26 rare photographs of Indians living in Canada
26 rare photographs of Indians living in Canada

Video: 26 rare photographs of Indians living in Canada

Video: 26 rare photographs of Indians living in Canada
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Indians of Canada, late 19th century. Photo by Alex Ross
Indians of Canada, late 19th century. Photo by Alex Ross

Photographer Alex Ross arrived in the Canadian city of Calgary in 1884, organized a photo studio there, which became popular in the area thanks to unusual photographs at that time - Alex managed to convince local Indians to pose for him, so even from other provinces of Canada came to see the collection of portraits.

Boys of the Blackfoot tribe. Around 1886-94. Photo by Alex Ross
Boys of the Blackfoot tribe. Around 1886-94. Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot Indian in poncho. 1886-89. Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot Indian in poncho. 1886-89. Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot Indian with a knife. 1885-94. Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot Indian with a knife. 1885-94. Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot Indian with a rifle, Alberta, 1887. Photo: Alex Ross
Blackfoot Indian with a rifle, Alberta, 1887. Photo: Alex Ross
Blackfoot warrior with a sword. 1887 Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot warrior with a sword. 1887 Photo by Alex Ross

Before moving to Alberta, Alex Ross (Alex Ross) lived and worked in Winnipeg, which is east along the US border. However, with the change of residence, Alex decided to change his whole life and started his own business - he opened his own photography studio, in which, in addition to quite ordinary orders, he embodied his own idea - to make a series of portraits of local Indians. These were the people of the Tsu T'ina tribe (at that time they were called Sarsi) and the Blackfoot.

Blackfoot woman with a baby on her back, 1886 Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot woman with a baby on her back, 1886 Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot woman with a child. End of the 1880s. Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot woman with a child. End of the 1880s. Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot women. Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot women. Photo by Alex Ross
Chief of the Cree tribe Bobtail. Albert, 1886 Photo by Alex Ross
Chief of the Cree tribe Bobtail. Albert, 1886 Photo by Alex Ross
Chief of the Blackfoot, 1886. Photo by Alex Ross
Chief of the Blackfoot, 1886. Photo by Alex Ross

Some of the photos were taken in open areas, but most were studio shots of the Indians wearing their national dress. Apart from this remarkable series of pictures, there is no data left about the photo studio. Apparently, in 1891 the photo studio closed, and Alex Ross died for three years, at that time he was only 43 years old. His project significantly outlived its author: pictures of the Indians can still be seen in the local museum.

Crowfoot, Chieftain of the Blackfoot, 1887 Photo credit: Alex Ross
Crowfoot, Chieftain of the Blackfoot, 1887 Photo credit: Alex Ross
Crowfoot, Chieftain of the Blackfoot, 1887 Photo credit: Alex Ross
Crowfoot, Chieftain of the Blackfoot, 1887 Photo credit: Alex Ross
Indian settlement near Hudson Bay. Fort Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1886 Photo by Alex Ross
Indian settlement near Hudson Bay. Fort Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1886 Photo by Alex Ross
Husband and wife, 1886 Photo by Alex Ross
Husband and wife, 1886 Photo by Alex Ross
An Indian wrapped in a blanket. Approx. 1886-90 Photo by Alex Ross
An Indian wrapped in a blanket. Approx. 1886-90 Photo by Alex Ross
Joseph, Blackfoot Indian. 1887 Photo by Alex Ross
Joseph, Blackfoot Indian. 1887 Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot hare hunter. Approx. 1886-94 Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot hare hunter. Approx. 1886-94 Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot hare hunter. Approx. 1887-89 Photo by Alex Ross
Blackfoot hare hunter. Approx. 1887-89 Photo by Alex Ross

The original name of the Sarsi tribe is Tsu T'ina, which means "people of the earth," and the shorter "sarsi" these people received "as a gift" from the Blackfoot tribe. "Sarsi" means "stupid, stubborn," - such pleasantries the tribes exchanged because of their claims to the same lands. In 1780, the Goba in the Sarsi tribe had 650 warriors, in the next century there were an average of about 200. Fortunately, this tribe managed to preserve its integrity and national identity, and today there are about two thousand Sarsi Indians in Canada.

Sarsi settlement west of Calgary, c. 1886-89 Photo by Alex Ross
Sarsi settlement west of Calgary, c. 1886-89 Photo by Alex Ross
A man of the Sarsi tribe, 1887. Photo by: Alex Ross
A man of the Sarsi tribe, 1887. Photo by: Alex Ross
Sarsi Tribe Mobile Camp near Calgary, 1887 Photo Credit: Alex Ross
Sarsi Tribe Mobile Camp near Calgary, 1887 Photo Credit: Alex Ross
A woman of the Sarsi tribe with her child, 1887 Photo by Alex Ross
A woman of the Sarsi tribe with her child, 1887 Photo by Alex Ross
Three young men from the Blackfoot tribe, 1887 Photo by Alex Ross
Three young men from the Blackfoot tribe, 1887 Photo by Alex Ross
Three guys from the Blackfoot tribe. Calgary, Alberta, 1887 Photo by Alex Ross
Three guys from the Blackfoot tribe. Calgary, Alberta, 1887 Photo by Alex Ross
Two of the first students of the American school. Blackfoot Indians, 1886 Photo by Alex Ross
Two of the first students of the American school. Blackfoot Indians, 1886 Photo by Alex Ross
Two girls from the Sarsi tribe, 1887 Photo by Alex Ross
Two girls from the Sarsi tribe, 1887 Photo by Alex Ross

We have already written about old pictures of Indians more than once, and even once published quite rare color photographs from the archive of filmmaker Paul Ratner … All these photographs were taken at about the same time - at the end of the 19th century, however, they represent warriors of different tribes.

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