By Tyrone Sitting Eagle
Siksika and its members are very strong and proud people. Culture has been deeply rooted in the Blackfoot way of life through stories, connecting, visiting, tradition, and ceremonies. The Walking With the Buffalo Within (WWBW) program reflects these values, assisting individuals from Siksika to heal and focus on the positive aspects of their lives, rather than the trauma they may have experienced. This program is facilitated and created by Pam Sitting Eagle who holds two degrees BCc/BEd. A Nation member who is using the WWBW to plant a seed, replacing intergenerational trauma with healing.
From September 8–10, 2025, Pam hosted the meaningful program at the Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, bringing in a group of 12 elders. Throughout the course of the three days, the elders participated in several presentations, cultural activities, and teachings. They were introduced to a number of traditional practices, which included cultural stories, roles of societies in Siksika, and efforts to revive the cultural tradition of visiting in Siksika.
One highlight of the program’s activities was hands-on crafting. Here, each participant crafted a small buffalo from leather – not only representing the buffalo’s sacredness in Siksika culture but also representing the name and the motivation of the program. The buffalo traditionally always move forward and don’t stray from the path they are leading. In turn, they don’t avoid their path no matter what is in it. Even if there is a storm, the buffalo will always go into it, which is why the program is called Walking With the Buffalo Within.
To conclude the WWBW program, each elder was given a certificate and gifts, and afterwards shared how much this impacted them, by taking them on a self-journey of reflection and forgiveness. With each shared story, one topic arose, which was the love for family and that this program is needed for Siksika’s younger generation.
In turn, this was an amazing program put together by Pam Sitting Eagle. The goal of the program was to guide participants on a personal journey, encouraging them to share their stories and use Blackfoot culture as a tool to support healing of the mind, body, and spirit. This is very important for Siksika, as it helps bring healing to the community.
