Blackfoot Pipe, c. 1910
P20080020001

Blackfoot pipe and stem made from red pipestone. Blackfoot pipes of the era were generally made from a grey steatite; however, red pipestone was also used. In some cases, people may have traded or traveled as far as northern Minnesota for this type of stone, although sources may also exist in the Rocky Mountains, near Banff.

This specific pipe was possessed for nearly a century by the family of donor Mick Porter. The donor’s mother Nora May Burn, siblings and parents settled on the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies, north of present day Lundbrek, Alberta in 1891. There, the family founded the Burn ranch. In 1896, George English Porter, the donor’s father, migrated west from Orillia, Ontario at age 17. He worked on ranches in south west Alberta and, according to the donor, “probably got mixed up with Burn girls”. George and Nora May married in 1904 and immediately founded the Black Mountain Ranch also north of Lundbrek.

It was on the Black Mountain Ranch that the Porters received the pipe. Eleanor Porter, the donor’s wife, was told by her mother-in-law (Nora May) that the Blackfoot traveled across the Ranch along a creek and that they, “used to stop … and that she would give them bread, roast meat or whatever.” The relationship between the ranch family and the Blackfoot was very good and, consequently, the visiting Blackfoot asked George Porter to participate in a pipe ceremony. Following the pipe’s use, it was left in the possession of George who, cared for it until his passing in 1959. In the early 60s, the pipe was passed on to his son, donor Mick Porter.

Donated by Mick Porter

Black Mountain Ranch, c. 2008 Black Mountain Ranch founded by George English Porter in 1904. The ranch is located on the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies north of present-day Lundbrek, Alberta. Photo courtesy of Mick Porter