1973-05-15 Char-Koosta News

              CHAR-
SAL/SH KOOTENAI AND PEND'd ORIELLES TRIBES
CHARLO
KOOSTAHTAH
KOOSTA
SMIMII (Salish: News)
Volume 3 - Number 2     Full Moon of Blooming Bitterroot (May 15, 1973) Price 15 Cents
The Bitterroot:
Nourishing the Tribe
St. Ignatius (Char-Koosta):  Spetlem (Salish), the Bitter root, has been blessed and may now be harvested and drie for food throughout the coming year.
The spirit of nature was thanked for the wholesome plant root at a Bitterroot feast last Wednesday in the St Ignatius Community Center. Chanting the blessing song to J the feast and the Bitterroot were Pete WcKx'-ock and Johnnie Arlee. Mose Chouteh (Cow Tail) thanked the spirit for the bounty of the crop and aske ' ^hat both the people and the Bitterroot might be sustainec *or another year. He also asked the spirit to continue t;.. old ways through the young people of the tribe.
Following the blessing and thanks came the feast. Some 100 persons enjoyed a traditional bitterroot feast meal of boiled Bitterroot and Sarvice Berries (see page 6 for reci-pies), fried bread and boiled meat. The celebrants were also
erved ham. salads and Dies. The meal was prepared bv Mary Linsbiegler, Mrs. Hank IVLLeod, Mrs. Octave Finley and elen Adams.
^JThe bitterroot was provided by Johnnie Arlee and his Indian Studies Class from Arlee High School. Arlee and his 13 students went down to the fields west of Missoula Wednesday morning to pick the feast bitterroot in one of the traditional Salish grounds.
Bitterroots gathered for the feast are dug early. . . usually before their prime. This is because nobody is allowed to dig the plant for their own use before it has been Messed at a feast. The bitterroot is in its prime stage just after the feast and the people have about one week to gather a vears supply before the plant blossoms into its characteristic pink flowers.
Other dishes at the feast were provided by the Community Action Program       ( More starting on page b)
KYI-YO Speakers On Indian Youth
Missoula (Char-Koosta): Montana Governor Tom Judge was the first of five speakers to address the fifth annual Kyi Yo Indian Youth Days at the University of Montana.
Judge, who had proclaimed the week of the conference "Montana Indian Week", key-noted a program which included Navajo Tribal Chairman Peter McDonald, Hopi religious leader Thomas Banyaka, U.ofM. Indian Studies Director Henrietta Whiteman and Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, William Keeler.
The three day conference started May 3 and brought together Indians from Montana and the United States and Canada. The theme of this year's program was "Cultural Integrity"
(continued on page 5)
Reservation
Hendrickson and Matt To Go On European Junket   Schools
Dixon (Char-Koosta):  Two reservation Indian high-school girls will see Europe and Russia this summer, complements of the Tribe.
Alethea Lynn Hendrickson, 17, a Junior at St. Ignatius High School and Shannon Ronette Matt, 16, a Sophomore at Arlee High will take part in the 45 day "Person to Person" tour starting June 17. The tour is a cultural exchange program started during the I950's by President Eisenhower. The program includes home-stays with families in various European countries.
The girls were selected from a number of high-school candidates last montn by a reservation-wide meeting of Johnson O'Malley Committeemen. The girls were selected on their knowledge of Indian customs and history and their ability to communicate with others. Alternate choices to Miss Matt and Miss Hendrickson were: Lenette Perkins, Shelley Fyant, Terry McDonald, Merna Adams and John Big Crane.
Both of the girls are Indian studies students. Miss Matt is a member of Johnny Arlee's Youth Drum and Singing Group and is taking Indian studies at Arlee High School. Miss Hendrickson is enrolled in the Indian Studies Program at St. Ignatius High School.
ine trip will take in seven buropean countries....England, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, and Switzerland . . . and will include home stays in London, Berlin, Vienna and Copenhagen. The Tribal Council is footing the $2,000 expenses
Meet Slated
Ronan (Char-Koosta): A reservation-wide conference on Indian Education has been slated for August 24 and 25 at the Ronan Community Center.
The meet will deal not only with the problems of Indian students but will also focus on the mechanics of school systems. It is hoped the dual nature of the conference will bring out the reasons why schools do not deal effectively with Indian education needs and come up with some solutions to the problem.
The meet was called and a tentative program drawn up Monday night at a meeting of the Reservation JOM Conference Steering Committee. Also attending the meeting was Earl Barlow, Indian Education Director for the State Department of Education and Tribal Human Resources Officers, (cont. on page 3)