Kutenai
The Kutenai, also spelled Kootenai or Ktunaxa, are Indigenous peoples originally from southeastern British Columbia and northern Montana and Idaho. Historically, they were nomadic hunters, specializing in bison hunting, and were recognized for their exceptional height and skills in canoe building and horse raising. The Kutenai language is distinct, placing them in a unique linguistic family. Traditionally, they were organized into smaller bands without a central government, each led by its own leader and council of elders.
Due to historical pressures from neighboring tribes, such as the Blackfoot, the Kutenai migrated westward from their original territories east of the Rocky Mountains. This group is culturally rich, with spiritual beliefs that included worshiping the sun and the concept of an afterlife involving reunions at Pend Oreille Lake. By the end of the twentieth century, many Kutenai had transitioned from a nomadic lifestyle to settled living, relying on wage labor.
In the twenty-first century, Kutenai First Nations in Canada comprise several bands, while in the United States, they are represented by the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Efforts to revitalize the Kutenai language and preserve cultural traditions are ongoing, alongside initiatives addressing contemporary challenges such as land rights and health disparities.
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Kutenai
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Plateau
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Kutenai
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Washington, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia
- POPULATION SIZE: 596 in the United States (2015: ACS 5-Year Estimates American Indian and Alaska Native Detailed Tables: Kutenai Alone); 935 in British Columbia (2016 Census Canadian Encyclopedia)
The Kutenai (also spelled Kootenai, Kootenay, or Ktunaxa) people lived in southeastern British Columbia and northern Montana and Idaho. Their distinct Kutenai language places them in a linguistic family of their own. In prehistoric times, they lived east of the Rocky Mountains but were driven westward by their traditional enemies, the Blackfoot people.
From early times, the Kutenai have been divided into two groups speaking different dialects: the Upper Kutenai of the upper Kootenay and Columbia Rivers and the Lower Kutenai of the lower Kootenay River. They were a nomadic people, traveling widely in search of bison. Known to be unusually tall, they were skilled in canoe building and horse raising. Because they constantly moved about, they had no central government or chief. Each band had its own leader and council of elders. They worshiped the sun and expected their dead to someday meet the living at Pend Oreille Lake.
Because of their isolated location, the Kutenai were among the last of the Indigenous North American peoples contacted by Europeans. The Lower Kutenai were so isolated that they were still using stone tools in the late nineteenth century. Even into the twentieth century, they led relatively peaceful and unhampered lives. By the end of the twentieth century, the Kutenai were no longer nomadic; they lived in wood-frame houses and relied mostly on wage labor to make a living.
In the twenty-first century, the Kutenai First Nations in Canada included four main bands: the Akisq'nuk First Nation, ʔaq̓am, Lower Kootenay Band, and yaqan nuʔkiy. In the United States, the Kutenai were represented by the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Both were federally recognized. Because the Kutenai language is unique, efforts were underway to revitalize it among younger generations. Additional cultural preservation efforts were also undertaken, and many continued with a traditional way of life. Economic development projects and environmental stewardship were also important to the Kutenai in the twenty-first century, who faced contemporary challenges, such as land rights and health disparities.
Bibliography
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, csktribes.org. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
"Ktunaxa Nation." Government of British Columbia, 29 Dec. 2023, www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/consulting-with-first-nations/first-nations-negotiations/first-nations-a-z-listing/ktunaxa-nation. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
"Tribal History." Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, www.kootenai.org/pages‗AboutUs/tribalHistory.html. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
"2015: ACS 5-Year Estimates American Indian and Alaska Native Detailed Tables: Kootenai Alone." US Census Bureau, data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5YAIAN2015.B01003?q=kutenai. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
Walker, Deward E., Jr. "Ktunaxa (Kootenay)." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 10 Oct. 2018, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/kootenay. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.
"Who We Are." Ktunaxa Nation, www.ktunaxa.org/who-we-are. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.