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Four recognized at the River Honoring

by Kim Swaney

Clara Bourdon, Salish-Pend d'Oreille Cultural Advisory Council member is escorted by her daughter Rose. Bourdon is known for bringing laughter and cultural wisdom wherever she goes. (Kim Swaney photo)

MOIESE VALLEY — Each year, the River Honoring Committee generally recognize two elders and two educators that have embraced the values stated by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council in 1992. Three of the four honorees recognized at the River Honoring were present last Monday night for the opening ceremony.

It was the desire of the CSKT Tribal Council to preserve the natural and cultural values of the Lower Flathead River Corridor for present and future generations and to restore and maintain the river's outstanding natural and aesthetic qualities.

This year the 2007 River Honorees were: Matt Michel, Niarada, Kootenai Elders Cultural Advisory Council; Clara Bourdon, St. Ignatius, Salish-Pend d'Oreille Cultural Advisory Council; Johnny Arlee, Arlee, Cultural Advisor and Educator; and Barney Finley, Ronan, Educator, Two Eagle River School.

Each recipient received a jacket and a plaque that recognized each for their commitment towards the preservation of the river for all.

Pend d'Oreille spiritual leader and educator, Pat Pierre, performed an eloquent opening prayer to the four directions.

The River Honoring is now in its 21st year. Not much has changed as far as the Tribes' perspective but what has changed is the landscape.

"As I drive, I see what is happening. You don't have to look very far to see the tracks coming down the hills from 4-wheel drives and ATVs (all-terrain vehicles)," commented Atwin (Tony) Incashola, director of the Salish Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee, during his opening remarks at this year's river honoring.

"My grandmother Zelda Morigeau, said it was the lifeblood of the reservation....I think she's right," said Polson Tribal Council Representative Steve Lozar on behalf of the Tribal Council.

Kootenai Elders Cultural Advisory Council member Matt "Buckskin" Michel sits quietly waiting for the honoring to begin unaware that he would receive recognition. (Kim Swaney photo)

The Flathead River with approximately 68 miles of shores within the reservation borders with its stream flow averaging about 15,000 cubic feet-per-second, it continues to be a river of life, not just for fish, but for plants, animals and people.

The Kootenai, Salish and Pend d'Oreille peoples have camped, gathered food and medicinal plants, fished and trapped, for thousands of years along the river. It was once the most efficient way to travel - to go by canoe from one region to another. Now, it is the road that is less traveled because of motorized vehicles on the land.

While off-road motorized vehicles continue to destroy the fragile landscape, an increase in noxious weeds has also begun to wreak havoc on the land. Neighboring Canada has began to talk about mining, which could cause irreparable damage to our northern tributaries and to and the Lower Flathead River Corridor all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

The Tribes' goal is to educate students and anyone interested in the river in hopes of preventing further destruction from man and his toys and from encroaching weeds.

Students from Arlee, Camas, Charlo, Hot Springs, Polson, Dixon, Dayton, Valley View, Ronan, St. Ignatius and Nkwusm took part in the two-day event last week.

According to Susan Hartman, Dayton Teacher's Aide, Montana's longest running school, which is on the Flathead Reservation, is the Dayton school. Currently, they have approximately 40 students enrolled, which, is up considerably from past enrollments. Voters have passed a bond enabling them to build on to their existing school and its anticipated completion date is this October.

The educational stations consisted of 18 stations from 13 different tribal programs and two from Salish Kootenai College. A new educational station this year was the Back Country Horsemen. In 1973, three guys camping in the Bob Marshall Wilderness decided to start an organization dedicated to camping light-on-the-land and to assist various agencies responsible for maintenance and management of public lands. They now have more than 16,000 members nationwide in 23 states, with 19 clubs in Montana with one here in the Mission Valley.

The Mission Valley Back Country Horsemen promote leaving no traces and to educate campers on the equipment and materials available that is safer for the environment. A fireproof ground cover used for making a campfire allows campers to not leave a trace and a portable latrine that transforms body waste into a gel-like substance for packing out of the woods, effectively erase all traces.

One of the favorite stations was CS&KT's Natural Resource's Water Management program. Tribal hydrologists Steve Ashley and George E. McLeod, demonstrated how they measure stream flows, snow-pack and well depths, with the use of a variety of equipment. According to McLeod and Ashley, there are 60 surface water sites that they continually monitor.

According to both hydrologists, it takes approximately two-to-three years of above-average snow pack to make up for one year of below-average snow pack.

Students received hands-on training using a bridge crane and other current meters. They even tried on flight suits necessary for flying over areas to measure snow-pack.

Mr. Phillips' fifth-grade class from St. Ignatius diligently took notes at the educational stations. Mr. Phillips' class participates in four different field trips during the month of May that expose his students to water, prairie, and forested ecosystems.

There were many patient dedicated and knowledgeable tribal employees who have participating at the River Honoring since its conception and who have a true appreciation for the jobs they do.

"I'll work another 30 years if I can," McLeod says of his job.