Those horses were put there by the Tribal people, after the reservation that they were forced to live on, was opened up to white settlement. The Indian Agent Charged with over seeing their financials and Their gate keeper. After congress had again amended the HELLGATE treaty of 1855, proclaimed in the Ronan Pioneer. That when the reservation if finally opened, the Indian ponies, would be put down, as the detriment to the land. The ponies in his eyes and every white settler who moved to the flathead reservation, were causing more damage to the land and if it were not for the Indian ponies, the bountiful grazing opportunities would no longer be wasted on the Indian ponies. My great great grandfather and a couple of the men from the Kootenai Tribe, when the lake froze over, placed a herd of horses and those big horn sheep on that island. That island falls within the boundaries of the reservation, and much like the NATIONAL BISON RANGE, the land was taken, and given to white settlers to oversee. The national bison range was bore out of Native people who acted, nearly a century ago. In attempts to preserve their ways of life. BIG MEDICINE WAS BORN AND DIED, AND IS NOW STUFFED AND MOUNTED AND ON DISPLAY IN THE STATE CAPITAL. I WANTED TO POST THAT BEFORE I WATCHED THIS VIDEO, AS I ONLY WANT THE HISTORY ACCOUNTED FOR, AND DID NOT WANT TO REFLECT ANY ANGER , OR SEEM TO ATTACK THE PERSON WHO POSTED THIS. I AM JUST NO LONGER GONNA ALLOW PEOPLE TO INSERT THE HISTORY THAT GETS LOST IN TRYING TO PROMOTE NATIONAL PATRIOTISM. I ONLY WISH PEOPLE WOULD TAKE THE HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN TAUGHT, WITH ONE OBJECTIVE... TO APPLY REASONABLE UNDERSTANDING. SO MUCH DEMONIZING, AND HATRED EXISTS ON THIS RESERVATION, FOR NO OTHER REASON BUT TO PROMOTE THE IDEA THAT THE INDIANS TO THIS DAY, ARE A BURDEN ON THE REPUBLIC. WHEN OUR GREATY WAS AMENDED OVER 80+ TIMES AND NEVER IN THE FAVOR OF THE TRIBES WHO WERE FORCED TO LIVE ON THIS RESERVATION. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO EVEN CONVEY THE FACT THAT WHITE SETTLEMENT TO THIS DAY, IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN THE BURDEN MY PEOPLE CARRY. SO I BELIEVE THAT WE TODAY CAN BE NEIGHBORS, AND IN THE FUTURE BE NEIGHBORS, BUT RESPECTING THE OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND THAT WAS STOLEN, AND YOU CAN DO SO BY PURCHASING YOUR RESERVATION RECREATION USE PERMITS, BY NOT ASSUMING, MOVING HERE WILLINGLY, DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN YOU WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER, WHERE EVER, AND CANT WHINE ABOUT THE UNIQUE REGULATIONS THAT APPLY REGARDING THE BUYING AND SELLING OF LAND. THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST, NATIVE PEOPLE WILL BE HERE, AND ALWAYS FACTOR WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE LAND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS FOR ALL FUTURE GENERATIONS. BE PREPARED TO SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT OVER POLICING OF THE TRIBAL PEOPLE, WHO ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN TRIBAL POLICE, TRIBAL COURTS AND JUDGES, AND THAT EVERY TIME A NATIVE HAS TO GO THRU THE COUNTY AND DISTRICT COURTS, THOSE ARE FOR FELONIY CHARGES ONLY, AND WHEN THE POPULATION