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The local tribes have influenced this area of our country for hundreds of years before the white settlers moved in to establish modern day communities. Portions of the museum are devoted to display of many American Indian artifacts and collections. The nearby Belknap Reservation is home for both the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre tribes, which have considerably different historical backgrounds. |
The Assiniboine were the northern most group of the seven divisions of Yanktonai Sioux that resided in the region between the Mississippi River and Lake Superior. It is believed that they split from the other divisions into a separate tribe in the late 1500's or early 1600's and went to live in Lake of the Woods and lake Nipigon country of Canada. From there, they allied with the Cree and like most of the other plains tribes, began to move slowly westward, displacing the Blackfeet in the Lake Winnipeg country of the northern prairies.
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Indian display in the Phillips County Museum, Malta, Montana.
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The Gros Ventre are an offshoot of the Algonquian Speaking Arapaho believed to be the northernmost group of five related Arapaho Tribes. They were also known as the Atsina--the Gros Ventre of the Prairie. The term Gros Ventre means the 'belly' or 'gut' people. The Blackfeet and the Shoshone also had similar names for the Gros Ventre, but there is no evidence anywhere to explain the name.
In the late 1600's the Gros Ventre split from the Arapaho tribes. Whites first met the Gros Ventre in the upper reaches of Saskatchewan River in the Eagle hills country of the northern prairies. No one is certain what happened with the Gros Ventre for the next hundred years, but by the late 1700's they were found with the Blackfeet on the northern plains. Many whites, including Lewis and Clark, actually thought that they were Blackfeet because most by then spoke Blackfeet as well as their own language.
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Many American Indian artifacts have been donated to the museum by a private collector’s estate. Mr. Sullivan was a pharmacist in the early years of Malta’s history. He had the means to loan money to whoever needed it and was very generous. In return the people who borrowed money from him traded many of the items he collected to him.
A ceremonial drum once belonging to Chief the Boy of the Gros Ventre tribe, three head dresses, many beaded moccasins and pouches, plus several examples of ceremonial paraphernalia are included in the displays.
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The collection also shows the strong Metes influence in this area with their flowery beadwork. Original pieces of quillwork are also included along with archeological finds.
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