Who Are the Salish-Kootenai?
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) comprise three distinct peoples—Bitterroot Salish (Séliš), Pend d'Oreilles (Ql̓ispé), and Kootenai (Ksanka)—with approximately 8,000 enrolled members. They occupy the Flathead Reservation in northwestern Montana, 1.3 million acres in the Mission Valley and surrounding mountains. The Salish and Pend d'Oreilles speak Interior Salish languages (Salish-Spokane-Kalispel); the Kootenai speak an isolate language unrelated to any other. These peoples, though culturally distinct, were consolidated on a single reservation by the 1855 Hellgate Treaty. The CSKT are known for progressive self-governance, environmental leadership, and successful economic development.
Three Peoples, One Nation
The three tribes maintain distinct identities within the confederacy. The Bitterroot Salish (Flathead) originally occupied the Bitterroot Valley; their name came from neighbors' description of their head-shaping practices. The Pend d'Oreilles ("ear pendant" in French) inhabited the area around Flathead Lake. The Kootenai, linguistically isolated, ranged from Montana into British Columbia and Idaho. All three adopted horse culture in the 1700s, becoming skilled equestrians who hunted buffalo on the Plains while maintaining mountain homelands. Despite being forced onto a single reservation, each tribe preserves distinct language and cultural practices within the confederated structure.
Self-Governance Leadership
The CSKT are pioneers in tribal self-governance. Under the 1975 Indian Self-Determination Act, they assumed control of BIA and IHS programs; the 1988 Self-Governance Demonstration Project expanded this authority. The tribes operate their own fish, wildlife, and recreation management; their wildlife program has successfully restored bison, grizzly bears, and other species. The purchase of Kerr Dam on the Flathead River (2015) made them one of few tribes owning major hydropower facilities. Salish Kootenai College, chartered in 1977, provides higher education. This track record demonstrates tribes' capacity for effective self-governance—a model for Indian Country.
Contemporary CSKT
Modern CSKT balance traditional values with economic development. S&K Technologies, a tribally-owned defense contractor, provides high-skill employment. Timber operations, agriculture, and Kerr Dam revenues support tribal programs. Language revitalization includes immersion schools and documentation projects; Salish has more speakers than many endangered languages but remains threatened. The American Indian Religious Freedom Act helped protect the tribes' sacred sites. Water rights settlements, negotiated over decades, ensure water for the reservation's future. Cultural programs maintain traditional knowledge—from plant gathering to ceremonies. How the CSKT continue innovative self-governance while preserving three distinct cultures shapes this confederacy's future in the Montana mountains.
References
- Salish-Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee. (2005). The Salish People and the Lewis and Clark Expedition
- Trosper, R. L. (2007). \"Indigenous Influence on Forest Management on the Menominee Indian Reservation\"
- Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. (2020). Tribal History Program Documentation