Sharing Traditional Knowledge Through Landforms 11th Annual Cultural Resources Protection Summit, Suquamish May 23-24, 2018

MARGO HILL, JD, MURP EWU TRIBAL PLANNING PROGRAM [email protected] Why is important to protect cultural resources?

 What you do a Archaeologists, Anthropologists, Ethnographers and Historians is so important.  Natural Resources are not Commodities  Define Landforms  Tribal Sovereignty  Why teach a “connection to place?”  Mind Numbing Sameness  Passing traditional knowledge to future generations Traditional Indian View

 Traditional native view is that the landforms and the Indian people are connected. Indians are connected to nature and we believe we are related in many ways.  My Colville Indian buddy Deb Louie: he talked about walking in the mountains. Indians have a oneness with the land. Even during Vietnam (war), Natives were put on point because they could feel (the land) and feel the enemy. – Ceremony of Tears What are landforms?

 “Landscapes are extensive tracts of land and all that is on them – trees, rivers, beaches, mountains, crops, wildlife, buildings, roads and people.” (Robinson/Green p. 37) In the case of Native peoples, landscapes would also include camp sites, traditional hunting and fishing grounds, berry picking patches and sacred sites. Places that associated with stories and legends. I will discuss these landforms as traditional cultural places and their importance to native community development (Tribal Planning). at Sunset Sacred sites used today

 The Spokane Tribe of Indians has sacred locations that they still used today in coming of age ceremonies for their young people. There is a mountain along the Spokane River toward the West End of the reservation that young Spokane’s would embark on their vision quest. The Tribe and Social and Health Services program use this location for a young men and women’s gathering campout. Young girls carry large rocks up the hillside to illustrate both that it is difficult to pack a young child and that they are capable of overcoming obstacles.  “They (landforms) take on meaning as people interact with them, and that meaning becomes part of how people see themselves, as attached to and shaped by a particular place (Robinson/Green p. 37).” By interacting with the natural landforms young people learn valuable lessons and become young adults. Sacred sites on Spokane River Yap keen um – Gathering Place

 The Salish language we say “Yap keen um” – which means Gathering Place. Some areas were known for social gathering places. The “c’ec’c’ap” meaning “Granite” in Spokane salish was a location that Spokanes and Colvilles use to gather during the fishing season, engaging in sports and gambling.  The name of Hawk’s Nest Hill located east of the National Park Service subdistrict headquarters on the east side of Lake Roosevelt is also called m’ekwal’ meaning “Big Hill”. During In fishing season when great numbers of people were at the Falls, the Indian people held foot races that circled around the base of big hill.  “As humans interact, they assign social meaning to places and use these meanings as symbolic markers that facilitate mutual understanding through shared interpretation of worldly settings and events.” Contamination of a Sacred Site- Grave Digger Following the routes of our ancestors

 Today, tribal elders like Jim Sijohn tells us “We fish the places where our grandparents took us.”  Along the Spokane River, near Blue Creek, there was what Indian referred to as the CCC camp. The Civilian Conservation Corps – public work relief program (1922- 1943) by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.  The was a traditional spiritual spot where Spokane Tribal people would go to sweat and pray. They would “finish off” (immerse in the water) in Blue Creek. People came from all over to go to medicine dances at this sacred location. Now uranium contaminates this spot. Midnite Uranium Mine Social gatherings become ingrained and take on their own meaning

 Anglo society has family or class reunions. Tribal peoples have pow-wows, feasts and ceremonies that they have carried on for hundreds of years at the same locations. Over time, these social meanings become ingrained and take on their own independent form.  Jim Boyd sings a song about sticks and bones at Twin Lakes: hidden beach “Sticks and Bones until daybreak.” For tribes across the country we have enjoyed traditional gambling games for thousands of years. For the Colville Tribe playing stickgame at Hidden Beach until the early morning hours brings a shared experience. For the Nation simply mention Parker Dam and we have memories of Selams playing stickgame.  College Students/Alumni have homecoming events. Why teach the meanings of landforms today?

