Region's tribes celebrate a rich, diverse heritage

Long before the white man set foot on what is now called the Great Basin (the area around Lake Pend d'Oreille) the land was populated by three tribes of Indians, the Kutenai, Kalispel, and the Coeur d'Alene's.

The Kutenai lived in the northern part of the Great Basin. From Idaho, they spread into Canada, Montana, and Washington. The Kutenai were nomadic and in the summer would move to the plains of Montana to hunt bison. The meat was transported to the winter quarters by dogs and later by horses. Other than meat, their diet also consisted of berries, nuts, roots, wild vegetables, and the many animals found in the area. Food was stored in underground caches to keep it from spoiling and protect it from wild animals.

The Kutenai were excellent fishermen and built traps to be placed in the area's many lakes and streams. Fishing was done in groups with each person having an assigned job to perform. The women would clean and prepare the fish by drying or cooking it for meals. The Kutenai were almost entirely dependent on the plants and meat they secured in the summer. Occasionally, a deer or elk would be killed in the winter to supplement their diet.

The Kutenai did not follow just one all-powerful chief. There were fishing chiefs, a war chief, hunting chiefs, and some others. These chiefs were chosen for their past acts of bravery or for their knowledge and wisdom. Often the religious leader was the Sun Dance Leader and the most powerful person in the tribe.

The Kalispel tribes lived further south than the Kutenai and were found in the area around the lake and the nearby forests. Their territory stretched as far as Canada, Washington, and Montana from Idaho. They lived in much smaller groups than the Kutenai and usually maintained a good trade relationship with the Spokane, Coeur d'Alene, and Kutenai. Their trading also incorporated some of the Plains Indians.

The hunting practices were similar to the Kutenai and there was a move each year to the Great Plains to hunt Bison. But this was done to a lesser degree than the Kutenai. Their diet was about the same as their neighbors to the north. Most of the gathering and the preparation of meat were done by the women, while the men did the fishing and hunting. Like the Kutenai, everything they used came from what they killed or picked up from the land around them. Their food, tools, clothes and shelter came from the land.

The Kalispel government was much like the mayor-council form of government. Their leaders had limited power and what power they had came mostly from persuasion and by setting a good example for the tribe to follow. The headman of the tribe was appointed by the council.

The Coeur d' Alene Indians in Idaho lived in the territory around Lake Coeur d'Alene and extended as far as Washington and Montana. They obtained their food supply in much the same way as did the Kalispel and Kutenai.

The Coeur d'Alene traveled to the south to fish and traveled east to hunt for game. Their hunting practices were much like the Kalispel and Kutenai. They did some hunting in the winter because they had a slightly milder climate. The Coeur d'Alene maintained an active trade with the other tribes of the region.

The tribes of this section of Idaho, Washington, Montana, and Canada used to come to what is now City Beach in Sandpoint to hold their annual pow-wows. There were games, dancing, and active trading of goods. The town people would join in the fun and there was often a baseball game between the locals and the Indians that was played on Humbird Field across from today's Lincoln School.