“Keepers of the Earth” Redux
Back in 1991, I produced a five-part series of documentaries for Spokane Public Radio called “Keepers of the Earth.” These programs featured stories of each of the federally recognized Idaho Tribes — Kootenai, Coeur d’Alene, Nez Perce, Shoshone-Bannock and Shoshone-Paiute—set within the context of their traditional stories, ways of life, values, and spiritual beliefs deeply rooted within the natural world. These many years later, the voices of the storytellers and tribal leaders are more relevant than ever as we go forward into a future beset with human conflict, a climate emergency, and a growing loss of biodiversity. By listening again to these stories of the past, perhaps we can learn from Indigenous peoples how to better care for nature and one another.
This has been a long, hot and sometimes difficult summer. There have been more challenges to wild nature here than usual; hatred for the wild seems to be on the uptick. More and more, in the mainstream culture, little respect and tolerance is shown to nonhuman species. Here in Sandpoint, dozens of Canada geese families were secretly killed for feeding on lush grass available to their young at the city park adjacent to Lake Pend Oreille’s sandy shore, despite using effective measures that could have been implemented to dissuade them from coming onto land in the first place.
Wolves in the wilds of Idaho and Montana are stalked, trapped and hunted day and night because they are predators, eating the same kinds of meat — deer and elk, and occasionally beef calves and lambs— that we do. But competition from other predators is seemingly intolerable, and ranch country is king, so both are fueling this hatred for this wild relative of our beloved domestic dog.
Coexistence seems impossible, and it isn’t just with wildlife, it’s also our waterways being poisoned with herbicides, and entire forests that are being destroyed for development. Restoration and Rewilding is a paradigm shift that has yet to take hold in the place where I live.
How we change any of these threats to wild nature in a modern world is complex, and yet we must try if we are to survive. We need to reflect on how we feel about the path we are on and then act. One place that can inspire and teach us is by turning to the wisdom of peoples who lived in balance and harmony with the lands, waters and wildlife since time immemorial.
Our five-part redux of the “Keepers of the Earth” begins with the the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho of the Ktunaxa Nation, whose tiny reservation is just outside of Bonners Ferry, Idaho in the far northern reaches of the state. Located adjacent to the great Kootenai River, it is home to endangered burbot and white sturgeon.
“I always dream backwards,” said the late Kootenai Chief Raymond Abraham, back in 1990 when I interviewed him about his lifetime position.
“I often wonder, you know, how life was 150-200 years ago, because those people had a tremendous, tremendous respect for the land, for themselves, for other people, for everything. They had respect for everything. I can imagine how hard life was, but they were content,” he said.
Traditional stories and teachings were from the time of the Animal People who guided the Ktunaxa in daily living, giving them knowledge of what to know and how to live, according to the late and former tribal chairwoman, Amy Trice.
“There was always a moral to the story. [In] every story there was something to it that reminded you of how to keep your land, how to treat your neighbors, etc. And it always goes back to the land.”
In this documentary you will learn how wildlife is greatly respected and lived with, including bear and wolf, from Diane David, Ron Abraham and Velma Bahe. Diane shares a story of the origin of a hunting song that is still sung today, one of my all-time favorite lessons about the importance of reciprocity.
The Ktunaxa have a Covenant with the Creator, Nupika, which they forever strongly committed to: caring for and protecting the rivers, lands, fish and wildlife of their aboriginal home. Repatriating and reacquiring the lands they lost continues as well as developing enterprises to keep them economically able to thrive as a people, the Idaho band of the Ktunaxa Nation, related to the Ksanka on the Flathead Reservation in Montana and four other bands in Canada including the Yaqan Nukiy of Creston, British Columbia.
The words of Velma Bahe, whose daughter is now tribal chairwoman, expressed in the final minutes of this historic documentary of 32 years ago, still hold true.
“I don't know, you know, what's going to be coming in the future. But I believe that we're pretty strong, we respect our Mother Earth and our Father Sky and the world around us. And I feel that if we live in harmony that, you know, everything will be given back.”
To listen to this award-winning program, and/or read the transcript, redirect to our home page and choose “Podcasts” in the menu bar; or go to Spotify or Apple Podcasts and search for Voices of the Wild Earth Podcasts.
This redux program of Kootenai Keepers of the Earth is supported in part by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, a state-based program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional major funding is from the Bonner County Endowment for Human Rights Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation. Sukinee (it is good).
Jane Fritz
8/23/23