Memories and perspectives of the Salish people of the upper Bitterroot Valley on the Lewis and Clark Expedition
“[A] remarkable and beautifully produced book. . . . It flips the
standard lens of history to portray a critical American historical
event from the perspective of the Salish people of western Montana.
. . . Perhaps the most important reason the authors were able to
write such a compelling narrative is the three decades of cultural
preservation work, including extensive interviews with tribal
elders that have been recorded and stored in the tribal community.
This truly beautiful book is a community-based project.”—David R.M.
Beck, Oregon Historical Quarterly
“With this book of sacred texts, legends, and narratives presented
with significant scholarly attention and consideration, the Salish
people proudly take their place at the academic table. We are
treated to an exceptional journey into oralcy and oral history,
manifesting a truly unique Native perspective and
epistemology.”—Jay Hansford C. Vest, American Indian Quarterly
“Through this multi-voiced tribal history of the Salish people and
homeland, we come to understand the Lewis and Clark Expedition as
one small moment in a vast narrative of Salish history. We see that
Lewis and Clark were traveling through a deeply storied Indigenous
homeland, mapped through placenames, which each carry their own
stories of creation and continuation. . . . This book gives all of
its readers the opportunity to listen, to pay attention, and to
learn. The Salish People and the Lewis and Clark Expedition is a
model for how to create a collective tribal history, based on a
collaborative, intergenerational process. The awe-inspiring images
and words are a gift, not only for the community today, but for
future generations.”—Lisa Brooks, author of Our Beloved Kin: A New
History of King Philip’s War
“From Elders to authors to publishers, all stress a similar
theme—the book finally gives American Indians a chance to tell
their own story.”—Peter Bulger, The Missoulian
“The indigenous peoples of the United States have the benefit of a
recent view of history. The tradition of oral history is also of
great worth. ‘The Salish People’ preserves the viewpoint of the
conquered. It also highlights the fact that all Montana’s tribes
are at a crossroads. I give this book a thumbs up.”—Billings
Outpost
“It may provoke some fans of Jefferson and/or the Lewis and Clark
expedition to echo the question sometimes attributed to General
Custer and Little Big Horn: ‘Where did all these Indians come
from?’”—John Goodspeed, The Star-Democrat
“[An] informative volume compiled by elders of the affiliated
Salish, Pend d’Oreille, and Kootenai tribes. The book is richly
illustrated with contemporary and historical art and
photography.”—We Proceeded On
“A beautifully illustrated book built upon the foundation of tribal
oral tradition.”—Journal of the West
“A refreshing account of the meeting between the Salish and
expedition members.”—South Dakota History
“Superb. . . . A unique Native American history. . . . A model for
other Indian groups to follow in reconstructing their own
history.”—Howard R. Lamar, Sterling Professor Emeritus of History
and former president of Yale University
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