@tailyrirvine

Throughout his life, Chief Earl Old Person of the Blackfeet Nation could be found in the Browning High School gym, always seated in the northwest corner of the bleachers and always in his blue, long-sleeved, buttoned shirt, cheering for his alma mater. But for his final trip into the gym, he was not in the stands. Instead, his coffin was placed directly on the court as mourners came to say goodbye. I spent the last week in Blackfeet Country with the chief’s family and friends trying to put into 800 words what it is like when a Nation not only loses their leader but their historian and to many their grandfather figure. A big thank you to the family and the Blackfeet Nation. I say this often, but to allow a stranger with a camera to be present during some of your hardest days to document grief and love is a gift I don’t take lightly. Thank you for allowing me into these spaces and sharing your Earl with myself and the rest of the country. In addition to the photography, this is my first written piece for the @nytimes. Thank you to the editing team for your support and trust from the pitch to the final edit. You can read more about Chief Old Person at the link is in my bio.