Keep Kootenai culture strong
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Editor,
I want my letter published in last week’s edition and this letter to serve as a civics lesson for our future Kootenai generations so they continue passing on Kootenai culture and history to their children and become even more involved in our tribal government.
I am 84 years old and the great-great granddaughter of Chief Issac Big Knife and the granddaughter of Sub Chief Baptiste Mathias. The oral history they passed on to Mary Antieste, and Mary Hewankorn and me, most always centered around how Kootenai parents need to make sure that our children have “say so” over themselves, and that they are equally represented in our tribal government.
When I was younger, I drove the Marys to many council meetings where we spoke about inequities Kootenai people were subjected to since being forced to have to share our homeland with newcomer tribes. We lobbied for equal representation on our tribal council for parents to have more employment, for programs, and housing. You parents keep lobbying your council.
Kootenai parents: continue teaching your future generations to be civic minded, attend the election forums and vote. Teach your children to tell their council leaders what it is they need to make life better for themselves. Kootenai traditional parenting always required parents to teach their children to be inquiring, emotionally-intelligent thinkers. This is the parenting Kootenai survival is founded on. We would not be here today if we allowed others to control us. Sometimes it’s necessary to question authority and change old, outdated policies and leaders when needed.
Our Kootenai Chief Michel refused to travel to Hell Gate to sign the Treaty. He knew others would be in control of our decisions and it would be to our demise. So we Kootenai must make sure that half of the tribal council seats are held by us Kootenai so we protect our precious homeland. This is the only way we will have say over ourselves and prevent others from telling us who we are. Our vote is power.
Margaret Friedlander
Dayton
