The Fire in the Mountains Festival - A Celebration of Music, Culture, and Community
We are still glowing from the extraordinary experience of this year’s Fire in the Mountains Festival—an unforgettable gathering where music, community, and healing converged under the “real big” Montana sky (special shoutout to Emma Ruth Rundle for that face-melting closer—we’re still recovering!).
The privilege of representing our community is an honor we carry with deep humility and pride. It gives us strength, fuels our purpose, and reminds us why this work matters. There is no cause closer to our hearts than the critical mission we are carrying forward in the Blackfeet Nation. For us, this isn’t just mental health advocacy—it’s about protecting our home, our families, and our dearest friends. Our commitment to this mission burns brighter every single day.
It will take time to fully process the impact of this experience, but we move forward inspired, invigorated, and more determined than ever to do what we set out to do: help make the Blackfeet Nation safer from suicidal distress. For now, we simply want to offer our deepest love and gratitude to everyone who poured their heart, time, and energy into making this event possible. You’ve not only lifted us—you’ve strengthened the movement.
To our BFFs in FITM: From the very first moment we met the Fire in the Mountains team a few years ago, they welcomed our vision with open arms, trust, and genuine enthusiasm. We are deeply grateful to Jeremy, Alex, Ollie, Shannon, and Shane for inviting us into this sacred space and giving us the opportunity to weave together moments of connection, cultural respect, and emotional care. This crew is truly one of a kind, and we feel profoundly fortunate to walk in partnership with such extraordinary humans.
It was an honor beyond words to stand on such a prominent stage representing the Blackfeet Nation—sharing our traditions, our resilience, and our message of hope with people from across the globe. We are indebted to the FITM team for lending us their platform and for amplifying our voice in a way that ensures our community’s spirit will echo far beyond the mountains.
To all the speakers, presenters, and knowledge holders who shared their gifts through workshops and panel discussions: Thank you. Many of our local loved ones and friends stepped forward without hesitation, offering their wisdom, expertise, and hearts to our cause. For that, we are endlessly grateful.
From Haley Omeasoo, Rhonda Grant, Helen Carlson, Donovan Aimsback, TJ Lafromboise, Dylan Desrosier, Nicholas Rink, Jake ArrowTop, Sterling HolyWhiteMountain, Evan Thompson, Ashley Sherburne, Dylan RunningCrane, Kevin Kicking Woman, Loren Racine, Haley RunningCrane, Arlan Edwards, Everett Armstrong, and so many others whose names we couldn’t possibly fit here—you have our deepest thanks and the biggest hugs we can send.
Every workshop, song, and seminar you helped bring to life carried with it the spirit of our people, the wisdom of our ancestors, and the unwavering belief that art, culture, and connection are powerful tools for healing. We couldn’t have done this without you, and we are honored to have shared this space with each and every one of you.
Many of the exceptional artists performing at this festival happily volunteered to share their wisdom and expertise as well. Special thanks to Einar Selvik, Lindy Fay-Hella and Sondre Veland, Steve Von Till, Alan (Kurator of War), Nate Newton, Ivar Bjornson, Chelsea Wolfe, Stephen Graham Jones, Simon Fuellemann, Mehra Gharibian, Vicky Mikalsen, and Mathias Nordvig for their incredible contributions to our alliance.
To our student interns: You absolutely crushed it. It was one of the highest honors of our lives to see you all so engaged with every aspect of the festival. Eternal hails to each and every one of you for going all in on this experience. Your hard work and dedication inspired us all. And to see you on stage; moshing; painting your faces; throwing horns; it was surreal.
We are equally thankful to the dedicated supervisors who guided our interns during the fest, ensuring they not only contributed meaningfully and had fun but also by helping our kids gain skills, confidence, and inspiration that will stay with them for years to come. To Steve, Evan, Dave, Ronde, Thomas, Kinsey, Camp Daddy, Bobby, Buddy, Mike P., Nick, Marcus, Ollie, Jacqui, Tatianna, Alec, Dante, Jay, Michelle, Ryan, Strongman, TJ, Jo, Alex, Jason, Adam, Hannah, and especially Shannon Void (the OG Riff Sister!), please know that you changed our students lives in a massive way. And to our local supervisors Chris Lewis and Jason Krane - thank you, and well done. We love you guys.
To every single worker and volunteer at the fest: This wouldn’t have happened without your hard work around the clock and total commitment to making this such a special event. We watched you all step up to the plate time and time again to do literally anything that was needed. You are all absolutely incredible people, and we feel lucky to work alongside you.