 Why have meaning? Native to Nowhere? If our younger generations have no concept of traditional values for our homelands why would they protect it? *It is important to create a meaning for location. We must get back to our traditional values of being connected to place! If we begin to treat our land simply as a commodity we are like that of the purely capitalistic society. Native to Nowhere

 In the book titled “Native to Nowhere” the author Timothy Beatley discussed the alarming trend of “mind-numbing sameness.” “As the march of globalization continues, it manifests across the continent in places that look and feel alike. In shopping malls that carry the same stores, and in commercial strip that have the same fast-food franchises, there is a stifling sense of sameness to the new suburban and exurban landscapes we inhabit (Beatley p.2).” All communities Native and Mainstream America need to protect the historical and uniqueness of the places where they live. Humans are changing the planet – Great Acceleration

 We’ve stripped the original forests from much of North America and Europe;  We’ve helped push tens of thousands of species into extinction;  Our presence has been felt in the Oceans by overfishing and marine pollution;  Artificial fertilizers have increased food production and, with it, human population;  An article in Time Magazine the human change to the planet so rapid that last 50 yrs = Acceleration. Understand the history of the landscape

 This goes for tribal managers who have live on the reservation all their lives. Do they know and understand the historical conditions of the landscapes they manage? A good manager must know their history and traditional tribal knowledge of an area. Knowing the history of a land base is important and beneficial to the tribe. It can help with the fee to trust process. (Today’s Battle! 19 steps) In one case the Spokane Tribe used a tribal tradition story to get land into trust. The “Elk Site Story” tells of how the almost starved to death but one chief and his wife saved the people by finding an Elk at a particular site. It is a story of survival and respect. Sharing Traditional Knowledge through landforms!

 Indian people were driven out of their traditional territory by turmoil and conflict with settlers and miners. One Spokane tribal cultural leader referred to our reservations as “Concentration Camps.” When reservations were established Indian people were told they would be shot if they left the reservation. So they pushed us up on Mountain Rocks, or desolate areas that they (settlers) had no use for. They devoured all the fertile farmland and besting grazing land. (Arlee SKC elder told of removal 22 million acres to 1 million)  Even though the reservations that were established were but a small part of our aboriginal territories we have cherished them. We need to continue to care for them and teach our next generation about the importance of our homelands! Indians were Engineers and Scientists!

 Some of the information I will be sharing is based on a projected completed by the Colville Tribes under a Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) contract. This project utilized many tribal elders from the Colville Tribes and Spokane Tribe. They have the full report on the Colville Confederated Tribes website. This Tradition Cultural Property study provides an initial inventory of significant place names, and to present maps of places with Indian names. (Look for your tribe’s TCP study)

Traditional Cultural Places and our spiritual connection to the land.

 Traditional Cultural Places deal directly with the Tribal community, our tribal heritage and the spiritual connection to the land. We must make Traditional Cultural places important to our communities today!  Traditional Cultural Places bring tribal people and the preservation of our traditions into the forefront. “Traditional Cultural Places are important to a community in the preservation and continuation of the community’s traditional lifestyle. (p.6) Is the traditional site located off reservation?

 Sometimes these locations are now located off reservation. When tribal members were restricted to the reservation for years, they may have lost the use or control of a traditional place and later were unable to obtain access to traditional places. Now the Spokane people obtain permission from BLM to travel to traditional root digging location “Coffee Pot Lake.” Treaty rights? Indians were Smart and resourceful Ce Ce use (capable)

“Wakmtusm” “Get a Glimpse”

 Our elders knew our traditional areas. They could tell you where there were herds of wild horses. They knew point locations that could be used for protection. A trail to the mouth of the River has a spot called “wakmtusm” meaning “get a glimpse”. Thus, the spot allowed the Indian people to see or glimpse travelers on the trail. Name derived from the root work “wik” which refers to the trail. Harvesting materials for ceremonies

 Our people knew where to harvest the materials we needed for ceremonies. How we prepared can be learned by the name of the site. The name of a mountain southwest of Keller is “?akltulmn” meaning “Ochre paint place” which is now anglicized (Suyapee) as Tolman. This was a well known place to obtain ochre used as a paint for special occasions. The ochre paint was also a valuable trade item; Indians came from as far as Montana to trade for it. Ochre paint is oil paint from naturally tinted clay containing mineral oxides. Sn kewar’qintn – Fire place on mountain peak

 There are locations that are known for “young people coming of age ceremony.” Young people climbed to the summit. The young people were required to build a fire as that they reached the top of the peak; these fires were visible for a long distance. “Snkewar’qintn” meaning “Fire place on mountain peak.” This could also let parents/grandparents know that their young person arrived safely because the location and fire was visible for a long distance. Traditional Indian Transit Systems

 Indian people were so smart they had transit systems. One location on the was called “snyakwtan” meaning “the crossing.” It was a crossing point where dugout canoes were left permanently on both sides of the river. Thus you have traditional Indian transit systems! Indians as environmentalist

