Identity

This piikstaan visually resembles a serpent in shape, with a yellow body and blue eyes. A pink and purple stripe runs down the length of the body, ending at the tail, where it is replaced with blue rings. The head and tail are tied together with sinew.

We know that this particular piikstaan was created for a son, rather than a daughter, because it was created to resemble a naamsskii, the Blackfoot word for lizard. Naamsskii translates to English as “has a nothing face.”  Girls would receive a piikstaan resembling a turtle, with sspopii’s being the Blackfoot word for turtle. 

As a child grew older, the bright colors and unique patterns on their piikstaan amulet would allow for other individuals to identify them more quickly at greater distances.