OF THE TRIBAL PEOPLE ARE ONLY 1/4 OF THE TOTAL POPULATION, BUT MAKE UP 70% OF THE COUNTIES FELONIES, AND JAILED POPULATION, IT IS INFACT REFLECTING THE BIAS AND RACISM THAT RUNS DEEP HERE. BE PREPARED TO HEAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, SAY POINT BLANK RACIST COMMENTS, AGAIN AND AGAIN, BUT ALSO KNOWING OUR TRIBE OWNS AND OPERATES THE LARGEST NATIVE AMERICAN COLLEGE IN THE US, EXCEPT WHERE HASKELL IS IN FACT LARGER, BUT WAS NOT OWNED AND OPERATED BY ANY TRIBE. BE PREPARED TO REALIZE, THE CSKT, DOES HAVE TRIBALLY OWNED ENTERPRISES, THAT YES, INCLUDE GAMING, BUT WE ALSO ARE THE ONLY TRIBE THAT TO DATE, OWNS AND OPERATES A HYDROELECTRIC DAM, THAT PROVIDES POWER NEAR AND FAR. BE PREPARED TO BE FEAR MONGERED, AND COERCED TO BELIEVE, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL FOR A $15 million dollar mill levy, is not because of the tribes, it was poor management by current and previous commissioners, mayors, and the powers that be, who waited for the last minutes, to worry about upgrading the water and sewer. Be prepared to walk a mile in my moccasins, before you make up your mind about the fact TRIBAL MEMBERS ARE ACTUALLY FORCED TO PAY PROPERTY TAX, TO THE COUNTY, SINCE THE RESERVATION WAS OPENED, AND BACK THEN IT WAS A GREEDY STEP TO CONVINCE THE NATIVE PEOPLE THAT THEY COULD GET OUT OF THE FEELING LIKE THEY WERE SECOND CLASS CITIZENS, BY PAYING TAXES TO EARN THE RIGHT TO VOTE, WHICH NATIVE PEOPLE HAD ALL RIGHTS TO VOTEM AND EVEN BACK INTO THE EARLY 1900's, THE INDIAN VOTE WAS A FORCE. THAT WAS EXPLOITED BY CROOKED POLITICIANS. BE PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND, THAT AS A WHITE PERSON ON AN INDIAN RESERVATION, SINCE THE DAY OUR RESERVATION WAS OPENED, AND CONTINUING IN TO THE PRESENT. EVERY PENNY HISTORICALLY MADE BY SELLING OUR SURPLUS LAND, FUNDED THE WELFARE STATE FOR WHITE PEOPLE TO HAVE IRRIGATED LAND, THANKS TO THE VERY SALE OF THE LAND THAT WAS SO,D FOR "FAIR MARKET" VALUE, KNOWING THAT MONEY THAT A WHITE SETTLER SPENT TO BUY LAND, WOULD BE USED TO BUILD THE FLATHEAD INDIAN IRRIGATION PROJECT, THAT NATIVE LAND OWNERS, REGARDLESS IF THEY HAD ACCESS TO IRRIGATION WATER, WERE CHARGED $0.30 MORE PER UNIT, FOR IRRIGATED WATER. BE PREPARED TO REALIZE THE VERY FACT THAT THE HISTORIC AND RECENT REVELATIONS REGARDING THE HORRORS OF THE INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS, WERE FUNDED BY THE SALE OF TIMBER AND IRRIGATION PROCEEDS, THE BOARDING SCHOOLS WERE NOT TAXED, NOR WERE THEY CHARGED FOR THE PROPERTY GIVEN TO THEM TO ASSIMILATE THE SAVAGES. BUT ALSO THE WHITE SETTLERS RECEIVED FUNDING TO BUILD PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM THE INDIAN APPROPRIATIONS BILL THAT CONGRESS WOULD HAVE TO PASS EVERY YEAR. BE PREPARED TO GET THE REAL FEEL OF TRICKLE DOWN, AND REALIZE THE ONES WHO BENEFITTED OFF THE BELIEF THE MONEY THAT WAS BEING SPENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON THE RESERVATION, DID NOT EDUCATE INDIAN KIDS UNTIL THE CATHOLIC BOARDING SCHOOL HAD CLOSED IN THE EARLY 1970's. Please be prepared to understand, that in the west, people will consider WOLVES AND GRIZZLY BEARS to be a menace to ranchers, and even if a wild animal preys on livestock, they do so in the natural habitat. Farmers and