The Spomi'tapiiks (Above People): Sky Beings in Blackfoot Cosmology and Cultural Heritage

The Spomi'tapiiks, or Above People, represent celestial beings of profound significance within Blackfoot cosmology and spiritual tradition. These sky beings form the foundation of Blackfoot creation mythology and continue to influence contemporary cultural practices among the Blackfoot Confederacy peoples. Within the Blackfoot worldview, the Spomi'tapiiks are not distant deities but rather ancestral beings with whom the Blackfoot people maintain ongoing relationships through ceremony, prayer, and daily recognition. They exemplify the interconnected nature of the Blackfoot universe, where spiritual and physical realities exist in constant dialogue. This examination reveals how the Sky Beings both reflect and shape Blackfoot identity as Niitsitapi ("the Real People") and inform their understanding of their place within the cosmos.

Origins and Identity of the Spomi'tapiiks

The Spomi'tapiiks, also referenced in various spellings including Sspommitapiiksi, Spomi-tap-ksi, or Spomi-tapi-ksi, were the first beings created by Apisstotoki (the Creator) in Blackfoot cosmology. The term itself directly translates to "Above People" or "Sky-Beings" and encompasses celestial entities that inhabit the spiritual realm above the physical world^[1]. According to Blackfoot creation stories, these beings were established as the first manifestations of divine presence before the creation of Earth and its inhabitants. The Blackfoot understand that these sky beings have their own society and land above the clouds, forming a parallel existence to life on Earth^[1].

The first and most revered of the Spomi'tapiiks is Natosi (the Sun), created by Apisstotoki to provide light and warmth to all existence^[2]. This primary celestial being holds tremendous spiritual significance for the Blackfoot people, who recognize Natosi as a manifestation of divine power. Alongside Natosi, Apisstotoki created Ko'komiki'somm (the Moon), Natosi's wife, who together with their children, the Kakatosiiks (stars), illuminate the night sky^[2][3]. These celestial family relationships mirror the importance of kinship in Blackfoot social structure and establish a cosmic model for human relationships.

The Spomi'tapiiks exist within a complex spiritual hierarchy that includes other categories of beings. The Creator organized the universe into distinct realms populated by different beings: the Above People (Spomi'tapiiks) in the sky, the Stahtsitapiiks who dwell beneath the earth, and the Soyitapiiks who inhabit the waters^[2][4]. This cosmological structure establishes an ordered universe where each being has its proper place and purpose, reflecting the Blackfoot understanding of balance and harmony in creation.

The Spomi'tapiiks in Blackfoot Creation Mythology

The creation narrative featuring the Spomi'tapiiks represents a foundational text that shapes Blackfoot understanding of their origins and purpose. According to Blackfoot tradition, after Apisstotoki had completed the creation of all beings, he gathered them together in an act called omoipssii and gave them counsel regarding their heritage^[3]. This pivotal moment established the core of Blackfoot identity when the Creator instructed all beings to "never forget their heritage, and remember that they came from the Above People (Spomi'tapiiks)"^[2][3][4]. This divine instruction created an eternal connection between the Blackfoot people and their celestial ancestors.

The emphasis on remembering one's connection to the Spomi'tapiiks serves multiple purposes within Blackfoot cultural understanding. First, it establishes a sacred lineage that connects the Blackfoot people directly to the divine realm, providing them with spiritual authority and responsibility. Second, it creates an ongoing obligation to maintain relationships with these beings through ceremony and proper living. Third, it positions the Blackfoot as intermediaries between the physical and spiritual worlds, capable of communicating with both realms. The instruction to remember this heritage has been preserved through oral tradition for countless generations, demonstrating its central importance to Blackfoot identity^[2][3].

The cosmological order established in the creation story provides the foundation for the Blackfoot's self-identification as Niitsitapi or "the Real People." This designation reflects their understanding of themselves as "equal partners in the universe with all the other Beings"^[2]. Unlike Western perspectives that often place humans in a position of dominance over nature, the Blackfoot view establishes humans as participants in a cosmic community that includes both visible and invisible beings. This worldview fosters an attitude of respect and reciprocity toward all elements of creation, recognizing the divine spark present in all beings as descendants of the Spomi'tapiiks^[2][3].

