15



Deows KR.



Inkdomi is a legendary figure in the Assiniboine
culture. He takes a role similar to the Blackfeet’s
Napi. Although Inkdomi claims to be the Creator
of all things, he really is a trickster and a liar.

Often, he takes the form of different animals and
birds in order to play tricks on people. He does
both good and bad things.

Stories about Inkdomi have been passed on from
generation to generation, and many times one story
will have several versions. Some of the stories are
humorous and others are more serious.


JEROME FOURSTAR

Jerome Fourstar is an Assiniboine Indian who was born and
raised on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana. He
attended elementary school in Frazer, Montana, and re-
ceived his G-E.D. from Glasgow High School. Ie served in
the Montana National Guard and for many years worked as
a carpenter and supervisor of electrical, plumbing and con-
struction work. After taking college coursework in bilingual
education, he served as a bilingual teacher at Wolf Point
(Montana) Tigh School. For the past five years he has
taught Indian culture and religion in the Wolf Point public
schools. He has served as a cultural and spiritual leader for
both on-reservation and urban Indian groups and for Morn-
ing Star, Inc., which trains rehabilitated alcoholics. Te also
taught youth and served as a spiritual and cultural leader
at an ecumenical conference of medicine men in Morley,
Alberta, and each summer he is director of a youth camp
in Billings

EUNICE BIRTHMARK

Eunice Birthmark is a Sioux Indian who was raised on the
Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana. She spends much
of her time teaching Indian singing, dancing and culture,
and serves on the Plains Area Curriculum Development
Committee for the Pacific Northwest Indian Program. For
three years she also worked as a bilingual teacher in
Brockton Public School, in Poplar, Montana

DOUGLAS RUNSTHROUGH

Douglas Runsthrough is an Assiniboine and Sioux Indian
who was born and raised on the Fort Peck reservation in
Northern Montana. He attended Eastern Montana College
in Billings and has had considerable professional art expe-
rience. In addition to illustrating, lettering and drafting, he
painted a scrics of pictures which were displayed and tele-
vised, and then reproduced in pamphlet form by the Educa-
tion Department of the College of Great Falls. He is married
and lives in Frazer, on the Fort Peck reservation



ey THE INDIAN READING SERIES:
‘8 Stories and Legends of the Northwest


ove Rh.

13





Inkdomi began to think how he could kill
one of the buffalo.
Finally, he had an idea.
As he walked toward the buffalo,
he started to cry.
The leader asked Inkdomi why he was crying.
Inkdomi said, “The enemy killed my whole tribe.
Iam the only one left.
My brothers, if you would help me,
we could go and kill the enemy.”



Once, long ago, while Inkdomi was on a journey,
he saw a herd of buffalo.

He had been walking for two days
without anything to eat
and was very hungry.



14

The wolf said, “Don’t worry, brother.
We'll get even.”
The wolf called together
all of the flesh-eating animals
and told them what to do.
So, the animals went to Inkdomi
and told him some stories.
Inkdomi fell asleep.
While he was sleeping,
they ate up all of his meat and left.
When Inkdomi woke up, all of the meat was gone.
Because of Inkdomi’s trickery and greed,
he wound up with nothing.



The leader asked Inkdomi how they could help him.
Inkdomi said, “You can run fast and are strong.
You can overtake the enemy and kill them.”
The buffalo agreed to help.
Inkdomi said, “First, you must close your eyes
and follow me as I sing with my gourd.
When I say to charge,
all of you run as fast as you can.
But your eyes must be closed.”
Inkdomi led the buffalo toward a high cliff.
As they got close, he said, “All right, charge!”
Inkdomi threw himself over the edge of the cliff.
All of the buffalo followed,
killing themselves when they hit the bottom.



Level III Book 12




Inkdomi had lots of meat then.
As he skinned the buffalo,
a lame fox came along and said,
“Can [help you, my brother?
Iam so hungry.
I would like to help you
so we could eat some of the meat right away.”

Inkdomi said, “No, first take some tripe
to the creek and wash it.
We will eat it later.”



oe



Booklets available in the Level II] sequence are listed below, Numbers refer to the planned sequence of uae
in the Teacher's Manual. Materiala developed by these tribes and others in the Northwest are incloded in

the Levels and I] sequences.

