Cut Knife Creek

Más Mik’áátùní Tsisgò, is a language preservation project that was produced by three organizations, the Tsuut’ina Gunaha, Making Treaty seven, and the Quickdraw Animation Society. It tells the story of the Battle of Cut Knife Creek, a story that has been told by both the Cree Nation and Tsuut’ina Nation, creating peaceful communication between Nations.

The story revolves around seven Tsuut’ina men including a stunning man named Broken Knife who practiced medicine and was a great warrior. The Tsuut’ina men were traveling for a long time when they came upon three dark omens urging them to turn back. Despite attacks from ravens, endless walking in heavy smoke and fog, and undead bison rising and charging at them, they refused to turn back and were instead encouraged to keep going. Unaffected, they eventually find rest atop a hill (later to be named Cut Knife Hill). A Cree Warrior then rides up on the seven Tsuut’ina men and a massacre ensues. Broken Knife hurdles himself at multiple Cree men attacking them to allow for two Tsuut’ina men to escape while at the same time sacrificing himself. The Tsuut’ina men are not only saved by Broken Knife but also by a Cree woman who engage in a tense standoff – ultimately the both sides choose peace and let each other go on their ways.

Only the Cree truly know what happened to Broken Knife, but it is told that he would not die. It took many men to take him down, and for Broken Knife himself to instruct them on how to keep him from coming back. As a result, they disembodied his limbs to keep them from fighting and burnt them in fire. Lastly, they used medicine to put him at rest.

This is a traditional story of sacrifice, learning from nature, gentle acts of humanity, and community.