Salish elder, culture keeper passes
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ST. IGNATIUS — Alexander Junior “Alec” Quequesah’s funeral was slated to begin at 11 a.m. on April 7 at the Longhouse in St. Ignatius. Family and friends began filing by his casket to pay their respects and say their goodbyes at 10 a.m. So many people came to honor Alec that the funeral didn’t begin until 1 p.m. on a sunny Tuesday.
“That’s how many lives he’s touched,” Germaine White said.
Alec, 62, went to be with the Great Creator on April 5. He was born to Ignace Eneas and Anastasia Finley Quequesah on April 27, 1952, one of 11 brothers and sisters, and the only child to be born in a hospital, the Holy Family Hospital in St. Ignatius, according to his obituary. In addition, Alec had seven half-siblings, and was the last survivor of all the children. He grew up in a Salish-speaking home.
“To any group, the language and the culture is the foundation of who they are,” said Tony Incashola, head of the Salish Culture Committee.
“Alec is definitely going to leave a big void, not only in the community but in the tribe as a whole, with his knowledge of his culture and his language,” Incashola continued.
Alec was 16 when he met his future wife Betty McLeod. The Quequesahs were married for 46 years and had four children and many adopted children, as well as grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and lots of family.
With a strong baritone voice, Alec served as powwow emcee around the area.
“When I think of him, I think of his big voice, his humor,” Incashola said. “I mean there was something about him that made you relax and brought everything to a stand still; he had your attention.”
Incashola said Alec loved humor; he loved telling jokes about people or about himself, and nobody escaped.
“When people first saw him or met him, they’d think ‘This guy is awful and mean,’ but when he starts talking, they find he’s gentle and willing to share. He was willing to share anything that he knew with anybody,” Incashola said.
Alec had cultural information and delivered it in a unique way, making him one of the most valuable cultural resources that Salish people had, according to Vernon Finley, Tribal Chairman for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
“With his passing, the Salish culture has changed in a significant way — just from any further information and learning,” Finley said. “There was so much culturally that he knew and shared internally with tribal members; it’s just a tremendous loss.”
Incashola agreed, saying that at 62, Alec possessed as much knowledge as someone who would be in his 80s or 90s.
“Alec left footprints all over western Montana, Washington, Oregon, even into Canada,” Incashola said. “People are going to have a hard time realizing he’s gone.”
