SKC Blesses Capitol Christmas Tree

Zach Kulpa

The Capitol Christmas tree was displayed and blessed during a ceremony held on the Salish Kootenai College campus this past Wednesday.

Alec Quequesah opened the blessing ceremony with a prayer and continued with singing by Yamncut. The blessing also included presentations about the importance of the Bitterroot to the local tribes and closed with another song by the Yamncut, followed by a complimentary buffalo stew luncheon.

The traditional Capitol Christmas tree began being placed on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol building in 1964 and the "people's tree" has come from national forests since 1970. This year, Montana and the Bitterroot National Forest were asked to provide the tree.

"We looked for a tree that wouldn't be dwarfed by the capitol building," said Forest Serviceman Chuck Oliver. "We also need a tree that won't completely hide the building and is also nearly perfect in every aspect."

The tree was ceremoniously cut down on Nov. 1 from the Bitterroot National Forrest near Hamilton, Mont. The tree will travel across Montana throughout November and stop in 22 communities for a variety of celebrations.

"The actual presentation time of the tree will be cut short this year because of the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony," explained Oliver, "but the ceremonies and celebrations held in these communities is most definitely rewarding."

The tree will arrive in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 23 and will be stood up the next day in preparation for the Dec. 2 lighting ceremony.