Family and Group Service on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana

Volunteering at the Blackfeet Nation in Montana was an amazing experience. We learned about the Blackfeet culture from native elders and worked in a variety of ways to assist the community. And we were able to enjoy Blackfeet stories, dance, and artwork. In our free time, we were able to visit Glacier National Park on two different occasions. Our leader, Karen, was well prepared from her leadership experiences with the Blackfeet in previous years and she did an excellent job during our week there. We were also blessed to have the opportunity to experience the Sun Dance on two different days. The Blackfeet community expressed their gratitude for our service. They affectionately referred to the current and past volunteers who have served there as "Globals." Volunteering in the Blackfeet Nation is a very meaningful and worthwhile program.

My husband and I decided to volunteer on Blackfeet Reservation as a way to learn more about the native american culture, and possibly to give back to a community that we really knew very little about. At the end of each day we were to ask ourselves; did we learn, did we serve and did we grow? We spent an amazing week; starting out getting to know each other (11 of us), and attending a Catholic church service (this was optional), with the highlight being a local Blackfeet singer who had an amazing voice; our first cultural experience! Our next experience came from a local historian, again another Blackfeet, who shared a wealth of Blackfeet knowledge and gave us a tour of the Reservation within Glacier National Park. Certainly a great day for learning! We all shared in the first two days of this adventure! However, the next four days would bring different learning experiences to each of us. I spent time with patients at a nursing home, listening to their stories. The next day I went to a thrift shop to help organize clothing and jewelry so that shoppers could purchase inexpensive items. I also went to the Senior Center in town where meals were made and served to seniors who live at the center and meals were prepared to be delivered out in the community (meals on wheels). I had the opportunity to go out in the community to help with the delivery of meals and see how some of the Blackfeet people live. I went to the Food Distribution Center to help stock shelves. We helped others in the community with projects that they needed done. Some of us stayed at one location all four days, others (like myself) moved around. We got to attend a sweat lodge, to connect one-on-end with Blackfeet people over lunch at the Senior Center, and to participate in a purifying smudge and prayer ceremony which was done by a Blackfeet who was praying in his native tongue throughout the ceremony. We also got to participate in a celebration of dance put on by a Blackfeet. This was a totally amazing experience. So did we learn, did we serve and did we grow? My answer to this is most definitely. I feel that I was given so much more from this experience than what I gave.

I went on my first Global Volunteer trip this year to the Blackfeet Nation in Montana. I have Loved Montana for as long as I can remember. This was at least my fourth time there albeit a different location each time. I chose Global Volunteers due to the recommendation of a colleague who had gone elsewhere. She had nothing but praise for the organization and now I know why.
I have no problem travelling alone and I was excited to meet new people and to provide service to others again. Our team leader was very friendly, knowledgeable and flexible. He reiterated that we would only work in capacities and areas in which we had been invited by the local community. What I found was we were welcomed with open arms due to the strong reputation of the "Globals"! The people welcomed our labor but also eagerly engaged with us as newfound friends! We readily shared information about our families and culture. We got to experience immersion into the community as no tourist could! We were invited into homes and allowed to experience Indian traditions such as a sweat lodge, ranching and native dance.
Our work varied, but some of us went to the local nursing home to interact with and get to know some residents where some beautiful stories of early lives were shared with the volunteers. Other volunteers assisted in delivering meals to local residents and helping refill shelves at the food pantry. A few people helped repair fences and dug post holes, a very laborious task in this Montana soil! One afternoon I helped serve lunch to children at a private school and also assisted in organizing the Thrift Store.
I always felt safe and the accommodations were fine. The food was very good and we were always asked for input from our team leader regarding work projects and supper plans. I really enjoyed our team morning meetings and sharing our experiences. This team seemed like a good fit as we all were of the mind to serve others and keep an open mind to a new culture, along with learning about each other in the group. I'm not sure where I'll go next but I've already been reading about the Global Volunteers’ other sites. I have no hesitation about working with this organization again.

