Curriculum
Cultural Protocol
The lessons that you have before you include information fro three different American Indian communities. This knowledge has been carefully preserved for future generations. Some of the stories that support the lessons are part of the traditional teachings that explain natural phenomena or teach a life lesson. Often such stories are brought only during wintertime. Among the Salish, Pend d'Oreille and Kootenai Tribes, Coyote stories are told only during the winter months. Some people wait for the first snow to be on the ground, and others wait for deep cold when you can hear the trees pop. That is when you know that the hibernating animals are sleeping. In honoring this tradition, we ask the teacher to use these stories only durng the appropriate winter season. In doing so, you will teach your students respect and you will be continuing a tradition handed down generationally from time immemorial. The authors of the lessons thank you for keeping the storytelling tradition alive.
Historical and Cultural Overview
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Ancestors of the twelve aboriginal tribes that now comprise the Colville Confederatd Tribes were nomads who followed the seasons in search of food. Their territories were grouped primarily around waterways such as the Columbia River, the San Poil river, the Okanogan River, the Snake River and the Wallowa River. These people traveled throughout the Northwest into Canada and often gathered with other groups for tradtional activities. more. . . . |
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The Flathead Indian Reservation is located in northwestern Montana on the western slope of teh Continental Divide. The exterior boundaries of the reservation include portions of four counties - Flathead, Lake, Missoula, and Sanders. The Flathead Reservation land base consists of approximately 1,243,000 acres. The eastern border of teh reservation is at the top of the Mission Range of the Rocky Mountains. Flathead lake and the Cabinet Mountain Range are to the north; the Lower Flathead River runs through the heart of the reseration; and to the wet are the Salish Mountains and rolling prairie lands. . more. . . . |
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Nimiipuu (The People) Since time immemorial, the Nimiipuu, also known as the Nez Perce, have had a close connection to the land in which they lived. Today, this relationship continues. The Tribe is a living culture in which the traditions and teachings fromt he environment, animals, plants, and oral histories are actively practiced and preserved. more. . . . |