ranchers are reimbursed by the federal government for every animal that was taken in what is called WOLF OR GRIZZLY DEPREDATION. TheN be prepared to understand that this country, WOULD REIMBURSE ANY WHITE SETTLER FOR ANY LOSSES OR DESTRUCTION OF THEIR PROPERTY, BECAUSE OF AN INDIAN. LIKE WE WERE THE INVASIVE SPECIES. BE PREPARED TO SEE JOB LISTINGS THAT SAY, "TRIBAL PREFERENCE", THAT IT IS NOTHING TO GET OFFENDED ABOUT. THE FACT THAT THIS STATE CELEBRATES AND AND COMMEMORATES THE OBVIOUS CRIMINAL ACTS OF WILLIAM SMEAD, FLATHEAD RESERVATION INDIAN AGENT, A MAN WHO OPENLY CLAIMED INDIAN PONIES WERE DESTRUCTIVE TO THE INDIANS RESERVATION, LIKE LAND LEASED BY WHITE PEOPLE FOR THEIR ANIMALS WERENT SEEN IN THAT SAME LIGHT. THAT INDIAN AGENST SMEAD, WAS THE BOOKKEEPER FOR EVERY INDIAN, AND IF THEY NEEDED ANYTHING, IT WOULD BE SUBMITTED IN A WRITTEN REQUEST TO HIM, FOR HIS APPROVAL. THAT INDIAN PEOPLE LOST THEIR ALLOTMENTS FOR UNSETTLED ACCOUNTS INDIANS HAD AT 1 of the only 2 MERCANTILE. ON THIS RESERVATION. YES, HE FORGOT TO PAY THEIR BILLS AT HIS STORES, AND GAINED THEIR PROPERTY IN LIEU OF PAYMENT. THAT IF A NATIVE MAN AND WOMAN WANTED TO MARRY, THEY HAD TO INFACT REQUEST PERMISSION, AND IN ONE PUBLICIZED NEWS PAPER ACCOUNT, AFTER THE YOUNG COUP,E TRAVELED TO MISSOULA TO GET PERMISSION TO GET MARRIED, WERE DENIED. THE MAN, EXPRESSED HIS FRUSTRATION, WAS ARRESTED, BEATEN, AND SUPOSEDLY RELEASED, ONLY TO BE FOUND DEAD, IN "SKID ROW. THAT THE FEMALE WAS SEXUALLY VIOLATED AND HUNTED ALL THE BACK TO HER FAMILY BACK ON THE RESERVATION. BE PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND THAT SAME INDIAN AGENT, EVEN WAS ACCUSED OF DRAGGING THE SMALLPOX QUARANTINE BEYOND REASON, BECAUSE HIS POWER TO KEEP ANY INDIANS WHO WERE TRYING TO ASSIMILATE, HAD TO THEN SELL THEIR CROPS TO HIS MERCANTILE, AND BY HIS MERCHANDISE AT HIS MERCANTILE. THAT HIS ACT OF DRAGGING OUT A QUARANTINE, NOT ONLY BENEFITTED ONLY HIM, IT EXCLUDED THE VERY BELIEF OF FREE OPEN MARKETS, AND EXCLUDED SURROUNDING COUNTIES TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE INDIANS. BE PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND, WILLIAM SMEAD, POCKETED THE MONEY WHERE WHITE SETTLERS OFF AND ON THE RESERVATION WOULD LEASE INDIAN LAND. HE WAS CALLED OUT ON IT, AND AFTER THREATENING TO INDIANS OF DISPATCHING THE ARMY AND CALVARY, ULTIMATELY BACKED DOWN FROM THE THREAT, AFTER BEING CALLED A THIEF. BE PREPARED TO LEARN, THAT EVERYTHING AN INDIAN EVER NEEDED, WAS PRICED HIGHER, BLOW THRU THEIR MONEY. THAT THE BELIEF WAS WIDELY KNOWN... KILL THE INDIAN, SAVE THE MAN. WAS NOT CONSIDERED RACIST, EVEN THO, IT FOLLOWED THE EXTERMINATION ACT, AND SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE ACTER THE FACT WAS JUST REBRANDED AND RENAMED THE INDIAN REMOVAL ACT. FINALLY, BE PREPARED TO PONDER THIS SCENARIO... THE FIRST INDIAN APPROPRIATION IN 1886, after telling Indians they could only be Indian on heir reservation. Took resources in lieu of payments for the services they never provided the Indians. But had the nerve to allow people like WILD BILL and Annie Oakley, Or ENTREPRENEURS, WHEN GLACIER PARK WAS STILL IN ITS INFANCY. WOULD REQUEST AND PAY NATIVE FAMILIES TO PROVIDE A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR WHITE PEOPLE