Natawista
Natawista was a significant historical figure who played a vital role in the intercultural dynamics of the 19th-century American West. Born in Alberta, Canada, she accompanied her father on a trading journey to Fort Union, where she married Alexander Culbertson, the fort commander, in an Indigenous ceremony. During her marriage, Natawista lived at Fort Union and later Fort Benton in Montana, where she served as a hostess and diplomat, fostering relationships between various tribes and white traders. Fluent in the languages of several Indigenous groups, she acted as an interpreter for tribes such as the Blackfoot and Gros Ventre, and was instrumental in diffusing tensions during her husband's tenure as a special agent to the Blackfoot Confederacy. After a period of wealth in Peoria, Illinois, and subsequent financial difficulties, Natawista returned to Alberta, where she spent her final years. Natawista's life illustrates the complex interplay of cultures, gender roles, and economic systems during a transformative period in North American history.
Natawista
- Born: c. 1825
- Birthplace: Alberta, Canada
- Died: March 1, 1893
- Place of death: Stand Off, Alberta, Canada
Category: Interpreter, diplomat
Tribal affiliation: Blood
Significance: After marrying Major Alexander Culbertson, Natawista became an interpreter, diplomat, and trading post hostess
When she was fifteen years old, Natawista accompanied her father, Men-Es-To-Kos, on a trading voyage from their home in Alberta to Fort Union on the Missouri River, near the North Dakota-Montana border. There she married Alexander Culbertson, the fort commander, in an Indian ceremony. Four of their children lived to adulthood; two daughters married white easterners, while two sons remained in the West to work as traders.
During the early years of her marriage, from 1840 to 1845, Natawista resided at Fort Union, acting as hostess and diplomat. In 1845, the Culbertsons moved farther north along the Missouri, establishing Fort Benton in Montana. There, Natawista functioned as an interpreter for several Indian tribes, including the Blackfoot, Blood, and Gros Ventre, while simultaneously acting as hostess to visiting white traders.
After his appointment as special agent to the Blackfoot Confederacy in 1847, Culbertson and Natawista traveled to Indian camps throughout the territory. Natawista again assisted her husband by acting as interpreter and diplomat. On several occasions, she diffused tensions and helped maintain peace.
Retiring to Peoria, Illinois, in 1858, the Culbertsons were married in a Catholic ceremony. In Peoria they lived extravagantly for ten years before losing their fortune through failed investments, thereafter returning to the upper Missouri where Culbertson resumed trading. In the 1870’s, Natawista left Culbertson and returned to her native Alberta, Canada, where she remained until her death.