Virginia City Treaty Day event highlights history of Shoshone & Bannock presence in southwestern Montana territory
Salmon Valley Stewardship representatives present the David Krosting Sustainability Award to Sho-Ban Tribes Original Territories and Historical Research staff members Nolan Brown and Bailey Dann at the Virginia City Treaty Day event on September 24.
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — More than 150 people turned out for the Virginia City Treaty Day event September 24 at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel.
Presentations were conducted about the unratified Virginia City Treaty and the Shoshone and Bannocks presence in southwestern Montana.
Representatives from the Salmon Valley Stewardship presented the David Krosting Sustainability Award to Nolan Brown and Bailey Dann of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Original Territories and Research program for displaying a strong commitment to Lemhi County’s economy, community, and to the environment.
Virginia City Treaty Day event participants at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel Event Center on September 24.
The representatives said in a social media post Nolan and Bailey have become extraordinary leaders in creating a more connected, resilient, and sustainable future for the Salmon region, helping the communities (in Salmon and in Fort Hall) understand and remember what it means to care for a place—and for one another.
Students and elders were recognized for their presence at the Moose Creek Meadows camp near Salmon. They were presented certificates, while the elders and helpers were given buckskin pouches and beaded necklaces.
Dr. Sally Thompson, anthropologist, author, cultural heritage consultant, spoke about the Tribes presence in Montana. She did a PowerPoint presentation about why Shoshone-Bannocks aren’t on the maps of Montana. She created a map of 2006 Tribal Homelands of Montana map that excluded the Shoshone and Bannock Tribes then showed the map where they are included. She said not enough research was done. However, after she met Nolan and Bailey – through oral, written and visual history, along with archaeological evidence the Tribes presence was documented through fur traders 1805-1840s, missionaries 1830s-1840s, railroad surveyors and Treaty makers 1850s, miners and stock traders of horses and cattle 1860s, along with government officials and settlers 1860s-1907. She showed various images.
Revised Montana land map showing history of tribes territories.
Regarding archaeology, she said diagnostic Shoshone artifacts include steatite vessel (flat bottomed); Intermountain ware pottery (flat bottomed); tri-notched and triangular obsidian arrow points; distinctive biface knives; teshoas, modified cobble hide-working tools; Bighorn sheep traps and ram skulls in trees; wickiups and cribbed log structures, along with masonry hunting blinds and talus pits. Thompson showed photos of steatite bowls found in Montana.
Thompson said she never heard of the Virginia City Treaty probably because it was unratified. But she made the corrections to the map.
FHBC Sergeant-At-Arms Russell Haskett speaks to Virginia City Treaty Day attendees.
She is currently working with Bannack State Park and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes on an ethnographic study regarding the Tribes history of the area.
A Bannock bread (tohatekape/tosatekape) contest was conducted where 10 youth and adult entries competed. Winners received Bluebird flour, cooking pans and measuring cups. Ontaria Arrow White won first and $100, second was Carolee Stone $60, and third Wayland Ballard $40. Heidi Wahtomy won the youth division $45, second Yezlyn Ariwite $30, third Lewe $20, fourth Emeril Poog $10.
Sisters Velma Wahtomy (left) and Charlene Wahtomy enjoy the Virginia City Treaty Day presentations.
Daeda Pevo won the adult (tenitoi) hand drum contest and $100, second was Alonzo Big Horse $60, Bird Osborne was third $40, Chasen Coby was fourth and JD Myers fifth. Consolation winners were Ron Braman, Darrin Big Horse, Valerie Devinney, Lee Juan Tendoy each receiving $10. Humble Coby won the youth division and $45. Winners also received tea and scarves.
Participants who signed in for the event received tote bags and Bannock Gathering T-shirts. Tyson Shay served as the master of ceremonies. Prior to the event start Shoshone language instructor Tony Shay had the audience read the Shoshone words that were on the vocabulary sheet related to the event. The words were also in the Bannock language.
Moose Creek Meadow participants.
A meal of Indian tacos, salad, hamburger macaroni soup, frybread and peach cobbler was served.