 Indian people were environmentalists that worked with the environment and work hard not to damage the natural migration patterns of animals and fish. The name of one rock formation, “n?a?’m’tita?kw” means “Sitting in water.” This was a crossing place where livestock could be swum across the river. The Indians would climb the rock formation “n?a?’m’tita?kw” and look across to see if the shallows were disturbed. If they were, the salmon were spawning and the Indians took their harpoons and canoes across. They only harvested some fish and let the rest escape to spawn. (Johnnie Francis/Colville). Native Climatologists

 Our ancestors were climatologists. The name of a high cliff was “q’weltaxn” “pack on arm.” For the people living at “pack on arm” this cliff acted as a “weatherman.” In late winter, if blowing snow appeared at the cliff edge the weather was going to be very bad; the Indians knew if the wind made a noise as it hit the cliff, a quick thaw was coming. (Johnnie Francis/Colville). Locations know for useful materials

 Some locations were known for their useful materials. For example, the Spokanes called the area now called Miles “peqpeqashn” meaning “white rocks.” Piq – white, eshn -- rocks. The name of the location was derived from the marble rock found here, which the Indian people used to make mashing hammers. The name of an area on the west side of the Columbia River where the soft rock known as snmanxtn was obtained to manufacture bowls for smoking pipes. “Place of pipe bowl rock.” Locations named after an event- place “Sn”

 Sometimes we named locations after an event. A hill that extends into the Spokane River on the south shore is called “Sn Chew iltn” which means “Hiding Place” in Spokane. Indians were discovered hiding here by the Spokanes. When you have “Sn” on the front of the word it means a place. “Chew” means gone. Chewchns (gone with voice/quiet) When you have a “tn” it means contained. (like sn tish tn – sugar bowl). Identity derived from location

 Indians today derive their identity from traditional sites. One of our drum groups from back home on the rez call themselves “la tmeep” meaning “End of the Valley” which is a location at the West End of the Spokane Indian Reservation.  Upper, Middle, Lower Spokane Bands (river)  San Poil Band Great fishing locations

 Other areas were known as great fishing spots. N?u?lina?ch which meant “Cat’s face on a tree” in Spokane refers to a scarred, indented, burned area on a tree at the spot. The Indians harpooned the King Salmon from horseback or while standing in the river, in the month of October, taking only the male fish and leaving the females.  Another popular fishing place, now inundated (lost forever) near the tip of the point was “Kwils-shn” (kwil- ) meaning “Red rock.” Fishing scaffolds were erected from the shore to the red rock and the surrounding rocks (Salena Pascal/Spokane). Indians were multi-taskers

 Indians were multi-taskers! At a location called “c’c’m’ap meaning “Beside the river” in Spokane language, there was a peninsula formed at the north end of the confluence of the Spokane and Columbia Rivers. Indians caught fish at this site.  The fish were air-dried for use when the Indians went to dig white camas (Selena Pascal/Spokane). Many of these place names were both in Spokane and Colville languages because there was considerable intermarriage. Traveling with the Seasons

 Deb Louie – “Indians are nomads. Moving from area to area. By the time they came back around the land had rejuvenated itself.”  The native people traveled with the seasons. This was easy on mother earth and was a natural way for the environment to rejuvenate itself after being utilized. The Indian people knew when a particular camp site was utilized and during which season. The “Sn qalt” meaning “Above the Rapids” was the name of a Winter Village north of the mouth of the Spokane River on the west side of the Columbia. Landform names: Funny and suggestive stories

 Many locations were name after Coyote (Speelye) and legends. Louie Pichette recalled a distinctive rock formation about two miles north of the Gerome Landing said to be Coyote and two young maidens. Another location “sqeqe?im” meaning “breasts” is the name of two distinctively shaped hills one mile southeast of the Rogers Bar church. They are said to be the breasts of one of Coyote’s daughters (Albert Louie, Martin Louie). Descriptive….tell Big Butt Road. Tlth camp boou. Don’t say fat butt. Say wide butt road. Location name tell you where to get help

 The name of a location could also tell you where to get help. For example, the name of the springs northeast of the Rogers Bar Church was called “Snq’eltilxwtn” “Sick- house/Hospital”. The name is relating to an Indian doctor named Louis Smoke, who lived there. Landforms as Weatherman

