The Nespelem tribune. [volume] (Nespelem, Wash.) 1934-1936, 1935-07-10
Explains History
OF Indian Feast
Had Origin Many Years Ago;
Celebrate On July Fourth
Now
(Continued From page one)

(COnt1nued from rage OIlcJ
| The women all brought various
native foods-wild carrots, caanas,
wild potatoes, dried bitterroots,
service berries, and vension and
salmon. Perhaps much of this
food had been previously saved as
a luxury for the feast by the ma
tives.
This annual Indian feast has been
held at Nespelem for many years on
independence Day. It is derived
from an ancient custom by the ma
tives populating the Colville Indian
reservation. 1t was customary before
the arrival of the white people in
| the Northwest, for the Indians
to hold each year a feast after the
arrival of each food that nature
produced for the Indians.
!, Usually the Indians gathered and
held general feast in the spring of
the year when the bitterrot season
was due, when the beautiful rock
roses are just coming in bud and
nature has filled the root sap, en-
abling the digger to easily remove
the bark peeling. The roots are
white and firm at that time Of the
year.
| Give Thanks For Food
| The Indians do not eat any OF
| the new nature food until first they
gather the food and bring it to the
feast and they all eat it together,
after the chief and leaders of the
tribe give a speech of Thanksgiving
to the Indians for the food pro-
dllction.
These several feasts of Thanks
giving usually came in the spring
at bitterroot season, April in Omak,
the salmon run in May at Keller,
the service berry feast in late June
at Syoose Lake, and the Chinook
salmon run in July at the Kettle
Falls on the Columbia river and
the dog salmon spearing near the
site of Oroville that the Indians
called Sa-le-whu Crock LODGE. The
Indian historians tell that this
name is derived from the Indians
wintering near Oroville in one OF
the caves many years ago.
Instead of the Indians following
different feasts they choose to make
only one annual general feast each
year on the day of the Fourth
when all the Indians come to Mes
pelem to join in this Indian
Thanksgiving, eating together
and renewing acquaintance and
binding their friendships with their
neighbors.
It has been customary of la,e
years, that after this feast the In
dams celebrate by playing thel1
native games, as the Wal-looks
played with modern playing cards
so simple that it confuSeS the eleva-
ted minds of the white that look
on and cannot play with the In
dams on account of the gambling
laws of the United States.
Another game that is still en-
joyed by the Indians is their an
Gent native game "schin-la-la-
| cum" (Standing Sticks. It is best
known by it's present name OF stick
games" Each tribe plays against the
neighboring opponents with an en-
thusiasm increased by their efforts
to win from another tribe.
Games Draw Natives
It is the enticement of these in
teresting ancient games of the In
dams that still induces the natives
| of the Northwest to come for many
miles by horseback, buggies old and
dilapidated, old cars and new late
models to join the Nespelem In
dams in their annual celebration
for ten days each year to celebrate
the ancient Thanksgiving feas'