Pre and Post Field Trip
Main Question
What is the historical relationship between bison and the Se̓liš, Qlispe, and Ksanka tribes?
Objective
Students will use primary and secondary sources to prepare for their field trip and use discussion questions to reflect on their experience.
Background
Bison were very important to the Se̓liš, Qlispe, and Ksanka (Salish, Pend d’oreille, and Kootenai) for thousands of years. According to their history, when humans first came to Earth, bison were some of the first animals to volunteer to become food for humans and the tribes have always treated bison with respect and gratitude. Through hunting bison, they could create tools, clothing, shelter, and have food stored for winter. In return, the tribes would maintain the grasslands through controlled burns, creating habitat for the bison to live. One tribal elder is quoted as saying that ‘the lives of the bison and the tribes are very parallel. When bison go through good times, the tribes go through good times. When the bison go through bad times, the tribes go through bad times.’ In the late 1800s, the bison almost went extinct and the tribes were worried that there would be no more bison. In Montana, a Qlispe tribal member named ʔAtatíc̓eʔ decided to do something about the bison extinction. He loved bison very much and wanted to bring them to the Flathead Indian Reservation. He went to the three chiefs and asked for permission but the three chiefs said no. Although they also wanted to rescue the bison, they were worried that they would not be able to take care of them on the reservation. Twenty years later, ʔAtatíc̓eʔ’s son, Łatatí also asked for permission and was allowed to bring back 6 orphaned bison calves. These calves would eventually become the Pablo Allard Herd, a free roaming bison herd of 700 bison who lived on the Flathead Indian Reservation.
In 1904, Montana passed the Flathead Allotment Act and the tribes were forced to sell their bison. However, a few years later, the American Bison Society decided to create a wildlife refuge for bison. Taking some of the land away from the tribes, they build the National Bison Range and populated it with over forty bison from the original Pablo Allard Herd. The Bison Range was managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife until 2020, when it was restored to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
Procedure
Have students watch In the spirit of ʔAtatíc̓eʔ on youtube.
Have students break into groups and do their own research on bison extinction.
Have each group discuss the discussion questions and come up with a group answer.
Have groups report their answers and discuss as a class.
Have students each prepare one question that they wish to ask during the field trip. Try to have each student have a different question.
On return, have students get into former groups and discuss previous answers to questions.
As a class, discuss if the students want to change or update their previous answers.
Vocabulary
- Tradition
- Culture
- Restoration
- Allotment
- Reservation
- Extinction
Discussion Questions
- Why did the bison almost go extinct?
- What is the relationship between bison and the tribes?
- Why was the Bison Range was restored to the tribes?
- Why is it important that the tribes are able to share their story?
- What do you think the future of bison management might be?