In 2004 I met Herman Many Guns at a conference in a Kananaskis hotel.  Herman  invited me to come down to the Peigan Reserve to take some special photographs of Piikani people, places and events.

In 2006 I was honoured to be blessed and given a Blackfoot name by Dr. Reg Crowshoe , current (2008) chief of the Piikani.  My Blackfoot name is mistaki spita meaning tall as a mountain.

In July 2008 I was further honoured by a Blackfoot headdress ceremony. Chief Reg Crowshoe captured me and delivered me to Leonard Bastien who performed the transfer ceremony (see above image)

I now have many friends from all reserves and off-reserve.  This website is dedicated  with thanks to all the First Nations People in southern Alberta.

The galleries on this site have many images of adults or children that I have photographed but are unnamed.  If I haven’t already done so I would be happy to give signed prints to those persons .... parents in the case of minors. They can contact me at <okihp@telus.net>.

All images and text are copyrighted and should not be used without permission.