Galt Museum & Archives given Blackfoot name

The Galt Museum & Archives has announced that it has been given a Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) name: Akaisamitohkanao’pa.

The Galt has been working with Niitsitapi elders Bruce Wolf Child (Makoyiippookaa, Wolf Child) and Mary Fox (Mia’nistitsiiksiinaakii, Many Different Snake Woman) to find a Blackfoot name for the organization that recognizes its place within the history, culture and social fabric of Niitsitapissksahkoyi (Blackfoot Territory).

The name was unveiled and received a ceremonial blessing by Blackfoot elders on Monday at the Galt.

Chief Executive Officer Darrin Martens (Aaká óóhkotoki, Many Rocks) and Curator Aimee Benoit received the name on behalf of the organization, with Galt Museum and Archives staff and Blackfoot guests in attendance. A drum circle and dancers followed the ceremony, along with a feast.

“We at the museum are honoured to have received this special name as it speaks to the past, present and future of the institution and the space it occupies in Lethbridge,” said Martens. “As Akaisamitohkanao’pa we embrace working collaboratively with the Niitsitapi community and walking the path of reconciliation together.”

The Galt occupies a space that has a rich and diverse past. In the past, it has been a gathering place for Niitsitapi to gather, camp, hunt and exercise their cultural beliefs and practices.

As the site for Lethbridge’s first hospital and the Galt School of Nursing, it provided care to those in need of medical attention. The transition of the building into a museum and archives signalled a transformation of the space to one of learning. Currently the Galt Museum & Archives is a community meeting place for all—to explore, learn, celebrate, study and create.

The Galt is now also known as Akaisamitohkanao’pa, an eternal gathering place.

Broken down into syllables, it is: a/kai/sami/toh/kanao’/pa

Phonetically, it is pronounced: a/gaa/sum/ee/doh/gun/ope