Various scenes from the Agai-Dika 102nd Gathering. (Sara Broncho photo/illustration)

Rain holds off long enough for Beaversack Run
to be completed up Lemhi Pass

By Sara Broncho
Sho-Ban News
SALMON — The Agai Dika 102nd Gathering was conducted June12-14 in Tendoy and Salmon. The campers set up their sleeping quarters on Friday at Hayden Creek encampment.
Two teepees and many tents were scattered among the trees as a community campfire sat in the middle where chairs sat as an invitation to sit and visit.
The Arriwite family was busy gearing up for the meals to be served during the event. There were dogs, kids riding bikes and playing ball and each vehicle arriving brought more Indians.
After camp was set and dinner was digesting the children sat around the fire roasting marshmallows and listening to scary stories going to bed with one eye peeking out.
Early Saturday morning sunrise prayers song was sung by Lemuel Stone and Lionel Boyer burned cedar as everyone smudged themselves.
Leo Arriwite, Cultural Coordinator, spoke about tribal history in the area.
Many chiefs that aren’t recognized are buried in different locations and this entire valley we have our people buried up and down this valley, as well as Pahsimeroi, and all the way up in to Sawtooth.
The last known Indian battle was a valley above the known main encampment in Baker and the story goes as an Indian boy was fishing he saw Blackfeet warriors up on the hill, went back to camp to tell, and went out to meet the invaders.
The battle was above Baker, and a couple slivers of trees mark where the last one (Blackfeet) was killed.
“They wiped out the Blackfeet raiding party, nobody was left alive.” There was another battle in East Fork, but they let one person go and told him to never to come back ever again. He left and that is why the Blackfeet never came back again into the valley.
“So our people are protective of our homeland and that’s the way we should be, protect our homeland,” said Arriwite. He said support is what the council needs to see and that people do come back, not just one or two families, but that there are more connected to this place. He thanked Stone and those who added their gifts and talents to the event.
“Today’s going to be a big day for the people who are going to run,” said Lionel Boyer and invited the Beaversack descendants to speak about the day’s run event.
Yvette Tuell, spoke on behalf of her family and descendants of the Beaversack name.
“This morning our family had offered to sponsor the run for this year. We thought we would honor those names that are no longer here with us,” and, “Our family thought we’d honor those names by sponsoring this run on behalf of those people that are gone.”
Our family got together and decided that we would honor our family name, which is Beaversack and that is where Towersap and Wenee names come from. So we were one of the families originally removed from this area,” she explained.
Boyer invited anyone to speak. Darrell Shay said he had done research of his families history and further back down the line the Grouse name is his ancestor and that is also a name on the monument wall.
Leo also said his grandmother’s sister was Elmira Beaversack; she was a Honena and married into the Beaversack family.
The Beaversack's were the last to leave the valley around 1910. There were Indians still living in the middle fork and her sister would ride off for the summer visiting people in the middle fork area and people still lived back there even though the people in the valley were forced to leave.
Boyer added the people of Fort Hall are not just simply from Fort Hall.
“We come from a long group of people, different valleys, different areas, but we all have connections to here.” There’s a Bannock Trail coming from the Weiser, from the Baker area through the middle fork, and there’s stories about it and a lot of people don’t know those trails, but, it goes all the way up back to Oregon country and it’s important we have stories about it because that’s what can verify exactly what our range was.
“They always put us in a small place and actually were from a big area we’re not just one band of people, we’re many bands of people.” Boyer said he is of the Weiser, Baker, Oregon country. We come from all different areas to end up at Fort Hall. When they chased our people from Indian valley, Hidden Valley, above Boise Valley, a lot came through here and stayed here and then to Fort Hall and the names are on the monument.
“We encompassed the whole area, and keep that in mind as you go into the history of your people,” and “Make it a good day today.” The Beaversack run had 84 runners — the numbers have increased each of the three years it has been going on.
“We started out with few and last year we had a good number and this year we had “It turned out to be pretty exciting,” said Boyer.
The runners came in a range of ages all with one goal on their mind, to make it to the top of the pass. The runners registered and began a long day’s journey threw the winding road and up the steep hillsides.
Fort Hall Fire Chief, Val Navo and EMS were present to assist in case of emergencies. They delivered water, snacks and rides, along with family and friends traveling back and forth to make sure everybody was okay. Runners and walkers traveled at their own pace.
Under an overcast day with breaks in the clouds made for a cool airy run. Anyone reaching his or her limit caught rides as other persevered.
After the tenth mile a steep climb pushed the participants into a physical and mental challenge through strains in muscle and fatigue. Not all of the participants won prizes, but all brought back the award of challenging themselves and taking part.
On Sunday the Lamere family catered a full course salmon and buffalo meal at the Sacajawea Center, and an exhibition powwow followed. Winners of the Beaversack run were announced at the Sacajawea Center. Gwyn Towersap, Beaversack descendant announced the winners of the run/walk event. Youth first place was Winston Rodriguez and Josie Tuell; adults first place Lemuel Stone and Carolee Papse, and first place eldest was Lathaniel Nappo and Donna Honena. Arriwite thanked the Towersap and Wenee family for organizing the run and announced that the Honena and Diaz family volunteered to sponsor and coordinate the run for next year. Arriwite also mentioned they were looking for another family to take over the task of cooking meals during the encampment for next year and any family willing should step forward. He thanked everyone and encouraged the citizens of Salmon, Idaho to also participate next year.

Coby testifies at Senate hearing

By Laverne Beech
Tribal Public Affairs
FORT HALL — Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Chairman Alonzo Coby will testify before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Thursday, June 25, on S. 797, the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2009.
The hearing is webcast at 12:15 p.m. MST June 25 and is expected to include testimony from the new Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Larry EchoHawk and U.S. Assistant Attorney General Tom Perrelli.
The law and order bill was introduced on April 2 by U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, to strengthen law enforcement and justice in Indian communities. The most recent Senate colleague joining Dorgan in sponsoring the legislation is Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), who was asked by the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes on June 10 to consider being a bill co-sponsor. Sen. Crapo is a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.
According to a committee press release, S. 797 is in response to severe underfunding of tribal police and court programs, and a confusing, ineffective system of justice that has resulted in “epidemic” levels on violent crimes on many reservations. The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes hope the legislation, along with the opening of the tribes’ new Justice Center next year, will result in improved public safety and justice system services at Fort Hall.
“The bill seeks to address a critically serious problem for Indian Country – effective law enforcement. The present status of Indian Country law enforcement has resulted in victimization of reservation families, increased drug trafficking and it has deterred economic development. Reservation residents deserve to be protected and to feel safe where they live,” said Chairman Coby. For more information about the hearing, visit the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs website at http://indian.senate.gov/public/.
In addition to attending the hearing, Chairman Coby, council members Nathan Small and Lee Juan Tyler and tribal staff members Arnold Appeney, Marlin Fellows and Will Edmo III will be meeting with Bureau of Indian Affairs officials June 25 about securing ongoing operations and maintenance funding for the Justice Center. Attorneys Paul and Mark EchoHawk are also attending the meeting.
The tribes will also be participating in EchoHawk’s public swearing in ceremony planned for 8 a.m. MST Friday, June 26. Gifferd Osborne, Lance Tissidimit, Talon Lee Tohtsoni, LaGrand, Keno and Chasen Coby are all traveling to D.C. to participate in EchoHawk’s swearing in ceremony, along with Randy’L Teton. The BIA will release further details about the event.

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