Big Bear (Mistahimusqua): A Biography

A biography of the Plains Cree chief who challenged Canadian authorities and became a warrior of legend.

When Big Bear was young, in the first half of the nineteenth century, he overcame smallpox and other hardships—and eventually followed in the footsteps of his father, Black Powder, engaging in warfare against the Blackfoot. The time would come for him to draw on these experiences and step into a leadership role, as the buffalo began to disappear and his people suffered.

This rich hi...