BROWNING — Blackfeet cultural leaders and high school students gathered Tuesday, September 23, 2025, for the first day of the Blackfeet Community College’s annual Days of the Piikani celebration. This year’s theme centers on the Blackfeet people’s connection to their traditional lands.
Brianna Juneau reports - watch the video:
One activity gave students a unique way of gaining that knowledge: airplane flyovers of the Blackfeet Reservation.
Terry Tatsey, one of the event’s cultural leaders and organizers, said the event and the flights are about ensuring the next generation understands both the importance of the land and the challenges it faces.
“We face a lot of challenges as, Piikani people and so, we want our younger generations to be those future leaders and voices for the voiceless. We're hoping that the flights will give them a better idea of the beauty of the area they live in and give them a sense of pride and responsibility to take care of it,” he explained.
High school students flew over the Blackfeet reservation and the Badger-Two Medicine region, areas that are sacred to the tribe that has been at the center of decades-long efforts to prevent oil and gas development.
Tatsey added, “Historically, this was our fall and summer area. We know that the current administration is looking to repeal the “Roadless Rule,” which threatens 44.7 million acres of public forest including the Badger-Two Medicine. We have a responsibility to take care of this land, and we may get some future advocates out of this.”
This event and cultural knowledge sharing is an example of how active Blackfeet people are on their traditional lands, and that they continue to practice their culture and ways of life there today.
Chief pilot Bruce Gordan founded EcoFlight, an organization that uses small aircraft to provide flights to educate and advocate for wildlands, watersheds, and culturally important landscapes. He said, “We fly tribal members all across the country from Oregon to here. I think it's so important for people to have a sense of place. This is a historically interesting place, cultural place. It's really incredible and so worthy of protection and knowledge and understanding.”
For many students, the flights were a first-time experience. Donna Salway-Trombley, a Buffalo Hide Academy student was nervous before her first flight.
After stepping off the plane, she said she had a whole new perspective on where she lives. “It was awesome. It’s beautiful. I could see all of our rivers and then got a little history lesson while I was in there. So, that was fun.”
The college’s Days of the Piikani is open to the public, continuing through Thursday, September 25th. There will be community events, traditional games, workshops, and presentations, all emphasizing the enduring relationship between the Blackfeet people and their ancestral homelands.