 Again Indians had locations that served as weatherman for the Rogers Bar people. The location “nxλ’tus” meaning “cliff by road” was a weatherman; the noise of the wind blowing around this cliff signified changing Weather. More importantly, Golden Eagles nested on this cliff and Joe Monaghan had a winter dance song that he obtained from the eagles here (Cecilia Pichette/Colv).  We don’t talk about sacred things or medicine/winter dances but at some time you need a protected space/time that you can teach the younger generation where we got our songs/dances. This significance of locations and animals and songs. Discuss: teach sacred -- appropriate Beautiful Places lost forever “Many Rainbows”

 Beautiful places lost forever. The name of Falls Creek located several miles north of Rogers Bar on the west side of the Columbia River. Before the creek mouth was inundated there was a waterfall which produced the “many rainbows’ for which it was named for.  “sk wekwem’kwim’cxn” Many Rainbows. These places are now lost forever. They are now inundated by the flooding backwaters of Grand Coulee Dam. Many of the important locations, fishing and harvesting locations including the fish themselves are forever gone! (laser light show– offensive) “Sk wekwem’kwim’cxn” Many Rainbows Hunting Strategies

 Locations can tell you about Native “hunting strategies.” The name of Camille Lake located a mile and a half west of the Colville Indian Subagency on Hall Creek Road was utilized as a deer hunting area. Location is called “sk’ix” which means “Running Fence.” The were used to direct deer into spots where they could be killed. This type of fence and hunting strategy have not been in use since before 1900. (Probably due to introduction of guns/rifles.) Special Event/Winter Dance

 Special Events/Winter Dance. We might know a location for a special event such as a winter dance. “Kwi/kway’t” which is “Gold” is the name of Lynx Creek, a tributary of Hall Creek.  Milo Jacobs and his wife, Maggie Inkster Jacobs (Spokane), hosted a winter dance each year in a ‘2- tie’ teepee that was made of tules. A 2-tie teepee is one made up of two separate teepee coverings set up on one elongated frame to make a larger structure for special events. Methods of Fishing

 Methods of Fishing: a fishing spot where the men pit-lamped for salmon from canoes (Martin Louie). Our young people don’t even know we were salmon people…let alone our incredible fishing methods! There was a major spawning ground toward the east side of the Columbia River. “txexaw’ meaning “becomes shallow” was an important fishing site. The main method was harpooning by torchlight. This was a particularly good place to catch spawned-out salmon. The Indians would fish from canoes using setlines, and caught many species of fish in this manner. “Kwelu?sasqt” is the name of creek “Red Sky”

 “Kwelu?sasqt” is the name of the creek, “Red Sky” found on the east side of the Columbia River. The source of the name was a chief name kwil kwil tasket. Sam Boyd, Red sky, Red sunset, who was said to be the last Indian to live here at the site of a winter village situated at both sides of the creek mouth. My daughter is named after this Chief Sam Boyd. Specially place rocks: solutions w/harmony

 We knew how to utilize the environment without hurting it. At a place called “sa?lin” which means “Specially- placed rocks”. The name of a shallow area on the east side of the Columbia River located east of the rapids used as a fishing area. Albert Louie stated that during his grandfather’s time in 1850’s the Indian people laid white rocks on the river bottom for a distance of about 100 yards so the passing fish could be easily seen and harpooned. These tactics and strategies illustrate the “Indigenuity”. Indians found solutions with balance and didn’t harm the environment. The presence of the white rocks is attributed to the work of Coyote, who laid them during his journey up the river to distribute the salmon. Stealing squirrels nuts

 Digging at mouth” in Indian you say “sλ’emcin”. This place names refer to the Colville River or to the inundated village site at the mouth of this river. The digging referred to the Indian practice of digging up the squirrel caches of hazelnuts that were, and still are found in this area.  Service Learning Example: Head start – acted out the story of someone stealing squirrels nuts. Old people still active and useful

 Old people still worked hard and were useful. There was a place called “npeten’xwaqs” which means “Old ladies’ trail”. The name of the trail now inundated, with followed along the rock ledges (closer to the river) of (Kettle Falls area) and used by elderly Indians to carry fish from traps (Martin Louie). The regular trail went along the top and was used by the younger people. Service Learning Model

 How can we bring traditional knowledge to the future generations of tribal members?  In “Indian Country” passing on traditional knowledge can be difficult. Different generations value different things. Ipods, Ipads not community!  Among Indian people there may also be conflicting interpretations of local heritage and differing visions of how to best develop local resources. Sometimes there is also a feeling that traditional knowledge is sacred and should not be made public. Teaching our next generation

Questions?