Blackfeet hatchet/tomahawk photo wanted

[Acer Saccharum]

I have a commission for a tomahawk hatchet PIN. This will be a miniature, maybe 2 1/2" long. What I want to know: is there a specific design or motif that the Blackfeet tribe used? The customer's wife has Blackfeet blood in her, and he wants to honor that.

Any ideas or photos welcome.
Thanks,
Tom

some other things I have made so you'll know what I'm looking for: http://tcurran.wordpress.com/

[Nate McKenzie]

Wouldn't it be whatever the white trader had in stock? Maybe tribal decorations.

[Chuck Burrows]

Tom - there were no types speciific to the Blackfeet, but I might be able to find some pics that show members of that tribe carrying them. Also is there a specific period you're interested in? Styles.types changed here in the west over time.
One thought might be the early so-called Upper Missouri war axe which was pretty specific to the area and used early on........

Ther first two here on my site were ones I built based on originals:
http://www.wrtcleather.com/Gallery-Frontier-Hawks/index-gallery.html

[dannybb55]

The Blackfeet traded at Fort McKenzie, a Hudson's Bay Co fort. Start with Firearms Traps and Tools of the Mountainman by Carl P Russell.
                                                      Danny

[Acer Saccharum]

Thanks, guys. The axe shown by Chuck will do nicely.  The pierced heart may find particular significance once received!

Tom

[The other DWS]

Which kind of Blackfoot?  there was a subsection of the Lakotah/Dakotah called the Blackfoot/Blackfeet and the canadian/northern rocky mtn Blackfoot nation which was a totally diffent linguistic group.  As mentioned the Canadian nation would have been supplied by the HBC/NW traders.  The Siouan group would have had a much more eclectic material culture

[dannybb55]

Siksika, Piegan and Blood Blackfoot? Linguistically related to the Arikarees? Weren't they the ones who ran into John Colter?

[Chuck Burrows]

The Siksika are members of the Blackfoot Confederacy,  which is composed of five distinct nations including the: Blackfoot aka Siksika, the Bloods, and the Piegan nations (all of which share a common language and culture) as well as the Sarcee and the Gros Ventre aka Atsina who are related to the Arapaho.

The Arikara or Sahnish are cousins to the Pawnee.

And yes it was the Blackfeet, IIRC the Piegan specifically, who made Colter run for his life in Southern Montana.......

[Acer Saccharum]

Chuck, I sent your link to my client. Great photography, and that's on top of being fabulous work.

Tom