One hunter, who saw what was happening,
called out to the others.

They quickly jumped on their horses’ backs
and shouted to Middle Person
to hang on tightly.

15


Middle Person stood over the buffalo’s back.


19


This book is based on a true story told by
Old No Coat to Francis Bullshoe, Sr.

The story is about Middle Person, a
Blackfeet Indian woman in her early twenties,
and the buffalo ride on which she went with
her husband and other Indian hunters.

Middle Person was one of the wives of
No Coat, a great hunter. Many years ago
Indian chiefs had several wives.

This hunt took place south of the Marias
River and the Sweet Grass Hills in Montana,
about 1850.


16

One of the riders headed toward the buffalo.
The buffalo turned and charged him.


22

After the buffalo had been butchered
and the meat taken back to camp,
Middle Person’s relatives held a feast
in her honor.
Prayers of thanks were given to the Great Spirit
for a successful hunt and because Middle Person
had come home safely.


18

The hunters didn’t want to shoot the buffalo

for fear they would shoot Middle Person instead.
They circled the buffalo

to keep it from running away

with Middle Person on its back.
No Coat shouted, “Hang on tight!
Soon the buffalo will tire from its wound”


13


The riders rode to the top of a hill.
They could see the buffalo grazing in the distance,
eating the long grass.


PETER (RUSTY) TATSEY

Mr. Tatsey is a young Blackfeet artist and cowboy, He
graduated from Flandreau High School in South Dakota
and attended Northern Montana College and Montana
State University. Mr. Tatsey likes to draw outdoor scenes
and animals. He also participates in rodeos, and hunting is
his favorite sport.


Middle Person was feeling good,
for today the hunters would go out for fresh meat.
2 It would be dried and put away for the winter’s food.


One morning, Middle Person got out of bed
and ran down to the creek
for her early morning swim.
The water was cool and fresh.
The sun was beginning to come up
and the morning air smelled good.
A robin was sitting on a tree branch,
singing a happy song. 1


No Coat jumped on his horse!

14


As soon as the horses had been caught and bridled,
the men started on their way.

Middle Person followed on her horse.

Her husband, No Coat, was letting her ride
along with him on the buffalo hunt.

Of all his wives, she could ride horseback the best.


20

Middle Person hoped this would be very soon.

Her hands and arms were beginning to ache
from hanging on.

The hot sun beat down on her and the buffalo.

For about an hour she sat on its back,
although to her it seemed like forever.


The Wild Buffalo Ride

The Indian Reading Series



The arrows frightened the buffalo.
The buffalo which hadn’t been shot stampeded away.


The hunters rode through the trees and tall grass
until they were close to the buffalo.
They started shooting arrows at them.


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


Booklets available in the Level [II sequence are listed below. Numbers refer to the planned sequence of use
in the Teacher’s Manual. Materials developed by these tribes and others in the Northwest are included in

the Levels I and I sequences.

1 Story of the Seasons
The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon
2 The Beginning of the Earth
The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon
3 The Blacktail Dance
Blackfeet Tribe

4 How Marten Got His Spots
Kootenai Cultural Committee of
The Confederated Salish and
Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

5 Lost in the Fog
Jamestown-Clallam Tribe

6 How to Bea Friend
The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon

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

8 Raccoon’s Black Eyes and Ringed Tail
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the
Fort Hall Reservation

9 Coyote and Old Lady
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the
Fort Hall Reservation

10 Coyote and Trout

Kootenai Cultural Committee of
The Confederated Salish and

Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

11 How the Milky Way Got into the Sky
The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon

12 Inkdomi and the Buffalo
Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the
Fort Peck Reservation

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

14 The Good Hunter and Fisherman
Jamestown-Clallam Tribe

15 The Wild Buffalo Ride
Blackfeet Tribe

161 Ama Rock
Crow Tribal Historical and Cultural
Commission

17 The Man Who Loved Shell Money
Skokomish Tribe

18 Old Man Napi
Blackfeet Tribe

19 The Turtle Who Went to War
Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the
Fort Peck Reservation

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

Por order information and prices of the above booklets and the Jeacher’s Manual, contact the publisher:

Educational Systems, Inc.
2360 Southwest 170th Street
Beaverton, Oregon 97005

(503) 649-7516


The scouts who had been out looking for a buffalo herd
had just returned to camp.