WHO WERE PAYING TOP DOLLAR TO EXPERIENCE THE WEST, TO PLAY INDIAN, ON DISPLAY. LIKE OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN BE YOU, AS LONG AS IT MAKES ME MONEY. THAT WOULD BE LIKE ME KILLING OFF YOUR FAMILY, WHO ONLY WANTED TO LIVE LIKE THEY ALWAYS HAD LIVED, AND THE SURVIVORS, WERE ON LOAN TO ME, TO PLAY THE PART, THEY ONLY EVER WANTED TO BE ALLOWED TO LIVE... SO OTHERS COULD EXPERIENCE WHAT YOU WERE NEVER ALLOWED TO EXIST IN. BUT THE SIGHT OF A TIPI AND CAMP FIRE, HEIGHTENED THE EXPERIENCE WHITE PEOPLE HAD IN THE SOON TO BE TAMED "WILD WEST" Be prepared to realize, very few white inhabitants, know or care to know the history. Anyone who stuck with me thru this entire comment. Knows more than most whites on my reservation today will bother to learn.
It’s important to remember the past, but it is also important to remember it IS the past. All people are one. There are heroes and villains in every story, on every side. I am just happy to be able the experience the beauty of this area, and will enjoy a nice canoe trip and will think about the history you have written.
Those horses were put there by the Tribal people, after the reservation that they were forced to live on, was opened up to white settlement. The Indian Agent Charged with over seeing their financials and Their gate keeper. After congress had again amended the HELLGATE treaty of 1855, proclaimed in the Ronan Pioneer. That when the reservation if finally opened, the Indian ponies, would be put down, as the detriment to the land. The ponies in his eyes and every white settler who moved to the flathead reservation, were causing more damage to the land and if it were not for the Indian ponies, the bountiful grazing opportunities would no longer be wasted on the Indian ponies. My great great grandfather and a couple of the men from the Kootenai Tribe, when the lake froze over, placed a herd of horses and those big horn sheep on that island. That island falls within the boundaries of the reservation, and much like the NATIONAL BISON RANGE, the land was taken, and given to white settlers to oversee. The national bison range was bore out of Native people who acted, nearly a century ago. In attempts to preserve their ways of life. BIG MEDICINE WAS BORN AND DIED, AND IS NOW STUFFED AND MOUNTED AND ON DISPLAY IN THE STATE CAPITAL.
I WANTED TO POST THAT BEFORE I WATCHED THIS VIDEO, AS I ONLY WANT THE HISTORY ACCOUNTED FOR, AND DID NOT WANT TO REFLECT ANY ANGER , OR SEEM TO ATTACK THE PERSON WHO POSTED THIS. I AM JUST NO LONGER GONNA ALLOW PEOPLE TO INSERT THE HISTORY THAT GETS LOST IN TRYING TO PROMOTE NATIONAL PATRIOTISM.
I ONLY WISH PEOPLE WOULD TAKE THE HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN TAUGHT, WITH ONE OBJECTIVE... TO APPLY REASONABLE UNDERSTANDING. SO MUCH DEMONIZING, AND HATRED EXISTS ON THIS RESERVATION, FOR NO OTHER REASON BUT TO PROMOTE THE IDEA THAT THE INDIANS TO THIS DAY, ARE A BURDEN ON THE REPUBLIC. WHEN OUR GREATY WAS AMENDED OVER 80+ TIMES AND NEVER IN THE FAVOR OF THE TRIBES WHO WERE FORCED TO LIVE ON THIS RESERVATION. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO EVEN CONVEY THE FACT THAT WHITE SETTLEMENT TO THIS DAY, IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN THE BURDEN MY PEOPLE CARRY.
