NA TO SA PI — “Old Sun”
Old Sun was a revered medicine man and was leader of one of the largest of the Blackfoot Confederacy bands, largely because of his success as a warrior.

Old Sun was born in central Alberta around 1819 and died in 1897 on the North Camp Flats on the Siksika reserve near Gleichen. Na to sa pi was said to have received his spiritual powers from a deer during a vision quest experience. He was also known for curing blindness with a sacred amulet.

Unlike many other chiefs, Old Sun did not turn to the role of peacemaker with age, but continued the life of the warrior. His wife, Calf Old Woman, was also a renowned warrior and one of the few women to take a place in the Siksika warrior society.

In the Treaty 7 negotiations, Old Sun, the warrior, deferred to the Siksika chief of the time, Crowfoot, but signed the treaty for his band. His followers settled north of Crowfoot’s band at North Camp Flats.

Old Sun himself was not much interested in farming but assumed the role of patriarch and remained a much-respected medicine man and spiritual leader. He tolerated missionaries on his reserve but never converted to Christianity himself.

Chief Old Sun’s Blackfoot name was literally ‘Sun Elder’ or ‘Sun Old Man’. In The Blackfoot language it was NA TO SA PI. The first two syllables refer to the sun. The final two syllables of the name mean grey or white hair of an old man. But they also aesthetically imply ‘to see’, as in to gain insight.

HISTORY

The opportunity for formal schooling has been available on the Reserve since the late 1800’s.  In 1883 Reverend John W. Tim’s of the Church of England was sent to establish a mission among the Blackfoot Indians.  His task was accomplished when Chief Old Sun allowed him to build a cabin, which became the first school and, at a later date, was named after Chief Old Sun.

The building was successively replaced until 1929 when the present brick school was built to accommodate the growing educational needs of the reserve.  The Anglican Church continued to operate the school until the 1950’s when the federal government took over.

The 1960’s signaled a new era in Native Indian education.  A move was made to integrated students into the public school system through bussing.  As the Old Sun School Became vacant the Blackfoot leaders identified a possible use for the building as an adult learning centre.  Their plans became reality when Old Sun Community College was founded in 1971.

The College was operated at first as a campus of Mount Royal College.  In 1978 it became an independent institution operated by the Blackfoot Band.

Chief Old Sun’s Blackfoot name was literally ‘Sun Elder’ or ‘Sun Old Man’.  In The Blackfoot language it was NA TO SA PI.  The first two syllables refer to the sun.  The final two syllables of the name mean grey or white hair of an old man.  But they also aesthetically imply ‘to see’, as in a gain insight.

It is also important to mention that the building was also utilized as a Residential School that housed Blackfoot children from 1929 until its closure in 1971. The first Residential School Building was established in the late 1800’s.