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Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

"Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump" is the name of an archaeological site in Alberta. (This is a literal translation of what the site is called in the Blackfoot language, Estipah-skikikini-kots.) Head-Smashed-In was a traditional buffalo hunting site of the Blackfoot people and their ancestors for thousands of years. Before the days of firearms or horses, Native hunters used to drive buffalo they were pursuing off a steep cliff at this location; a semi-permanent camp near the base of the cliff was used to process the dead buffalo (drying meat, tanning hides, etc.) According to legend, the grisly-sounding name "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump" came about when a boy recklessly stood too close to the base of the cliff and a buffalo fell onto his head, killing him.

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Here are a few good books about the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump:

Imagining Head-Smashed-In: Aboriginal Buffalo Hunting on the Northern Plains
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Wonders of Canada: Head-smashed-in Buffalo Jump

Here are some Internet resources about Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump:
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Interpretive Centre and Museum
World Heritage Sites: Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Video
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Alberta
Wikipedia: Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

And here are links to our webpages about the Blackfoot tribe and language:
Blackfoot
Blackfoot names
Blackfoot facts and pictures
Canadian First Nations Map
Algonquian
Alberta reserves

Here are a few good books where you can find more information about the Blackfoot tribe:
Blackfoot Ways of Knowing
Blackfoot Stories of Old
Blackfoot Dictionary

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