Ray earned his great escape to the spirit world on November 15, 2020 at the Chinook Regional Hospital at the age of 78 years. He was born on July 4, 1942 in Browning, Montana to Cecille Spear Chief (Prairie Chicken) and George Black Water.

Ray lived a very interesting life. Like many people who survived the Indian residential school system, his experiences as a former student had a lasting impact on him. Ray's parents separated when he was young, so he was raised by his paternal grandmother, Matsisaipi, Mary Black Water, when his parents separated at a young age. He grew up with many of his Black Water and Red Crow cousins. There was a special bond shared among the Black Water and Red Crow pact of six (Isabelle, Ray, Ada, Johnny and uncle Tony and aunt Mary Ann). His grandmother, Mary gave him his first Blackfoot name, Pokkitapi (Small Boy).

When Ray attended residential school, he enjoyed and excelled in sports and was on the St. Mary's Warriors basketball, track and field, and baseball teams. His athletic skills would later come in handy when he started down the pow wow trail.

As a young man, Ray struggled with an alcohol addiction. But his ability to overcome this addiction, turn his life around, and remain sober for over 30 years was a testament to his strength and character. Despite the limited education, he received in residential school, Ray attended Old Sun Community College in the late 1980's and completed a business entrepreneur training course which provided him with the skills to start a leather and shoe repair business. He was self-employed for many years, but his desire to dance and join the pow wow trail eventually took over.

Ray started dancing in small local pow wows as a chicken dancer and traditional dance and eventually made it to the bigtime circuit as a professional Old Style Chicken Dancer. He won many championships both in Canada and United States and made many friends. Ray learned to bead and make his own outfits. Sometimes he would hire people to help with his beadwork and outfits. But he always had an eye for beauty and knew how to stand out in a competition pow wow.

One of Ray's close friends had this to say about his life on the pow wow trail:

Ray Blackwater loved and lived the pow wow trail. He spent many years of his life traveling all over Canada and the United States as a respected and beloved champion dancer and head staff.

Dancing Men's Northern Traditional and Old Style Prairie Chicken Dance took him to the biggest and most famous of pow wows as a renowned dancer and friend to many. Ray was humble and quick to share and encourage young people to continue to dance, and he never slowed down himself and continued traveling and dancing all across North American into his mid-70s. I would like to think that now he is dancing across the skies, held in love, reuniting with his heavenly relatives and ancestors among the stars. I was blessed to know him and spend time with him on the pow wow trail.

- Alani Many Stars

In his later years, Ray lived in Lethbridge with his mother, Cecille. Most recently he resided at the Edith Cavell Nursing Home.

Ray will be missed. He came from a very large extended family that included his immediate relatives from the Black Water, Rider, Prairie Chicken and Spear Chief families, as well as other relatives too numerous to mention. He loved to visit his family and friends. He was quite a character and over the years, people loved to share their own 'Ray story' which often brought on many laughs and jokes.

Ray is survived by siblings Moses Spear Chief, Elizabeth Day Chief, Wilma Spear Chief, and Julius Spear Chief; brother-in-law Wayne Morris, and sister-in-laws Cheryl and Shelly Spear Chief. He had a special relationship with his nieces Tammy Heavy Shields, Renee Day Chief, Trina Heavy Shields, Julian and Joy Spear Chief-Morris, and great niece Pamela Heavy Shields. His other nieces and nephews are Roxanne Scout, Leon and Joe Day Chief, Kirsten Buckskin, Theoran Spear Chief, Francine and Elizabeth Wells.

Ray has one son, Leland Good Striker and four grandchildren. He had a special fondness for his first grandson, Ivan Good Striker.

As a family, we would like to thank the staff at Edith Cavell for his care and the doctors at the Chinook Regional Hospital who took such compassionate care of Ray during his final days.

Stamiiksits'tsikayii "Lame Bull" (1942 — 2020)