SO I BELIEVE THAT WE TODAY CAN BE NEIGHBORS, AND IN THE FUTURE BE NEIGHBORS, BUT RESPECTING THE OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND THAT WAS STOLEN, AND YOU CAN DO SO BY PURCHASING YOUR RESERVATION RECREATION USE PERMITS, BY NOT ASSUMING, MOVING HERE WILLINGLY, DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN YOU WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER, WHERE EVER, AND CANT WHINE ABOUT THE UNIQUE REGULATIONS THAT APPLY REGARDING THE BUYING AND SELLING OF LAND. THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST, NATIVE PEOPLE WILL BE HERE, AND ALWAYS FACTOR WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE LAND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS FOR ALL FUTURE GENERATIONS.
BE PREPARED TO SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT OVER POLICING OF THE TRIBAL PEOPLE, WHO ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN TRIBAL POLICE, TRIBAL COURTS AND JUDGES, AND THAT EVERY TIME A NATIVE HAS TO GO THRU THE COUNTY AND DISTRICT COURTS, THOSE ARE FOR FELONIY CHARGES ONLY, AND WHEN THE POPULATION OF THE TRIBAL PEOPLE ARE ONLY 1/4 OF THE TOTAL POPULATION, BUT MAKE UP 70% OF THE COUNTIES FELONIES, AND JAILED POPULATION, IT IS INFACT REFLECTING THE BIAS AND RACISM THAT RUNS DEEP HERE. BE PREPARED TO HEAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, SAY POINT BLANK RACIST COMMENTS, AGAIN AND AGAIN, BUT ALSO KNOWING OUR TRIBE OWNS AND OPERATES THE LARGEST NATIVE AMERICAN COLLEGE IN THE US, EXCEPT WHERE HASKELL IS IN FACT LARGER, BUT WAS NOT OWNED AND OPERATED BY ANY TRIBE. BE PREPARED TO REALIZE, THE CSKT, DOES HAVE TRIBALLY OWNED ENTERPRISES, THAT YES, INCLUDE GAMING, BUT WE ALSO ARE THE ONLY TRIBE THAT TO DATE, OWNS AND OPERATES A HYDROELECTRIC DAM, THAT PROVIDES POWER NEAR AND FAR.
BE PREPARED TO BE FEAR MONGERED, AND COERCED TO BELIEVE, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL FOR A $15 million dollar mill levy, is not because of the tribes, it was poor management by current and previous commissioners, mayors, and the powers that be, who waited for the last minutes, to worry about upgrading the water and sewer.
Be prepared to walk a mile in my moccasins, before you make up your mind about the fact TRIBAL MEMBERS ARE ACTUALLY FORCED TO PAY PROPERTY TAX, TO THE COUNTY, SINCE THE RESERVATION WAS OPENED, AND BACK THEN IT WAS A GREEDY STEP TO CONVINCE THE NATIVE PEOPLE THAT THEY COULD GET OUT OF THE FEELING LIKE THEY WERE SECOND CLASS CITIZENS, BY PAYING TAXES TO EARN THE RIGHT TO VOTE, WHICH NATIVE PEOPLE HAD ALL RIGHTS TO VOTEM AND EVEN BACK INTO THE EARLY 1900's, THE INDIAN VOTE WAS A FORCE. THAT WAS EXPLOITED BY CROOKED POLITICIANS.
BE PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND, THAT AS A WHITE PERSON ON AN INDIAN RESERVATION, SINCE THE DAY OUR RESERVATION WAS OPENED, AND CONTINUING IN TO THE PRESENT. EVERY PENNY HISTORICALLY MADE BY SELLING OUR SURPLUS LAND, FUNDED THE WELFARE STATE FOR WHITE PEOPLE TO HAVE IRRIGATED LAND, THANKS TO THE VERY SALE OF THE LAND THAT WAS SO,D FOR "FAIR MARKET" VALUE, KNOWING THAT MONEY THAT A WHITE SETTLER SPENT TO BUY LAND, WOULD BE USED TO BUILD THE FLATHEAD INDIAN IRRIGATION PROJECT, THAT NATIVE LAND OWNERS, REGARDLESS IF THEY HAD ACCESS TO IRRIGATION WATER, WERE CHARGED $0.30 MORE PER UNIT, FOR IRRIGATED WATER.
