Among the Blackfeet (and closely related Blackfoot Confederacy tribes), red vermillion paint held deep spiritual and warrior significance. It was applied to the body and face in high tribute to Natosi (the Sun God) before warfare, ceremonies, and sacred rites. 

 

This sacred practice literally produced “Redskin” warriors — red-painted figures embodying spiritual power, courage, and renewal.

 

In the 1850s, U.S. treaty annuities explicitly supplied the Blackfeet with up to 500 pounds of taxpayer-provided red vermillion per year specifically for body and face paint. 

 

This was no minor provision; it sustained a core cultural practice at a time when few outsiders objected to the time-honored tradition. 

 

Across the border, the Canadian Blood tribe (part of the Blackfoot Confederacy) earned their name from their especially heavy use of this paint and were supplied by nearby Fort Vermillion.

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John Ewers’ historical account describes Blackfeet warriors as “rough-and-ready redskins,” among the most aggressive and effective on the Plains, with red paint as a visible marker of their readiness and spiritual commitment.

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Contemporary Blackfeet Voice Modern Blackfeet advocate Desirée Townsend (@Cheering4Change on X) powerfully echoes this history in her April 27, 2026 video post:

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“Redskins was not racist — it was named after the Blackfeet tribe who painted their skin red with war paint & a red mineral sunscreen. The logo represented Chief John Two Guns White Calf who was a Blackfeet chief.” Video Post Link

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Townsend’s presentation reinforces how the red paint tradition — tied to spiritual protection, Natosi worship, and warrior identity — formed the authentic foundation for the name and imagery.

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Criminalization and Persecution This changed dramatically with the 1888 Code of Indian Offenses, which banned the Sun Dance, war dances, and related ceremonies. Federal agents enforced these rules for over 40 years, punishing “Indian offenses” by withholding rations (up to 30 days) or jailing offenders. 

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Wearing war paint—especially sacred red vermillion—became a punishable act of cultural defiance. Dancers, drummers, and ceremonial leaders faced fines, ration cuts, and imprisonment for honoring ancestors and Natosi through painted expressions of gratitude, sacrifice, and strength.

 

Blackfeet leaders repeatedly protested these bans. Chief White Calf traveled to Washington, D.C. in 1903 in traditional regalia. His son, John Two Guns White Calf (whose profile became the Buffalo Nickel and inspired the Washington Redskins logo), continued the fight in the 1920s–1930s, often appearing in full regalia with face paint.

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Lifting the Bans The persecution ended in April 1934 with Commissioner John Collier’s Circular 2970. Within weeks, paint-wearing dances resumed. At Two Guns White Calf’s funeral, traditionalists chanted to Natosi in quiet defiance — a final act of spiritual resilience.

 

For Sun-worshiping, paint-using Plains tribes like the Blackfeet, the red vermillion tradition was a specific covenant with the Creator. It distinguished them culturally and spiritually. Voices like Desirée Townsend continue to preserve and highlight this legacy today.

 

Support from SONS (Save Our Native Souls) The advocacy group Save Our Native Souls (SONS), active on X (@SaveNativeSouls), joins this effort. Billy Two Guns Dieckman, a Kiowa combat veteran and prominent SONS voice, has stated:

 

“The term Redskin is a very honorable term to me. I’m a Redskin. I’m a Redskin warrior and I’ve proved myself in battle… The imagery that you see is that of Chief Two Guns White Calf. That’s a real person… gifted to the Redskins in the NFL by the Blackfoot tribe as a forever gift.”

 

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