Students experience fun, education at River Honoring
By Karen Peterson
Leader Staff
MOIESE — As if Mother Nature knew that the Flathead River was being honored, the sky was perfectly clear Tuesday as students from all over the reservation gathered to partake in educational activities geared towards nature and the environment.
“The river honoring started about 30 years ago when interest in building a couple dams on the river got started. The elders were very opposed to having the river dammed. And since then, we’ve honored the river in its natural state,” coordinator Germaine White said. “This is meant to be a constant reminder of our history, cultural connection and how important this river is for all time.”
Starting on Monday evening, the river was honored with a blessing. Johnny Arlee, Clara Bourdon, Matt Buckskin and Barney Finley were recognized for their efforts in educating others about the importance of the river at that blessing.
“Before the blessing, volunteers from the Salish Kootenai College and the Kicking Horse Job Corps spent the day setting up the 18 tipis and all the signs,” said Terry Tanner, Wild Land Recreation Works projects coordinator. “When everything is picked up and the tipis are gone on Wednesday, we will bless the river again.”
The tipis were station marks for the 18 different activity centers that the students participated in during the two-day event and they included two Salish and Pend d’ Oreille Culture Committee sites, and those devoted to Wildland Recreation, Air quality/EPA, Tribal Fisheries, forestry, two native games sites, SKC art, Tribal Land Department, water resources, water quality, Back Country Horsemen, wildlife displays, Division of Fire, Fish and Game and Tribal Health.
Polson Middle school student Josh Bailey took a moment to think about what it was that he was learning on the River Honoring day.
“I’ve learned to honor our environment by not littering,” he said.
And tribal elder Steven Small Salmon talked about the importance of the river before he signaled the students to change stations by drumming a native song.
“What is the important thing about today?” he asked the students. “The river, the air, the earth. If everything was bare you wouldn’t feel so good.”