The Blackfoot Digital Library—a collaborative project by University of Lethbridge and Red Crow College—has received a Blackfoot name: Apani. The name, which translates to moth or butterfly, refers to “those that transfer knowledge.” “It is noted in Blackfoot mythology as a carrier of information,” said Elder Jerry Potts, who chose the name. “On a lot of Blackfoot teepees that come from dreams, you’ll see that symbol on the back of them.” The library is a central space for field notes, photographs, images of Blackfoot objects, and recordings. It provides a space to share stories about Blackfoot families and communities and a way to respond to misconceptions and misrepresentations of Blackfoot experiences and ways of life. “The old people, everything they did meant something, and the library allows younger people to learn about these things,” said Potts. Blackfoot Digital Library Liaison Danielle Heavy Head said that the Blackfoot name is important because “[it] sets more of a precedent within the community that this library is an important place, and it holds a lot of knowledge that can be carried forward.”
