Native American Church of Idaho 100th Anniversary recognized
Anniversary celebration set June 13-15
NAC of Idaho logo. (Forrest Broncho design)
FORT HALL — On April 1, 1925, the Native American Church of Idaho (NAC) was organized and incorporated in Idaho. The 100th Anniversary of the NAC’s organization is this year.
The NAC of Idaho is located on the Fort Hall Reservation in southeastern Idaho and its members include enrolled members of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and other federally recognized tribal members. The NAC of Idaho is one of the oldest chartered Native American Churches in the United States.
The current Board of Directors is Franklin Devinney, President, Anthony Broncho, Vice President, Wanda Devinney, Treasurer, Shanna Devinney, Secretary, Lemuel Stone, Custodian, Sandy Navo, member, and Sarah Tendoy, member.
The peyote religion or peyotism, is the oldest continuously practiced religion in the western hemisphere. Its roots have been documented back at least 10,000 years before Christian religions came to the North American continent, and used by the indigenous people of the lower Rio Grande River in the United States and Mexico. The religion was introduced into the United States in the 19th century.
The first introduction of peyotism to the Shoshone and Bannock in Idaho came from Sam LoneBear, a Lakota Indian from South Dakota in the early 1900’s. In about 1923, members of our Tribes, Eugene Diggie, Grant Martin, Peter Jim, and Jack Attedmo (Edmo) traveled to Oklahoma, and received the chief peyote and staffs from our relatives of the Comanche Tribe. Since 1923, Native American Church ceremonies have been held according to the Comanche tradition throughout the Fort Hall Reservation.
Many families participate in NAC prayer meetings throughout the Reservation. Virtually all families have some ties to its beginnings, have served on the Board of Directors, or received the sacraments healing powers. To our NAC members, the sacred peyote contains powers to heal body, mind and spirit. It is a teacher; it teaches the way to spiritual life through living in harmony and balance with the forces of the creation. Peyote is believed to embody a spiritual deity and the ingestion of the peyote assists church participants in communicating directly with the Creator. As Indigenous people, we have strong ties to the earth and environment by relying heavily on natural herbal and mineral medicines, such as peyote. Peyote plays a vital role in strengthening and healing individuals, families, communities, and the tribe.
On June 13 – 15, the NAC of Idaho will hold an event to celebrate the 100th Anniversary. On June 13, there will be a welcome dinner for visitors. On June 14, at the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel, the NAC of Idaho will recap the organization of the NAC, the 1991 state of Idaho legislation, and current challenges to preserving the holy sacrament. We would like to recognize the relatives of Grant Martin, Peter Jim, Eugene Diggie and Jack Attedmo (Edmo), and invite them to attend and share any stories they may have. In the evening, we will hold prayer meetings to thank the Creator for the holy sacrament and guidance, and continued protection of our community. On June 15, a lunch will be held for the participants. If you have any questions, contact Anthony Broncho, Vice President of the NAC of Idaho Board of Directors.
