A People of Vision...

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are comprised of the Bitterroot Salish, the Pend d’Oreille and the Kootenai tribes. The Flathead Reservation of 1.317 million acres in northwest Montana is our home now but our ancestors lived in the territory now known as western Montana, parts of Idaho, British Columbia and Wyoming. This aboriginal territory exceeded 20 million acres at the time of the 1855 Hellgate Treaty

As near as this researcher can tell, the Bitteroot Salish and Kootenai are not reservation Indians as described by the internet encyclopedia describing  the "Treaty of Hellgate.

The Treaty of Hellgate was signed in Hellgate on July 16, 1855 between President James Buchanan and the Native American tribes located in western Montana. The tribes involved in the signing of the treaty entailed the Bitteroot Salish, Pend d'Oreille, and the Kootenai. Based on the terms of the accord, the Native Americans were to relinquish their territories to the United States government in exchange for payment installments that totaled 120,000 dollars. The territories in question entailed everything from the main ridge of the Rocky Mountains at the 49th parallel to the Kootenay River and Clarke's Fork to the divide between the St. Regis Borgia River and the Coeur d'Alene River. From there, the ceded territories also extend to the southwestern fork of the Bitter Root River and up to Salmon River and Snake River. The treaty was ratified on March 8, 1859.

Salish - Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee...

Salish-Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee employees and consultants:
Director: Antoine Incashola
Senior Advisor & Translator: Felicite "Jim" Sapiye McDonald
Language Specialist: Shirley Trahan
Historical Collections Manager: Sadie Peone
Translator: Josephine Quequesah
Office Manager: Gloria Whitworth
Facilities Manager: Richard Alexander
Data Entry Technician: Alan "Chauncey" Beaverhead
History & Geography Projects: Thompson Smith

PURPOSE AND MISSION
The Salish-Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee (originally called the Flathead Culture Committee) seeks to preserve, protect, and perpetuate the living culture and traditional ways of life of our people.

HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION
The Salish-Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee was first created in 1974-75 in response to the urgent concern of many traditional elders that we needed to take strong action to ensure that our culture would be carried on by the younger generations, and by the generations yet to come. Since that time, we have worked hard in many areas to ensure that both our language and way of life will always survive and flourish.

The elders are now constituted as the Salish-Pend d'Oreille Elders Cultural Advisory Council, a group of culturally knowledgeable elders whose wise oversight and direction shapes both the long-term goals and daily work of the Culture Committee staff.

The Culture Committee staff is comprised of eight full-time staff members and one consultant. Our offices are based at based at the Salish-Pend d'Oreille Longhouse in St. Ignatius.

Kootenai Culture Committee...

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' Tribal Council established the Kootenai Culture Committee in 1975.

The Kootenai Culture Committee is a tribal program that functions independently from the Tribal Organization. The Committee serves to advise the Tribal Council on cultural issues that affect Tribal policy and provide information to assist tribal programs in project development.

Our Mission is to protect, preserve, perpetuate and enhance the language, culture and traditional lifestyles of the Kootenai people.

Most importantly the Kootenai Culture Committee consults and collaborates information with the Kootenai Elders Committee on all issues pertaining to Traditions and Cultures.

Kootenai Culture Employees

Back

Submitted by Jo Ann Scott