“I care not what people say of me so long as I do right. I shall never be any man’s slave.”

-Pitamakan (Running Eagle)

Running Eagle was a Piegan Blackfoot woman warrior.  The waterfall on this post was named in her honor as she holds a prestigious place in Blackfoot lore.  Brave, smart, beautiful, kind, master horsewoman and bow and arrow shot, she was a leader, ahead of her time as a renaissance woman.

Given the name Brown Weasel Woman, by the time she was fifteen she was hunting buffalo with the men.  While hunting, her Blackfeet were attached by the Flathead, and when her father went down, she went back for him, defended her position, took out a few of the attackers, and got her father home.  She had become Running Eagle and a Warrior.

Not wanting to effect her warrior status she never married instead taking a widow into her home to take care of household duties.  This freed her to continue the life she had chosen.  According to the Blackfoot stories she led dozens of raids against rival tribes including the Crow and Flathead.

As her status as Warrior and leader expanded she was allowed to do a vision quest (only men did vision quests at this time).

The falls were named after her as she did her vision quest at the top of them.  Energy around the falls is quite strong and magical.

There is medicine there.