1 Story of the Seasons
The Confederated Tribes of the
Werm Springs Revervation of Oregon
2 The Beginning of the Earth
The Canfedarated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon
8 The Biacktoii Dance
Blackfeet Tribe
4 How Marten Got His Spois
Kootenai Cultural Committee of
The Confederated Salish and
Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

5 Lost in the Fog
Jamestown-Clallam Tribe

8 Haw to Be a Friend
The Confederated Tribes of the
‘Warm Springa Reservation af Oregon

7 How the Morning and Evening Stars
Came to Be
Assiniboine and Bioux Tribes of the
Fort Peck Reservation

8 Raccoan’s Black Eyes ond Ringed Teil
Shoshone- Bannock Tribes of tha
Fort Hall Reservation

B Coyote and Old Lady
Shoahone-Bannock Tribes of the
Fort Hall Reservstion

10 Coyote and Trout
Keotansi Cultara) Committee of
The Confederated Salish and
Kootensi Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

1] How the Milky Way Gat into the Sky
The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Sprmgs Reservation of Oregon

12 inkdami and the Buffalo
Aveiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the
Fort Peck Reservation

13 Medicine Horse
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the
Fort Halt Reservation

14 The Good Hunter and Fisherman
Jamestown-Clallem Tribe

15 The Wild Bujfaio Ride
Blackfeet Tribe

16TAma Rock
Crow Tribal Historical and Cultural
Cammigsion

iT The Man Who Loved Shell Money
Skokomish Triba

18 Old Man Nepi
Blackfeet Tribe

18 The Turtle Who Went to War
Asalniboine and Sioux Tribes of the
Fort Peck Reservetion

20 Coyote and the Mean Mountain Sheep
Saleh Cultural Committee of
‘The Confederated Salish and
Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

For order information and prices of the above booklets and the Teacher's Manat, contact the publisher:

Educational Syytems, Inc
2360 Southwest 170th Street
Beaverton, Oregon 97005

(503) 648-7516


Developed by the Pacific Northwest Indian Reading and Language Development Program
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 710 Southwest Second Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204

Copyright ©1978 by the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation
All rights reserved.

The work upon which this publication is based was performed pursuant to Contract
No. 400-76-0048, with the Educational Equity Group/Multicultural/Bilingual Division
of the National Institute of Education. It does not, however, necessarily reflect the
views of that agency.

This publication is not printed at the expense of the Federal Government.
Published by Educational Systems, Inc., 2360 Southwest 170th Street, Beaverton, Oregon 97005,
Printed and bound in the United States of America


He did this several times,
and each time Inkdomi gave him more tripe.
Finally, Inkdomi followed the fox to the creek.
Again the fox quickly washed the tripe
and ate it all up.
About that time, Inkdomi went up to the fox
and beat him up!

10



12

The fox left, crying as he walked along the creek.
He met a wolf who asked him why he was crying.
The fox told him what had happened.



THE INDIAN READING SERIES:
Stories and Legends of the Northwest

Inkdomi and the Buffalo
Level III Book 12

An Assiniboine Story
As told by Jerome Fourstar
Illustrated by Douglas Runsthrough

Joseph Coburn, Director
Pacific Northwest Indian Program
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory



THE INDIAN READING SERIES: Stories and Legends of the
Northwest is a collection of authentic material cooperatively devel-
oped by Indian people from twelve reservations. Development ac-
tivities are guided by a Policy Board which represents the Indian
community of the Pacific Northwest. The Pacific Northwest Indian
Reading and Language Development Program Policy Board members
are:

+ Warren Clements — Warm Springs
Chairman

* Morrie Jimenez — Klamath

+ Joan Kennerly — Blackfeet

+ Walter Moffett — Nez Perce

«Emmett Oliver — Quinault

* Bob Parsley — Chippewa

* Lloyd Smith — Warm Springs

* Max Snow

+ Jeanne Thomas — Yakima


Inkdomi gave the fox some tripe.
When the fox got to the creek,

he quickly washed the tripe

and ate it all up.
He went back and told Inkdomi a big fish

had taken the tripe away from him.
Inkdomi gave him some more tripe to wash.
Again the fox quickly washed the tripe,

ate it up and came back with the same story.



Dever

11