The Salish Tribe of Montana
The Salish Tribe, also known as the Flathead, represents a significant branch of the Salishan linguistic family, a group to which they lent their name. Their historical territory encompassed a large portion of western Montana, primarily centered around the Flathead Lake and valley. This tribe was encountered by the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1806, who referred to them as the Flathead Indians. Despite the common misconception that the name originated from the practice of flattening infants’ skulls using boards, this is a myth. The Salish people never engaged in head flattening. Instead, they were called "flat head" because their heads did not have the pointed shape characteristic of neighboring tribes who practiced vertical head-binding. The Salish referred to themselves as Séliš (pronounced SEH-lish), which, when anglicized, became Salish, meaning "the people."
Lifestyle and Culture
The Salish people led a lifestyle deeply intertwined with the natural resources of their environment. In the spring and summer months, they gathered a variety of roots, vegetables, and berries, supplementing their diet with various types of fish. Some of the fish they caught were dried to ensure a food supply throughout the year. As autumn approached, the men primarily focused on hunting deer and elk, while the women were responsible for drying meats and preparing hides for clothing. The Salish also hunted buffalo, although this was less frequent due to their separation from buffalo country by their powerful adversaries, the Blackfeet.
The Salish adorned their clothing with natural dyes and intricate porcupine quill decorations. They crafted tools from stone, bones, and wood, demonstrating their resourcefulness and skill. Their dwellings consisted of houses made of bark and reeds, as well as skin tipis, reflecting their adaptability to different environments and seasons.
Interaction with Europeans and the Fur Trade
The early 1800s marked the beginning of the fur trade in the Salish territory, following the Lewis and Clark expedition. The arrival of trappers led to the elimination of countless animals, profoundly altering the tribe’s way of life. Between 1815 and 1820, the Iroquois arrived in the territory, bringing news of the influential "black robes," the Jesuit missionaries who had ministered to them since the 1600s.
Prior to this, a Salish prophet named Shining Shirt had envisioned men in long black robes coming to the Salish people, offering different medicines and prayers. The Salish interpreted the Iroquois stories as a sign and invited the Jesuits to Western Montana. Unbeknownst to them, the Jesuits aimed to assimilate the tribe through religious conversion. Consequently, the Salish were compelled to abandon much of their culture and spiritual practices in the years that followed. However, Jesuit missionary Pierre Jean De Smet, who founded the St. Mary’s Mission in the Bitterroot Valley among the Salish in 1841, successfully persuaded the Blackfeet to make peace.
Treaty of Hell Gate and Present-Day
The Salish, along with the Pend d’Oreille and Kootenai tribes, ceded their lands in Montana and Idaho to the United States through the Treaty of Hell Gate on July 16, 1855. However, most Salish Indians resisted moving to the reservation until around 1872.
Today, they form part of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes, residing on the 1.3 million-acre Flathead Reservation in northwest Montana.
This revised article provides a more detailed and descriptive account of the Salish Tribe’s history, culture, and interactions with Europeans, while maintaining an informative tone.