r

I will use it for medicine when you are sick.

15


LE _—

= )TAILFEATHIERS

“The best time to pick wild peppermint
is in the late spring or early fall? said Grandma.
And they began to pick the wild peppermint.


“Oh, Grandma!
I’m so lucky to have you; cried Pat.

“And I’m so lucky to have you, my girl? replied Grandma.

19


Pat Learns About Wild Peppermint is a story about
the use of wild peppermint among the Blackfeet
Indians in Montana. Although wild peppermint
isn’t used as extensively as in earlier times, it is
still used by some of our Blackfeet Indian people.
Wild peppermint is used as a beverage, as
flavoring for foods and in some instances as a
medication.

Wild peppermint is usually found in
meadows, along rivers, river bottoms, swampy
areas or lake areas. It is picked in summer or
early fall. It is a green, leafy plant varying in
length from approximately eight to twelve
inches. When in bloom, it has small, purple
blossoms. However, no one should attempt to
pick wild peppermint unless they are shown
what it really is by someone who knows the plant.


“I will also boil some fat
and put the wild peppermint in it.

The wild peppermint will flavor the boiled fat.

It will taste delicious to eat with meat”

Jab
sé

‘ “
ll

ne —
- B ES
Al , i Uy
- 4
—_ —
~ =_—
= —2= —_ Daareartens
———e —

16


JOAN BULLSHOE KENNERLY

Mrs. Kennerly hiss lwenty years of teaching experience in
the Blackfeet and Northern Cheyenne public school sy
tems and was (he firet runnerup for the (972 Montana
Teacher ofthe Year. She received her B.A. in eduention frown
Northern Muatana Collegeand ber M_A.in education from
Avizona State University She was responsible for extab-
listing Native American Day fur Lie Slale, and was ap
pointed hy the Governor of Montana ta serve on the Com
mission on Post Secundary Education. She also was the
Chairperson of Touse Joint Resolution 60, which estab
lished the Muster Plan for Tndian Rdnention for the Stale of
Muatana. She has two children.

JUNF BULLSHOE TATSEY

Mes. ‘Talsey is a Blackfeet Indian with sixteen years experi-
ener in teaching grades unethrougheightand pre schoul in
the public sehoo! system ua Lie Blackfeet Reservation. She
received her B.S in edueation from Noribera Muatann
College and ber M.A. in guidance and counseling frui the
University of South Dakutaand the University of Montana
She was the reading supervisor und is nuw vice-prineipal at
KW. Nergen Elementary School in Browning, on the
Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

CARMEN BULISITOE MARCEAU

Mra. Marceau is t Blackfeet Indian with cighteen years

guidance tnd coum
1s principal of Browning Elementary Sehoul.
ber B.S. in edvention frum Northern Montana College and
her M.A. in guidance and enunscling frum Lhe University of
South Dakota and the University of Montana.

DORIS BUL.LSHOE OLD PERSON

Mra, Old Person has eighteen years experience leaching in
the Blackfort Public Schoul System. She hus specialiced in
remedisl reading and has been Head Start Director:
Supervisor for ESEA Title Tand Director of the NativeSong
sud Danoe Program. She received her RA. from Norther
Montana College and her M.A. in education from Arizona
State University She haw five children.

on ave the daughters of Lillisa and Francis Bullsbue.
They were raised on a ranch near Badger Creek in the
Binekfert Reservation countryside

All four women had similar educational backyrounds. They
attended Mad Mume Schuol (4 one room roral school), Ue
Blackfeet Ladian Roarding School, and all bul Mra Tatsey
attended Flandreau Tndian School in South Dakols. They
all gradunted from Brownins Hizh School. At the present
Gane the four women are teaching in the Blackfeet Public
School System in Browning, Montana.

——

MELVIN TAILFEATITERS

Mz. 'Tuilfeathers ia a self-taught artist why has lived on the
Tlackfoet Reservislion al his life. Mis grandmother way &
Blackfeet medicine woman. Mr. ‘Tuilfeathers prefers to do
pen and ink sketches of Markfort life: allbowd: he some
wilh ceramic figurine



“My little girl, I want you to remember
what I have shown you.

Someday Grandma will be gone from you.

When the Great Spirit calls me, I will leave you?
said Grandma.

18


“What will you use the wild peppermint for?” asked Pat.

13


When they were finished Grandma said,
“We will go now, my girl, and look for wild peppermint.”


=> —
C0 TALFOATHERS ae

One day her grandma said,
“I’m going to the meadow where Grandpa
is cutting hay.

