and way of life. By telling the story of the three Blackfoot nations (Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani) and their engagement with colonial change, this book contributes to growing scholarly conversations on Indigenous agency, borderlands history, and early North American history.