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Tribes return to Virginia City

By JOSEPH WADSWORTH
Sho-Ban News
VIRGINIA CITY, Mont. – Virginia City Treaty Day Gathering was July 13 and 14, honoring the mixed-bands of Shoshone, Bannock and Sheepeater people.

Bobette Haskett, Manager of the Original Territories Historical Research Office, under the Language and Culture Department, said the Tribes returned to Virginia City, Mont. to commemorate the 150 Anniversary of the unratified Virginia City Treaty.

Haskett said as native people we still come back to our homelands to remember our people that lived here. “They occupied this territory where they hunted and gathered, living off the land.” (cont.)

Rancher gives buffalo jump tour

By JOSEPH WADSWORTH
Sho-Ban News
FRIES PLACE, Mont. — On July 13, at Sweetwater Creek, Mont., Jim Anderson who is a third-generation rancher, gave a tour to Shoshone-Bannock tribal members and local ranchers of a cultural site used by native people many years ago.

Anderson said he is not sure how long the buffalo jump has been there but people have said it’s been there for thousands of years.

A buffalo jump is a cliff formation that was used by tribal ancestors long ago to kill buffalo. (cont.)

Elders share culture & gathering knowledge

By JOSEPH WADSWORTH
Sho-Ban News
VIRGINIA CITY, Mont. — A panel discussion on cultural use area and gathering were conducted at the Virginia City community center Saturday, July 14, where Shoshone-Bannock tribal elders Lionel Boyer, Irving Pokibro, Louise Dixey and Darrell Shay spoke on their experiences about language and teachings they were taught.

Irving Pokibro spoke about language. He is a Bannock speaker from Fort Hall. He said there are not many Bannock speakers around anymore but back in his younger years, he lived in Lincoln Creek, “There was a lot of Bannocks that lived up there and made me feel good to talk to them, but they are all gone now.” (cont.)

Idaho Indian Education Summit

By ROSELYNN YAZZIE
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — The Idaho Indian Education Summit Southeast Regional focused on Readdressing Cultural Capital from the Indigenous perspective. It took place July 16 & 17 at the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel and Event Center.

Participants were welcomed with a grand opening ceremony on Monday morning. Medicine Thunder was there to sing for the occasion. Jessica James, Chairperson of the Planning Committee and Co-Chair of Idaho Indian Education Committee and Sho-Ban Tribes Tribal Youth Education manager welcomed all attendees. Other speakers were Kevin Satterlee, J.D. President of Idaho State University and Selena Grace, Vice Provost of Academic Affairs at ISU. (cont.)

Dr. Yolanda Bisbee explains teaching culture v. teaching culturally

By LACEY WHELAN
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — University of Idaho Executive Director of Tribal Relations, Dr. Yolanda Bisbee, helps facilitate the conversations between the University of Idaho and the different tribes throughout the state of Idaho.

She also partners with the University of Idaho in helping with identifying the statuses of the ten reservations in the region.

Bisbee is an enrolled member of the Nez Perce Tribe, as well as a Mexican American.

She was part of the TRIO Upward Bound Program specifically for the Nez Perce Reservation and the Coeur d’Alene Reservation. She took part in writing several grants for various programs, including the CAMP program. (cont.)

Sneak preview of 'In Good Faith' previewed at Virginia City Treaty Day Gathering

By JOSEPH WADSWORTH
Sho-Ban News
VIRGINIA CITY, Mont. — On Saturday, July 14, a sneak preview of the film “In Good Faith” was shown in Virginia City.

NAKA Productions did the preview that follows the research of Washington State University Professor of History Dr. Orlan Svingen and his students. Prior to filming Svingen spent a total of ten years researching the unratified Virginia City Treaty signed on September 24, 1868. Chief Tendoy, who was the leader of the mixed band of Shoshone, Bannock and Sheepeater people, negotiated the treaty in southwestern Montana. (cont.)