Cecile Black Boy

Cecile Black Boy (October 10, 1895 - February 19, 1966) was a Native American member of the Blackfoot Nation in the United States who contributed a large number of myths, information, and stories from her people to expose general knowledge about the Blackfeet peoples. She was a writer, artist, author and Native American Activist. Cecile is also referred to as Kills Before / Kills Instead, Cecile Last Star, Cecile Boy, and Noomohtsiistaapitapi Sstaniiniki in her native Blackfoot language, Siksiká.

She was published through two books: Painted Tipis by Contemporary Plains Indian Artists and Blackfeet Indian Tipis Legend. According to census records Cecile Black Boy had three siblings: Emma Short Robe (sister), William Short Robe (brother), and Mike Short Robe (brother).

Cecile was the mother of four children. Cecile was widowed when Oscar Boy died on January 1, 1938. Cecile married Theodore Last Star on October 25th, 1953. The pair were married until Cecile's death in 1966. "Cecile was regarded as one of the best bead workers in her tribe" according to John C Ewers who worked closely with Cecile Black Boy. According to an article written by the Museum of the Plains Indian titled Connections the Blackfeet and Winold Reiss "About a year before she modelled for this portrait by Reiss, Sstaa'niiniki completed one of her best-known projects" According to Cecile's writings only women who were members of the tipi-makers were permitted to do the work.

Published writings Cecile created paintings depicting dozens of traditional painted tipis during the 1930s -1940s. In 2017, the Museum of the Plains Indian hosted an expedition on the life of Cecile Black Boy, also known as Noomohtsiistaapitapi Sstaniiniki. Many portraits were made of Cecile Black Boy, including one from the exhibit at the Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning, Montana, by Jeremy Weber at Daily Inter Lake.

Cecile Black Boy obtained information about the craft of tipi in Blackfoot culture through hundreds of interviews with the elders of the tribe and legendary stories that have never been previously recorded. Her work is a distinct and original contribution to the understanding of Native Americans. She wrote extremely detailed Blackfoot legends for several books, such as Painted Tipis by Contemporary Plains Indian Artists and Blackfeet Indian Tipis Legend. She composed the entire book of Blackfeet Indian Tipis Legend of short stories that elders in her community provided to her.

This is a list of the individual short stories that Cecile Black Boy wrote in the Blackfeet Indian Tipis Legend.''

Black Buffalo Teepee And Yellow Buffalo Teepee The Otter Teepee and the Brave Boy Medicine Lodge: Sun-Moon Teepee and Otter Headdress Yellow Otter Teepee The Person Teepee, All-Star Teepee The Bald Eagle Teepee The Fish Teepee The Elk Teepee Eagle Teepee Buffalo Hoof Teepee The Big Rock Teepee Snake Teepee and Bear Teepee The Black Otter Teepee Teepee Painting (1942) Puts-up-Teepee and the Spirit (1941) How the Medicine Lodge Sun Dance was First Organzied (1942) A Women Jealous of a Snake (1942) Big Circle Teepee The Black Buffalo Teepee, Buffalo Head Teepee Cat Tail Teepee Blackfoot Legends-the Crow Teepee Elk Teepee and Fisher Bundle The First Painted Teepee called "The Four Tails" The Half Buffalo and Half Fish Teepee The Half and Half Teepee One Buffalo Teepee The Horse Teepee How Yellow-Wolf Owned the Rattle Teepee (1942) Red Earth Teepee Soldier's Medicine Pipe and the Red Earth Teepee The Skunk Teepee The Spider Teepee Star Teepee(1942) The Striped Teepee The Thunder Teepee The Underwater Monster TeepeeThe War History Teepee The Winter Teepee.