A-ca-oo-mah-ca-ye
Encyclopedia
A-ca-oo-mah-ca-ye aka Feathers or Old Swan, was a chief
of the Blackfoot
First Nation with a reputation as a peacemaker. In 1822, HBC's Chesterfield House journal described Feathers as "much attached to the whites". Like his father, Feathers gained a reputation as a peacemaker.
After Old Swan's death in either late 1859 or early 1860, his position as chief was taken by Big Swan. This successor was described as "a man of colossal size and savage disposition, crafty and treacherous."
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
of the Blackfoot
Blackfoot
The Blackfoot Confederacy or Niitsítapi is the collective name of three First Nations in Alberta and one Native American tribe in Montana....
First Nation with a reputation as a peacemaker. In 1822, HBC's Chesterfield House journal described Feathers as "much attached to the whites". Like his father, Feathers gained a reputation as a peacemaker.
Events in the life
- Some time after 1828 Feathers took his father's name: Old Swan.
- In 1858 Dr. James HectorJames HectorSir James Hector was a Scottish geologist, naturalist, and surgeon who accompanied the Palliser Expedition as a surgeon and geologist...
listed Old Swan as one of the principal chiefs of the Blackfoot tribe.
- In July 1859, John PalliserJohn PalliserJohn Palliser was an Irish-born geographer and explorer. Born in Dublin, Ireland, he was the son of Colonel Wray Palliser and a brother of Major Sir William Palliser , all descendants of Dr William Palliser, Archbishop of Cashel .From 1839 to 1863, Palliser served in the Waterford Militia,...
and other members of the Palliser ExpeditionPalliser ExpeditionThe British North American Exploring Expedition, commonly called the Palliser Expedition, explored and surveyed the open prairies and rugged wilderness of western Canada from 1857 to 1860. The purpose was to explore possible routes for the Canadian Pacific Railway and discover new species of plants...
were his guests at his encampment on the Red Deer RiverRed Deer RiverThe Red Deer River is a river in Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the South Saskatchewan River.Red Deer River has a total length of and a drainage area of...
in AlbertaAlbertaAlberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
.
After Old Swan's death in either late 1859 or early 1860, his position as chief was taken by Big Swan. This successor was described as "a man of colossal size and savage disposition, crafty and treacherous."