New Horizon High School Native club learns about Lemhi Shoshone history in Salmon
Students pose with a statue of the famous dog Seaman that was on the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
SALMON — New Horizon High School students spent a day in Salmon, Idaho learning about the history of the Lemhi Shoshone.
Ezira Edmo, James Singer, Anneka Evening, Aaron Auck, Cayden Auck, Terrance Broncho and Kamryn Mendez traveled with chaperones Tristan Batt and Tanner Saxton to the Lemhi County Historical Museum and Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural and Educational Center as part of their Native American Club agenda this year.
The club has been growing in recent years at New Horizon with attendance around 20 strong. As a result the students have decided to become more involved in creating cultural experiences that will bring them closer together and closer to their heritage. The club had been brainstorming ideas for locations when Singer suggested Salmon.
“I thought of Salmon because of fishing with my grandpa there, the sceneries,” Singer said.
Suzy Avey, Director of the Center, coordinated the tours and experience for the students. The students started by watching a recently published video, called “In Good Faith,” that addresses the 1868 Treaty made in Virginia City with the Lemhi Shoshoni Chief Tendoy. In the video, the students were able to hear many of their elders and even some relatives speak about the heritage they have as Shoshone-Bannock people. The treaty originally outlined a much larger reservation size, but was unratified. In the film experts and indigenous people alike, including many of the Arriwite family, reiterated that due to the treaty never being ratified, technically these land areas were never legally ceded. Had it been ratified, the reservation size would have covered much of Southeast Idaho, part of Wyoming, and even some of southwest Montana.
The students were able to tour both museums, seeing artifacts from the 1800’s and early 1900’s, including a large display of donated items from tribal members and some rugged World War II weapons. After a hearty lunch of pizza from Dave’s Pizza, the students then went to the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural and Education Center. The students learned about the history of Sacajawea, but even more so about the Agai Dika. One particularly poignant moment was reading the family names of the Lemhi Shoshone that were originally moved to Fort Hall, and many of the students saw their family names.
New Horizon students from left, Terrance Broncho, Ezira Edmo, Kamryn Mendez, Cayden Auck, Anneka Evening, Aaron Auck, James Singer and Tristan Batt.
“I learned my family was in Salmon.” said senior Aaron Auck, who plans on attending University of Idaho and becoming involved in the Native American programs there. “It was really cool learning about the different habitats, too.”
The students took a mile and half walk around the trails, seeing different lodges that would have been used throughout time by the Agai Dika. Susy Avey surprised the group with gifts, including posters and games and the new film “Agai Pah: Our Homeland.”
The students then had time to kick back and play sports at the center, including a wild game of “Wiffle Ball.” Even Tristan Batt, chaperone and parent, got in the action.
The students then visited an Amish Bakery and finished their trip by taking the bus up to Sharkey Hot Springs. The students soaked and relaxed after a great day, but their journey wasn’t over yet.
“It was a great field trip, my favorite part was the hot springs,” said senior Cayden Auck.
“This trip was gas! The whole trip. I didn’t want to leave, I actually was like ‘I hope the bus breaks down’ and then it did. It was awesome!” said Ezira Edmo, senior at New Horizon. The students got their wish of an extended trip, soaking for another several hours while a replacement bus was found. Finally, just before midnight, a bus came and the students boarded Salt Lake Express’s finest, arriving home late in the night.
Terrance Broncho echoed Edmo’s sentiments: “The whole entire trip was fantastic. You could tell by everyone’s demeanor. They didn’t want to leave. Even though some things happened, like the bus breaking down, it was epic. From that experience I say ‘Don’t worry too much about life, everything will figure itself out.’”
The club would like to thank their tribe for supporting them in fulfilling this field trip; the Tribal Youth Education Program, Jessica James, Kendra Benally and Jamie Stevenson for helping with food and logistics.
Anybody who would like to connect with the club for an idea, activity or service project, please contact Tanner Saxton at 208-237-2233.
