Museum of the Plains Indian, Browning, Montana

Richard E. Horn was born and raised on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. He was raised,following the Blackfeet tradition, by his maternal grandparents, Lawrence and Mary Louise (Running Crane) Horn. He has lived in Horn Ridged and Heart Butte, Montana, “and currently,” lives in “Browning,” with his wife and family. Today, his parents, Howard and Mary Louise Little Dog, are part of his family

His grandparents spoke to him only in the Blackfeet language, and taught him the history of his family lineage and of the Blackfeet tribe, as well as traditional culture, songs,ceremonial ways, and the role of animals in Blackfeet culture. Before starting a story, his grandfather would always say "this is what i seen and what i lived, i did not read this in any book."

In addition to his grandparents, Mr. Horn learned from visiting elders who shared their deep knowledge of the rich history of the Blackfeet. They taught him about traditional games, and the important lessons that those games brought to the Blackfeet people. Along with his grandfather, the elders taught him the importance of parfleche bags, cases, rattles, and drums. They taught him about their designs and how to interpret them, when and where to gather teh earth paints and woods to make them, and how to prepare and use them.

Mr. Horn has never attended formal art school, relying instead upon traditional techniques taught him by his grandparents and elders. He has taught parfleche design and construction, culture, history, art and traditional games classes for numerous colleges, museums, government, and non-government programs throughout the United States and Canada. As one of the last Blackfeet paint, pipe, and bow makers, specializing in horn bows, his work was given a special attention notice for traditional knowledge, and he was invited to ge a guest of the INTEL International Science Fair in Albuqueque, New Mexico.

Mr. Horn has also established the Blackfoot Buffalo Runner, a series of games that focus on war and hunting that predate European contact and the introduction of the horse to the Northern Plains. Working tirelessly with a group of elsers, he was able to preserve these games, striving to maintain tradition by using natural materials, and producing them in the manner that they were given to him.

In 200, Mr. Horn teamed up with the International Traditional Games Society, which works to preserve the knowledge of traditional games before they are lost forever. Working with the Society, which works diligently to bring back games before they are lost forever, he was able to reconstruct many Blackfeet games, and researched game variations as he began teaching and working with other Tribes. He now travels throughout Indian country to help other tribes restore and recover their games, and he is willing to teach what he knows to anyone who is willing to learn. His only stipulation is that they share what they have learned with their own people.

Prices of work for sale can be obtained by contacting the Pikuni Gift Shop, located in the Musuem of the Plain Indian, at (406) 338-7957 or (406) 338-7594. After the exhibition closes contact Richard E. Horn at P.O. Box 23, Browning, Montana 59417; tel - (406) 338-5919; email: Thehorn66@yahoo.com

The Museum of the Plain Indian is managed by the US Department of the Interior, Indian Arts and Crafts Board. For hours of operation, call the museum at (406) 338-2230.