Would you like to come with me?”

“Oh, yes!” said Pat.

—_t—
wae
RS

in

i
J



tbh J
v )
= epaareatoees __ a =
Pat is a little girl.

She lives with her grandmother and grandfather.
They live on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation
in Montana.


“Grandpa will use it for some of his Indian

religious ceremonies”



Grandma, Grandpa and Pat ate a nice lunch.
Pat felt very happy.

te We
) JAreATHERS


“You must go to sleep now.
I will wake you up when Grandpa comes home?’

r

—  _ Z Sa A
= © ‘ —————

20



ee Were

oeevw) [ALFEATHERS

The Indian Reading Series

OPP><e<eo

Level Lt Book 5


‘A

a -.. We vrs Wag panrentvens Vlb a=

“Wild peppermint is about eight to twelve inches tall?
said Grandma.

“It has green leaves.

It sometimes has little purple flowers.

It smells good”


“Where will we look for wild peppermint?” asked Pat.

“It grows near water, usually by a stream or river”
said Grandma.
“It grows in meadows.”

MJAnreaERs

wl
=—

~


= i>

7 | G

17 7 LS

Z f=
= la

AM erga *' Wher vy ie

ab al dla Mallee K Wh Wa swat

=— =
—— i

Grandma and Pat began to walk toward the meadow
in Big Badger Valley.

“We will eat lunch with Grandpa.

Then we will go pick wild peppermint, said Grandma.

“What is wild peppermint?” asked Pat.

“Just wait, my girl, and I will tell you about
wild peppermint.
And I will show you how it is used”


—~_ OpAnrateens

“I will make wild peppermint tea to drink with our meal.
I will mix water and wild peppermint together to drink”

17


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

the Levels I and III sequences.

1 End of Summer
Crow Tribal Historical and Cultural
Commission

2 Thunder and the Mosquito
Muckleshoot Tribe

3 Why the Codfish Has a Red Face
Skokomish Tribe

4 How Wildcat and Coyote Tricked Each
Other
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the
Fort Hall Reservation

5 Pat Learns About Wild Peppermint
Blackfeet Tribe

6 Picture Writing
The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon
7 Grandma Rides in the Parade
Crow Tribal Historical and Cultural
Commission

8 The Bob-Tuiled Coyote
Northern Cheyenne Tribe
9 The Great Flood
Skokomish Tribe
10 The Rainbow
The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon
11 The Time the Whale Came to Jackson’s

Bay
Skokomish Tribe

12 Coyote and the Man Who Sits On Top
Salish Cultural Committee of
The Confederated Salish and
Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

13 The Crow
Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the
Fort Peck Reservation

14 Tepee, Sun and Time
Crow Tribal Historical and Cultural
Commission

15 Water Story
Crow Tribal Historical and Cultural
Commission

16 How Birds Learned to Fly
The Fourteen Confederated Tribes
from the Yakima Nation

17 Napi and the Bullberries
Blackfeet Tribe
18 How Cottontail Lost His Tail
The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon
19 Being Indian Is
The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon
20 Why Animals and Man Can No
Longer Talk to One Another

The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon

For order information and prices of the above booklets and the Teacher’s Manual, contact the publisher:

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

(503) 649-7516


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 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

Grandma and Pat had fun picking the wild peppermint.
After they were done, they went back home
to prepare it for use during the winter.

0). TAWLFEATCR:S


“We will hang the wild peppermint up to dry.
We will use it this winter.
Some of it we will use now”

Tal

=f
|
|



THE INDIAN READING SERIES:
$ Stories and Legends of the Northwest

Pat Learns About Wild Peppermint
Level II Book 5

Developed by the Blackfeet Indians
Written by Joan Kennerly, Carmen Marceau, Doris Old Person, June Tatsey
Illustrated by Melvin Tailfeathers

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



WLEMMY Mi bits

4
4
3
4

4 B

/
bev]
1 ©

,

“Have a nice sleep now.
It has been a good day’

(9. JAIFEATHERS

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


‘cat THE INDIAN READING SERIES:
=5"% Stories and Legends of the Northwest



They continued to walk along the stream in Big Badger Valley.
‘Hm-m-m, Grandma, it smells good here? said Pat.

“We are getting close to wild peppermint, said Grandma.
“And now I see it.”

CY TALFEATHERS


“Grandma, what are you going to do now?” asked Pat.

“We are going to tie string around the wild peppermint,
said Grandma.

&. TAILFEATHERS

11