Senators get Salish lesson during visit
<p>Maria Cantwell, a U.S. Senator from Washington state, talks with Nkwusm students Carla Morigeau-Bacon and Sophie Sapiel, with Sen. Jon Tester in the background.</p>
<p>From left to right, Kasie Brazill, Matiya Nenemay, Taryn Matt, Avery McDonald, Kristina Lorentine and Daspianna Lamoose sing a song in Salish during a visit to Polson from Sen. Jon Tester.</p>
<p>At right, Matiya Nenemay presents Sen. Jon Tester with a necklace.</p>
POLSON — Two United States Senators were in town last week, and staff and students from the Nkwusm School in Arlee used their visit as an opportunity to enlighten the legislators about various elements of Salish culture.
Members of the Salish Language Immersion School met Senators Jon Tester (Montana) and Maria Cantwell (Washington) at KwaTaqNuk resort last Thursday morning, where classes of students took turns demonstrating their language skills by performing songs for their distinguished guests.
Teachers from the school also spoke about their education program, which is at the forefront of an impassioned movement to preserve Salish culture.
“I think it was a good opportunity to show them our efforts with language revitalization. We were able to show that our kids and their families are really excited about it,” said Kasie Murphy Brazill, an instructor at the school.
“Re-establishing [the language] is important to us,” said tribal elder Pat Pierre, one of the most fluent Salish speakers remaining.
“We’re bringing back our culture by helping our young people get their identity in place so they never lose it,” Pierre added.
Cantwell was in Montana after being persuaded by Tester to visit the Treasure State. Tester has been touring around the state for the past five weeks.
Following their stop at KwaTaqNuk, the Senators were headed to a tour of housing projects in Pablo. They had spent the previous day in Missoula meeting with representatives from all seven Indian nations in Montana.