Spiritual Communication and Sacred Bundles

Communication between the Spomi'tapiiks and the Blackfoot people occurs primarily through dreams and vision quests, during which the Above People may bestow sacred knowledge, songs, or objects upon individuals^[3][5]. These spiritual encounters are considered profound gifts that establish reciprocal relationships between the receiver and the sky beings. During these experiences, the Spomi'tapiiks may provide guidance, prophecy, or healing knowledge that benefits not just the individual but the entire community. The knowledge gained from such encounters is considered sacred and is carefully preserved through oral tradition and ceremonial practice^[5].

Sacred Bundles represent perhaps the most tangible manifestation of the relationship between the Blackfoot people and the Spomi'tapiiks. These bundles contain items "handed to the blackfoot by the spirit beings" during dreams or vision quests^[5]. The Blackfoot treat these bundles with extraordinary reverence, considering them living entities rather than mere objects. As one source explains, "We treat them as individual beings, caring for them like children. We avoid disturbing them, and keep quiet in their presence"^[3]. This personification of the bundles reflects their status as physical embodiments of the connection between the Blackfoot and the Spomi'tapiiks.

The care and maintenance of Sacred Bundles follow specific protocols that honor their connection to the Spomi'tapiiks. When not in use for ceremonial purposes, the bundles were traditionally kept on the west wall of the tipi, suspended above the inhabitants^[5]. Each day, they were taken outside and placed on tripods, then moved throughout the day to face the sun, acknowledging the preeminent position of Natosi among the Spomi'tapiiks^[5]. These bundles serve as conduits through which the Blackfoot "connect with the Spomi'tapiiks or ask for help from Apisstotoki"^[3]. The ceremonial use of these bundles maintains the vital connection between the physical and spiritual realms, ensuring ongoing communication with the Above People.

Cultural Expression and Cosmic Connections

The influence of the Spomi'tapiiks pervades numerous aspects of traditional Blackfoot material culture and artistic expression. Perhaps most notably, the traditional tipi design incorporates cosmic symbolism that reflects the Blackfoot relationship with the Above People. As Kainai elder Goodstriker explains, "the very top of the teepee acknowledges the universe; the middle part acknowledges life; and the very bottom part of the teepee acknowledges Mother Earth"^[6]. This three-tiered design mirrors the cosmological structure established in creation stories, with the Spomi'tapiiks represented in the upper portion of the dwelling.

The tipi designs extend beyond merely acknowledging the cosmos to include specific celestial entities among the Spomi'tapiiks. According to Goodstriker, the northern and southern flaps of traditional Blackfoot tipis depict the constellations Pleiades and the Big Dipper^[6]. These constellations feature prominently in Blackfoot stories about orphaned children who ascended to the sky to become celestial beings. Such stories "tell of orphaned children who were ill-treated and went to live in the sky as celestial beings, and whose movements through the cosmos serve as a reminder to care for our children and of the natural, clockwise flow of the universe"^[6]. These narratives demonstrate how the Spomi'tapiiks serve not only as divine ancestors but also as moral guides whose stories teach proper social behavior.

Ceremonies such as the Sweet Grass Smudge further demonstrate the ongoing relationship between the Blackfoot and the Spomi'tapiiks. In this purification ritual, sage and sweet grass are burned to cleanse individuals and spaces of negative energies. The smoke serves a dual purpose: purifying the participants and carrying their prayers to the Creator and the Spomi'tapiiks^[5]. As one description states, "Sweetgrass is appealing to the good spirits just as it is to us, it is pleasing and attractive"^[5]. This ceremony exemplifies how the Blackfoot maintain daily communication with the spiritual realm, including the Above People, through ritual practices that have been preserved for generations.

The Spomi'tapiiks and Blackfoot Worldview

The relationship between the Blackfoot people and the Spomi'tapiiks reveals fundamental differences between Indigenous and Western cosmological perspectives. Unlike the compartmentalized approach of Western thought, which often separates the spiritual from the material, the Blackfoot recognize no such division. As one scholar observes, "Not only do they speak with rocks and trees, they are also able to converse with that which remains invisible to us, a world of what could be variously called spirits, or powers, or simply energies"^[7]. The Spomi'tapiiks are not abstract entities relegated to a separate realm but active participants in the natural world.