I spent a week in the blackfeet reservation in Montana near Glacier National Park and it was an incredible experience. The team leader was very prepared and everything ran very smoothly. I could also really tell that we made an impact on the community. We did all kinds of different volunteering on the reservation, we did labor projects, served meals, hung out with children and more. We also were able to spend time with the community and really immersed ourselves in the community. Not only would I go back to Montana but I'd love to try out other programs that global volunteers offers.

I loved spending time with the resort of the volunteers that we're all ages and came from all different walks of life, but we all came together to make a difference in Montana.

I have volunteered with Global Volunteers on the Blackfeet Reservation two summers in a row now. The people there are welcoming and warm and many have become like family to me. The program itself has been around for a long time, and all of our partners on the reservation are happy to see the volunteers come every year.

Driving around in the big Global Volunteers Van you begin to feel a bit like a celebrity because people are always asking you if you are one of the "Globals" and telling you about a new work project that the team can do. There is no shortage of work on the Reservation, but there is definitely a related culture shock for many volunteers.

As other reviewers have mentioned, the pace of life there is very different, especially if you are someone who is punctual, and rigid about order and control. Work projects may fluctuate day to day, based on this pace and the availability of materials and local people. You may find yourself doing a few different work projects but that affords the ability to meet more people, and create more relationships which is really the whole goal. The work projects are there, not only to get things done, but to facilitate cross-cultural understanding and create relationships with people.

I highly recommend this program for just about anyone. The people are amazing, the scenery can't be beat, and the flexibility of the work projects assures that your skills will be put to use. Oh, and did I mention Indian Tacos?! Delish! (PS- Indian is not a derogatory term on this particular reservation and they are indeed called Indian Tacos).

This is my first trip to US and volunteering in Blackfeet Native Americans Reservation enabled me to get to know more about the culture and history of America. During my one week volunteering, I helped out in the Great Flood Memorial on 8 Jun. I also helped to bring the Blackfeet Care Center Residents to the Glacier Peak Casino's Mortgage Burning celebration on 11 June 2015, where everyone gets a $20 voucher to play in the casino and a grand funfair with free food and games outside the casino.

During my stay in Blackfeet Reservation, I went to a sweat lodge, where Native Americans practise their unique tradition of praying. I had an unforgettable experience hearing the stories of what the people came to pray for and I personally went through the full ritual of heat, sweat and pitch darkness.

These are the some of the many unique experiences that will be the highlights of my story on my first trip to USA!

I've titled this review "eye-opening" for many reasons, but it mostly boils down to one point: I felt like my eyes had been "closed" for a while, and while in Montana with Global Volunteers, I finally opened them up, looked around, and took it all in. Culturally, this trip is amazing. The relationship that Global Volunteers has with the community is excellent, and it allows for trip members to feel like a part of the community. I learned more about Blackfeet and American Indian culture in one week than any novel, textbook or documentary could ever teach. The trip also opened my eyes to the need on the reservation -- a need that my team could help address. And finally, the landscape is breathtaking. To take time away from computers, phones, and my busy lifestyle, I was able to open my eyes to the pristine beauty of "Big Sky Country." I definitely recommend this trip to anyone looking for a new experience. Yes, you need to be open-minded and a bit flexible, but if you can manage that, the experience is well worth it.

Our family visited the Blackfeet Reservation with GV in 2010. The beauty and wisdom of that culture has remained with us ever since. I have often still referred to things I learned and experienced there.

Our appreciation for creation grew from witnessing the respect and honor demonstrated by the BF People. It was an honor to be permitted to experience their world first hand.

This experience also shattered many stereotypes that we have been exposed to living in a white dominated society.
We are so grateful to have participated in this volunteer experience and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to gain an appreciation for another culture. The direct participation in and with BF People's daily lives and practices was a unique opportunity.