To the Thursday pow wow crew and performers: Wow. This was a beautiful display of some of the best, brightest, and most talented Piikuni we know. Our host drum group Young Grey Horse, as well Napi, High Winds, and Heart Butte drums provided incredible musicianship and songs, creating the powerful rhythms for our dancers to showcase their skills. We’ve been told time and time again how impactful the powwow was to our visitors, so to everyone that came together to create such a powerful experience, Thank You. Special shoutout to Jay YoungRunningCrane and Alden Spoon Hunter for their unmatched knowledge, support, and skill. iikssto'nǔtsoōkǎapii
Robert Hall, Drew Landry, Joey Running Crane, and Dylan Running Crane: Your performances on Thursday evening left us in awe. We couldn’t think of a better way to kick off the musical performances of Fire in the Mountains. You all did an amazing job, and represented the Blackfeet Nation with pride and power.
To all of our partners of the Blackfeet Nation: Your contributions to this festival are immeasureable, and this event felt safe, comfortable, and secure thanks to your involvement. Special shoutout to Blackfeet Fish and Game, Blackfeet Law Enforcement, Glacier County Sheriffs, Blackfeet Tribal Health, Glacier Two Medicine Alliance, and the East Glacier Volunteer Fire Department for working so hard behind the scenes to make sure things went smoothly.
To every band and performer that took the stage at Fire in the Mountains: You didn’t just perform, you unleashed something timeless. You played with a force and passion that lit a fire in all of us, leaving an imprint we will carry for the rest of our lives. Your riffs, your rhythms, your voices—they thundered through the Two Medicine valley and rolled across the lakes and peaks, mingling with the wind and water like they had always belonged here. For over 18,000 years, the Blackfeet have made songs in this place—melodies born of mountains, rivers, and sky. This weekend, your music joined that ancient chorus, adding a fierce and beautiful new verse to the story of sound in the Blackfeet Nation.
To CONVERGE: Thank you for giving us a moment that will live forever in our hearts. Your special Firekeeper set was more than a performance—it was a rallying cry, a moment of unity, and a fierce act of compassion. Every note, every lyric carried the weight of our shared purpose: to raise awareness of suicide in the Blackfeet Nation and to stand together in the fight for life, hope, and healing. Your sound poured out into the Montana sky and echoed into the valleys, carrying with it the urgency of our mission. In that moment, the music became more than music—it became a voice for those we’ve lost, a hand extended to those still here, and a promise that none of us will face this battle alone. Nate, Jake, Ben, and Kurt; you are our brothers for life.
To Evan Void: The incredible T-shirt you designed for us sold out in the first few hours of the festival. Thank you for your vision, your patience, and for bringing our ideas to reality. The shirt was obviously a massive hit and we are beyond proud every time we see them out in the wild in Montana and beyond. Can’t thank you enough, Evan. Your art is insane, singular, and second to none. We’re gonna print more of those beauties…..stay tuned for more information on how to order!
To Wardruna, Inter Arma, and Old Man’s Child: Thank you for the extraordinary gift you gave our students by collaborating with them to create exclusive festival T-shirt designs. This project not only offered them a rare and inspiring creative opportunity, but it also strengthened their confidence and pride in ways we never could have imagined. Your generosity and artistry lifted our organization higher than we thought possible, and your music carried profound meaning—reaching deep into the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to witness your performances.
The funds raised through these designs will go directly toward advancing our mission, providing essential resources to help us create safety, protection, and hope in the Blackfeet Nation, and standing as a shield against suicidal distress. Your collaboration will have a lasting and tangible impact on the lives of those we serve.
To Kurator of War and Pan Amerikan Native Front, and Mike Paparo and Inter Arma: We are speechless. The invitations for our students to join you on stage is something none of us will ever forget. Just know that this gesture has changed their lives in unfathomable ways. You have earned some lifelong fans, as well as many deep friendships in Blackfeet Country as a result. In solidarity! In war!
To the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council: On behalf of our entire team, we wish to formally extend our profound gratitude to the Council for the steadfast support and collaboration during the festival. Your endorsement and partnership were essential in enabling us to represent the Blackfeet Nation with dignity, authenticity, and cultural integrity. Through your guidance, we were able to share our traditions, histories, and messages of resilience with an audience from across the world, ensuring that the presence and spirit of the Piikuni people were honored throughout Fire in the Mountains. We recognize and deeply value the trust you have placed in us, and we remain committed to continuing our work together to uplift and protect our community.
And finally, we offer our deepest thanks and highest praise to every festival attendee who worked so hard, sacrificed time, invested resources, and made the journey to our homeland to be part of Fire in the Mountains. From the bottom of our hearts—thank you.
To those who joined our workshops, spoke kind words, shared stories of struggle, loss, and survival, and to every one of you who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Firekeeper—your presence meant more than we can ever fully express. You embraced us, connected with us, and reminded us why this work matters.
Your warmth, openness, and solidarity have reaffirmed our commitment to our mission. As we promised, we will continue the critical work we have begun. The mountain air, the music, and the love we shared at Fire in the Mountains have only deepened our resolve. We are ready—and determined—to carry it forward.
We can’t wait to do this again with you all.
Keep the fire burning 🔥