The Blackfoot understanding of reality is dramatically more expansive than Western materialist perspectives. Their ability to perceive and interact with the Spomi'tapiiks reflects a worldview that acknowledges multiple dimensions of existence simultaneously present in everyday experience. As one source explains, "It is not so much that the Blackfoot live in an extended reality but that our own Western vision has become excessively myopic"^[7]. This perspective suggests that the Blackfoot relationship with the Spomi'tapiiks represents not a supernatural belief but rather a more comprehensive perception of natural reality that includes energies and beings imperceptible to more limited worldviews.

The relationship with the Spomi'tapiiks shapes Blackfoot understanding of causality and human responsibility. Ceremonial acts that honor the Above People are not performed out of superstition but as expressions of cosmic citizenship. "No one believes that a pipe ceremony actually causes the sun to rise. Rather, by renewing their relationships to the dynamics of nature the Blackfoot maintain a harmonious role within the cosmos"^[7]. This approach reflects a sophisticated understanding of interconnectedness, where human actions contribute to cosmic harmony not through mechanical causation but through the maintenance of proper relationships with all beings, including the Spomi'tapiiks.

Contemporary Significance of the Spomi'tapiiks

Despite centuries of colonization and cultural disruption, the Spomi'tapiiks remain central to contemporary Blackfoot spiritual and cultural identity. Traditional knowledge about these celestial beings continues to be preserved and transmitted by Blackfoot elders, who serve as guardians of sacred knowledge. As pressures on Indigenous cultures increase, there has been a renewed emphasis on preserving and sharing knowledge about the Spomi'tapiiks and their significance to Blackfoot identity and spirituality^[8]. This preservation effort recognizes that understanding of the Above People represents not merely mythology but living knowledge essential to Blackfoot continuity.

Educational initiatives within Blackfoot communities seek to ensure that younger generations maintain awareness of their connection to the Spomi'tapiiks. Some Blackfoot cultural centers have developed interpretive programs that teach visitors about traditional relationships with the land and sky. As one such initiative describes, "We want to create an interpretive walk that teaches visitors at BCHP about the importance of our land. They can listen to our stories using an interactive knowledge hub platform, as they explore the lands"^[8]. These efforts demonstrate how ancient knowledge about the Above People is being translated into contemporary educational contexts.

The Blackfoot relationship with the Spomi'tapiiks offers potential insights for addressing modern environmental and social challenges. Their understanding of humans as participants in a cosmic community rather than masters of nature suggests alternative approaches to environmental stewardship. As one observer notes, "Buried deep within the European mind lies something that may be able to temper the momentum of our present path"^[7]. The Blackfoot conception of ongoing relationship with the Spomi'tapiiks promotes an ethic of responsibility and reciprocity that could inform more sustainable approaches to human interaction with the natural world, recognizing that all beings share common descent from the Above People.

Conclusion

The Spomi'tapiiks (Above People) represent far more than mythological figures in Blackfoot culture—they embody a continuous living relationship between the Blackfoot people and the cosmic forces that shaped their existence. From the creation narrative where Apisstotoki instructed all beings to remember their celestial heritage, to the ongoing ceremonial practices that maintain communication with these beings, the Spomi'tapiiks provide a framework for understanding Blackfoot identity, spirituality, and relationship with the universe.

The concept of the Spomi'tapiiks challenges Western epistemological boundaries by presenting a worldview where spiritual and physical realities seamlessly intersect, where communication between humans and cosmic beings occurs regularly, and where proper relationship rather than dominance characterizes human interaction with the universe. In contemporary contexts, this understanding offers not only insight into traditional Blackfoot culture but potential wisdom for addressing modern challenges through more holistic and relational approaches to existence.

The preservation and transmission of knowledge about the Spomi'tapiiks represents a vital aspect of cultural continuity for the Blackfoot people. As they continue to navigate the complexities of modern life while maintaining their distinctive identity, the Above People remain essential ancestors whose guidance continues to shape Blackfoot understanding of their place in the cosmos—as Niitsitapi, the Real People, equal partners in a universe populated by beings visible and invisible, all sharing common descent from the Spomi'tapiiks.

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• https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sspommitapiiksi  
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• https://blackfootconfederacy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/History-book-layout-V2a.pdf        
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• https://blackfootcelebrations.weebly.com/ritualsceremonies.html       
• https://ucalgary.ca/news/kainai-elder-and-astrophysicist-share-stories-and-myths-blackfoot-skies   
• https://paricenter.com/library-new/indigenous-ways-of-knowing/blackfoot-physics-and-european-minds/    
• https://solve.mit.edu/challenges/2023-indigenous-communities/solutions/75041