Salish Language School visits Alberton

“Our people were the first people to live on this land, and our people will be the last ones to leave it,” Allen Pierre told the student body of the Alberton School District recently. 

The gymnasium became a classroom for Native American history last week when the Nkwusm Salish Language School from Arlee performed traditional dance and drumming in authentic Salish attire that the students had made themselves. 

Allen is the school's Cultural Arts Teacher and his students learn a wide array of topics, including why they drum, sing and dance and when this is done. He instructs how to craft, sew, create outfits, toys and drum skins and their structure. He incorporates the science aspects of their culture into his curriculum where one of his teachings is about animals. 

"Why we treat animals with respect and why we thank them for providing for us such as meat, clothing or tools. The respect we must have for the animals as they gave their lives for our survival. And to honor them we give an offering and use every part of that animal," he explained to the Alberton students. 

Allen gave details on sewing hides and beads together using the students as models by explaining the meaning of each part. Why the ermine skin was on the back of one of the students. River otter skins as a shawl. The eagle feathers he pointed out that are illegal to own unless you are of native culture. 

One young dancer had a vest with elk-ivories hand sewn in neatly placed rows and Allen said that as she grows older, more teeth will be added. He also teaches their indigenous sciences and used an example of spiritual gathering. 

“When our people go into the forest to gather small berries, we only take what we need," he said. "And from those, we take some of our berries and replace them in the dirt as an offering and thanks so we can return again.”

Another teacher who spoke to the students was Gene Nč̓esls Beaverhead who is a language teacher and a fluent Salish speaker. He uses his traditional teachings as well, passing everything he can onto the students. In his class everything is spoken in the Salish language apart from English reading and some aspects of math.

Shanna White has been the English Reading Teacher the past eight years. 

“Nkwusm means ‘One fire, One family’,” she shared. “Our school goes from preschool through eighth grade and at the preschool level, we have about 10 students and two teachers. They stay with us through eighth grade when we have a powwow graduation ceremony and then off they go to a secondary school their families choose for them,” she explained. 

And yes, they are working on developing their own high school. 

White is of Blackfeet heritage and grew up in Browning, then moved to western Montana with her husband, who is Salish, 15 years ago.  She explained that the kindergartners start learning English and Salish with two totally different alphabets and that student’s do not have to be of Native American descent, but it does give them priority for admission, as they have a healthy waiting list. 

When asked the percentage of learning of the culture and history of the Salish people, versus what is taught in Montana public schools, White said, “I’d say all of it outside of math, which I also teach, and the English curriculum.”

Presentations like the one Alberton School held are common for the school. 

“A lot of the schools reach out to the school and have us do presentations like this,” White said. “Our students enjoy them as they get to showcase our culture. It’s important for all of our students, not just in Montana, to better understand indigenous communities.”

Jesse White is in the sixth grade and has been a student since he was 8 years old and is one of Shanna’s children. He was wearing the largest headdress and carried the flag in the ceremony. 

When asked if he was Salish, he politely answered, “Yes sir. And I’m Blackfeet, too. I’m actually a bronc rider. I go to rodeos and compete.” 

His little brother, Wylee, recently won the 2023 World Champion PeeWee Bareback Rider status and Jesse is going in that direction, too. 

“The farthest away I’ve been is Phoenix, Arizona, getting on broncs.” He said he busted his arm early this year and gets hurt often, but one can tell he’s a die-hard competitor.

Other staff members also in attendance were Dan Smallsalmon Brown who teaches Salish language, and Laurencia Starblanket who teaches Salish language and math besides being one of the dancers in the Fancy Dance Style demonstration. Chaney Bell teaches adult language and is also a co-creator for the Salish Language Curriculum.

“I’ve known about this school for years, even back when I taught in Darby, but have never seen them until today,” said Alberton School Superintendent Damian Droessler. “Through a friend of a friend, I made contact (with the school) and we set this up for today. I feel that this is going to be a memorable experience. For all of us!”, he grinned.

 When the Nkwusm Salish Language School left Alberton, they went to the site where the Bonner Dam used to be at the confluence of the Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers. In Salish it’s called Naaycčstm (place of the big bull trout) and it was a pathway for Salish and other tribes for hunting, fishing, harvesting and gathering. It is also the location of a Salish gravesite even though the person is unknown because it is significant to the students knowing that they have an ancestor buried there. 

They were shown where the burial was and reminded to walk and act with reverence. Respecting their ancestors' graves as well as the land that once gave so much to Indigenous people.

    Traditional dancing and drumming were a large part of the exhibition from the Nkwusm Salish Language School for the students and administration of Alberton School. (Photo provided)
  

    The Nkwusm Salish Language School from Arlee performs traditional dance and drumming in authentic Salish attire at Alberton School. (Photo provided)
  

    The Nkwusm Salish Language School from Arlee performs traditional dance and drumming in authentic Salish attire at Alberton School. (Photo provided)
  

    The Nkwusm Salish Language School from Arlee performs traditional dance and drumming in authentic Salish attire at Alberton School. (Photo provided)