Page 6 - Siksika Nation - Indigenous Communities in Canada

Elder Tom Crane Bear stands outside his home in Siksika Nation. Many Siksika
today live in modern houses.

Todaythe Siksika live in more permanent houses. Modern-day tipis are mostly
used for spiritual and ceremonial activities.

FAMILY AND MARRIAGE

Family is the centre of Siksika social organization. Their word for wife is used for

a wife and all her sisters. Their word for husband is used for a husband and all

his brothers. All Siksika were and still are responsible for their relatives. People
related through marriage lived in clans. Siksika children were traditionally

raised by the adults in their clan. They learned through play and from the

elders’ teaching and advice. As the children grew, they took on more adult

responsibilities, such as hunting, gathering, and being keepers of the camp.
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