Students open eyes and minds to environmental ethics and cultural awareness

MOIESE VALLEY - The annual fourth and fifth grade river honoring took place last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday on the banks of a glistening Lower Flathead River.

Sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the event brought together wildlife specialists, educators and tribal elders with the purpose of introducing Lake County students to the river's treasures and tribulations.

According to CSKT Information and Education Specialist Germaine White, providing students with a first-hand environmental education experience is the only way they will learn to be good stewards of the environment.

"This is our future," White said. "Educating students about the things that we value is the only way we can ensure that we will have a healthy environment and healthy resources in the future."

Salish Kootenai College held the first river honoring event in 1986 to serve as a reminder of the significant role the river played in the Tribe's history, how it continues to be important now and how it will be in the future. Original festivities included a river float trip, feast and an open mic forum for stories, concerns or tributes to the river and the community.

In 1994, in an effort to share these values with the younger generations, area fourth and fifth graders were invited to attend. Groups rotated through 20 educational stations manned by volunteers in biology, fisheries, and Native American arts and games.

Virgil Dupuis, with the SKC extension office, is a river honoring veteran. Complete with flowing water, Dupuis' station asked students to compare two streams: one running through a vegetated scene to one who's banks have been cleared for farming and development.

Students guessed correctly that the temperature in the sheltered stream is cooler, a better environment for fish and wildlife to find respite from the hot sun; they pointed out that building a new home on the edge of a stream can cause erosion issues that damage both the water source and the home and they decided that the river with trees and shrubs was much more ideal for a fishing trip, rope swing and swimming.

In addition to teaching environmental ethics and awareness, the various stations give kids exposure at an early age to the tribe's many programs.

CSKT wildlife biologists, Janene Litchtenberg and Whisper Camel, worked with SKC students Bruce Maestas and Austin Moran to run a trivia game, which asked students to identify animals from the gray wolf to a weasel.

Aaron Sisson, a wildlife technician at the National Bison Range helped his groups assemble an entire bison skeleton, bone-for-bone.

Lance Hawkins from Tribal Fitness and Naomi Kuka, a volunteer, gave the kids a chance to do what they do best: Run around and play. Traditional games like "Shinny" and "Run and Scream" were big hits.

"We played these games to get strong, so the women and children would not fall behind when they had to walk and carry possessions to the next village site," Kuka said. "We played run and scream to build up our lung capacity. It teaches you to be able to run and scream a long way."

Dan McClure of Tribal Fish and Game discussed the issues of habitat and overpopulation. Students learned what exactly is "bear habitat" and what they can do at home to keep bears away. If a bear becomes too familiar in close proximity to humans, that animal must be relocated or put to rest.

Students gaped at the big metal bear trap that McClure brought to the River Honoring. He showed them the inside and explained that it is a very dangerous piece of equipment, not a toy.

"We have six bear traps for 1.8-million acres," McClure said to the students.

If possible, bears are relocated to opposite ends of the reservation.

"We would like to be their last resort," he said.

According to White, one of the most valuable evaluation tools she has are the letters she receives from the students about what they learned and what they liked the best.

"We get so many letters from students," she said. "They really enjoy it."

Dupuis said the educators and volunteers enjoy the opportunity to spend a few days outside in the sunshine, too.

"There is a good sense of community," he said. "Everyone seems to have a good time."