curly bear blackfoot oak sepia print backed 6x8

Curly Bear, or "Kyiyo-puka, a prominent leader of the Pikuni (Piegan) Blackfeet, his legacy would be forged during the late 19th century, particularly the "Starving Winter" of 1883–1884. As the buffalo herds vanished, his tribesmen saw him rise not as a war chief, but as a compassionate provider. To the Blackfeet, Curly Bear was the "Grizzly who Watches the Path." He was seen as a leader who possessed the strength of the bear and the wisdom of the ages. He remains a symbol of the indestructible nature of the Blackfeet spirit. His achievement was the survival of a nation; he ensured that when the buffalo were gone, the people remained, rooted in their land and their heritage.