They were ready to show the hunters
where the buffalo were grazing. 3


17


23


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 Blackfeet Tribe
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


10

Soon she felt a slight movement underneath her.
She paid no attention.
“The buffalo must have rolled over a little?

she thought to herself.


12

Before she knew what was happening,
the buffalo was on its feet.

“No Coat, No Coat!” she called.

“Come and help me!”

No Coat turned and started to run toward the buffalo,
but the buffalo turned and charged him.

No Coat turned around and ran for his life
as fast as he could go.


THE INDIAN READING SERIES:
Stories and Legends of the Northwest

The Wild Buffalo Ride

Level II Book 15

Developed by the Blackfeet Indians
Written by Joan Kennerly, Carmen Marceau, Doris Old Person, June Tatsey
Illustrated by Peter (Rusty) Tatsey

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



Suddenly the buffalo fell!

Immediately, the closest hunter grabbed Middle Person
while another hunter shot the animal.

Everyone was relieved that Middle Person was safe.

21


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


JOAN BULLSHOE KENNERLY

Mrs. Kennerly has twenty years of teaching experience in
the Blackfeet and Northern Cheyenne public school sys-
tems and was the first runnerup for the 1972 Montana
‘Teacher of the Year. She received her B.A. ineducation from
Northern Montana College and her M.A. in education from
Arizona State University. She was responsible for estab-
lishing Native American Day for the State, and was ap-
pointed by the Governor of Montana to serve on the Com-
mission on Post Secondary Education. She also was the
Chairperson of House Joint Resolution 60, which estab-
lished the Master Plan for Indian Education for the State of
Montana. She has two children.

JUNE BULLSHOE TATSEY

Mrs. Tatsey is a Blackfeet Indian with sixteen years experi-
ence in teaching grades one through eight and pre-school in
the public school system on the Blackfeet Reservation. She
received her B.S. in education from Northern Montana
College and her M.A. in guidance and counseling from the
University of South Dakotaand the University of Montana.
She was the reading supervisor and is now vice-principal at
K.W. Bergen Elementary School in Browning, on the
Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

CARMEN BULLSHOE MARCEAU

Mrs. Marceau is a Blackfeet Indian with eighteen years
teaching experience. She has had one year experience in
guidance and counseling on the Blackfeet Reservation and
is principal of Browning Elementary School. She received
her B.S. in education from Northern Montana College and
her M.A. in guidance and counseling from the University of
South Dakota and the University of Montana.

DORIS BULLSHOE OLD PERSON

Mrs. Old Person has eighteen years experience teaching in
the Blackfeet Public School System. She has specialized in
remedial reading and has been Head Start Director-
Supervisor for ESEA Title I and Director of the Native Song
and Dance Program. She received her B.A. from Northern
Montana College and her M.A. in education from Arizona
State University. She has five children.

Mrs. Kennerly, Mrs. Tatsey, Mrs Marceau, and Mrs. Old
Person are the daughters of Lillian and Francis Bullshoe
They were raised on a ranch near Badger Creek in the
Blackfeet Reservation countryside.

All four women had similar educational backgrounds. They
attended Mad Plume School (a one room rural school), the
Blackfeet Indian Boarding School, and all but Mrs. Tatsey
attended Flandreau Indian School in South Dakota. They
all graduated from Browning High School. At the present
time the four women are teaching in the Blackfeet Public
School System in Browning, Montana.


Middle Person got off her horse
to help butcher the animals.

No Coat helped her turn one of the buffalo
so she could skin it.


11