Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 47 N OT MANY PEOPLE SEE BIGFOOT WHILE ENJOYING A CUP OF COF- FEE WITH THEIR MOTHER. But this is precisely what happened when Carrie Lynn Bear Chief stopped in for a visit to her mother's home roughly six miles from Glacier National Park on the Blackfeet Reservation on July 1, 1999. Carrie Lynn spotted the giant figure standing on the ridge across from Cut Bank Creek, and watched it clearly with binoculars as it disappeared into the trees. This experience, along with her love for her people and her native land, inspired her and her sister, Lailani Upham, to create the Pikuni Bigfoot Storytelling Project on YouTube. "Before that (experience), I was curious, but not into it," says Carrie Lynn. "It was later that I started looking into it and hear- ing other people's stories." After seeing Bigfoot for herself, she said that stories from her family made her wonder if Bigfoot was present long before she saw the one on the ridge. She recalls a time growing up when, at her family's log cabin, their dog ran outside chasing something, then was thrown back against their home. She also mentioned the story of when her grandmother Carrie (her namesake) rode on horseback into town to work as a candy striper. While the elder Carrie traveled through a river bottom in the dark one early morning, she was suddenly pelted with small rocks. After seeing Bigfoot for herself, more of these incidents took on a different perspective. Although Lailani jokes that she was dragged into it, it probably didn't take a lot of persuasion to coax her into joining Carrie Lynn on these adventures. "Carrie Lynn is the true 'squatcher.' She experienced it," says Lailani, who is a professional journalist and cultur- al storyteller. "My passion behind it is I wanted to hear the stories. That is the best beat you could have." Lailani, who is also the creator behind Iron Shield Creative, brings her experience and talent to the project through her videography and her penchant for recognizing a good story. "I am excited to be that service for people on the platform. As a journalist, it's very intriguing. It's a mystery." Call him what you will—Bigfoot, Sasquatch, or Imoiitapi, the Blackfeet name meaning "hairy man"—this being has held an important place in Native culture for centuries. Carrie Lynn says that the Blackfeet consider Bigfoot a people, not an animal. Many stories lean toward the spiritual aspect of the being. But whether Bigfoot is a spirit, a teacher, or a physical creature war- ranting respect, Carrie Lynn and Lailani search for stories, signs, and hopefully another sighting to paint the full picture of the experience. A large part of what Carrie Lynn and Lailani do is allow people to share their experiences. "Blackfeet are big-time storytellers," says Carrie Lynn. "We let them tell their stories." by AMY GRISAK t h e p i k u n i B i g f o o t p r o j e C t S e a r C h e S f o r S a S q u a t C h i n i n d i g e n o u S S t o r i e S Chief Mountain is sacred to the Blackfeet people. AMY GRISAK Lailani Upham and Carrie Lynn Bear Chief LAILANI UPHAM Scan the QR code to see more about... Pikuni Bigfoot Project http://bit.ly/bigfoot406 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL

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