From Mental Floss:
The city of Medicine Hat got its name from the Blackfoot term Saamis, which refers to the headdress of eagle feather worn by a medicine man. That’s pretty straightforward, but there’s a great story behind the city’s origins. The Blackfoot nation was suffering from a famine, and selected a courageous warrior to venture out to find food. He traveled with his wife and his dog down the frozen South Saskatchewan River until they came to a spot where there was a hole in the ice. That’s the sign of a sacred place, where the water spirits come to breathe. It was also the location of the future town of Medicine Hat.
They made camp and summoned the spirits to appear. A giant serpent rose from the misty waters and demanded the sacrifice of the woman in exchange for a “Saamis” or “holy bonnet” which would endow the owner with special powers and great hunting prowess. The young man tried to trick the serpent by throwing the body of his dog into the river, but the serpent was not fooled, and finally reluctantly, the woman was thrown into the frigid waters.
The man was told to spend the night on the small island (Strathcona) and “in the morning when the sun lights the cut-banks, go to the base of the great cliffs and there you will find your Medicine Hat”. And so aided by the magic of his Saamis, the young hunter located the much needed game, saved his people, and eventually became a great Medicine Man. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57353/origins-6-odd-canadian-place-names
