Conversation so far:
what was the importance and uses of bison for the blackfoot confederacy?
The Niitsitapi considered the animal sacred and integral to their lives.
how did they use bison?
The Niitsitapi main source of food on the plains was the American bison.
if it was sacred, why did they eat it?
CANNOTANSWER.
how else did they use bison?
The women also made clothing from the skins.

Question: how else were they important?
Self-contained rewrite: how else was bison important to Blackfoot Confederacy, besides that the women made clothing from the skins?