BE PREPARED TO REALIZE THE VERY FACT THAT THE HISTORIC AND RECENT REVELATIONS REGARDING THE HORRORS OF THE INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS, WERE FUNDED BY THE SALE OF TIMBER AND IRRIGATION PROCEEDS, THE BOARDING SCHOOLS WERE NOT TAXED, NOR WERE THEY CHARGED FOR THE PROPERTY GIVEN TO THEM TO ASSIMILATE THE SAVAGES. BUT ALSO THE WHITE SETTLERS RECEIVED FUNDING TO BUILD PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM THE INDIAN APPROPRIATIONS BILL THAT CONGRESS WOULD HAVE TO PASS EVERY YEAR. BE PREPARED TO GET THE REAL FEEL OF TRICKLE DOWN, AND REALIZE THE ONES WHO BENEFITTED OFF THE BELIEF THE MONEY THAT WAS BEING SPENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON THE RESERVATION, DID NOT EDUCATE INDIAN KIDS UNTIL THE CATHOLIC BOARDING SCHOOL HAD CLOSED IN THE EARLY 1970's.
Please be prepared to understand, that in the west, people will consider WOLVES AND GRIZZLY BEARS to be a menace to ranchers, and even if a wild animal preys on livestock, they do so in the natural habitat. Farmers and ranchers are reimbursed by the federal government for every animal that was taken in what is called WOLF OR GRIZZLY DEPREDATION. TheN be prepared to understand that this country, WOULD REIMBURSE ANY WHITE SETTLER FOR ANY LOSSES OR DESTRUCTION OF THEIR PROPERTY, BECAUSE OF AN INDIAN. LIKE WE WERE THE INVASIVE SPECIES.
BE PREPARED TO SEE JOB LISTINGS THAT SAY, "TRIBAL PREFERENCE", THAT IT IS NOTHING TO GET OFFENDED ABOUT. THE FACT THAT THIS STATE CELEBRATES AND AND COMMEMORATES THE OBVIOUS CRIMINAL ACTS OF WILLIAM SMEAD, FLATHEAD RESERVATION INDIAN AGENT, A MAN WHO OPENLY CLAIMED INDIAN PONIES WERE DESTRUCTIVE TO THE INDIANS RESERVATION, LIKE LAND LEASED BY WHITE PEOPLE FOR THEIR ANIMALS WERENT SEEN IN THAT SAME LIGHT.
THAT INDIAN AGENST SMEAD, WAS THE BOOKKEEPER FOR EVERY INDIAN, AND IF THEY NEEDED ANYTHING, IT WOULD BE SUBMITTED IN A WRITTEN REQUEST TO HIM, FOR HIS APPROVAL. THAT INDIAN PEOPLE LOST THEIR ALLOTMENTS FOR UNSETTLED ACCOUNTS INDIANS HAD AT 1 of the only 2 MERCANTILE. ON THIS RESERVATION. YES, HE FORGOT TO PAY THEIR BILLS AT HIS STORES, AND GAINED THEIR PROPERTY IN LIEU OF PAYMENT. THAT IF A NATIVE MAN AND WOMAN WANTED TO MARRY, THEY HAD TO INFACT REQUEST PERMISSION, AND IN ONE PUBLICIZED NEWS PAPER ACCOUNT, AFTER THE YOUNG COUP,E TRAVELED TO MISSOULA TO GET PERMISSION TO GET MARRIED, WERE DENIED. THE MAN, EXPRESSED HIS FRUSTRATION, WAS ARRESTED, BEATEN, AND SUPOSEDLY RELEASED, ONLY TO BE FOUND DEAD, IN "SKID ROW. THAT THE FEMALE WAS SEXUALLY VIOLATED AND HUNTED ALL THE BACK TO HER FAMILY BACK ON THE RESERVATION.
BE PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND THAT SAME INDIAN AGENT, EVEN WAS ACCUSED OF DRAGGING THE SMALLPOX QUARANTINE BEYOND REASON, BECAUSE HIS POWER TO KEEP ANY INDIANS WHO WERE TRYING TO ASSIMILATE, HAD TO THEN SELL THEIR CROPS TO HIS MERCANTILE, AND BY HIS MERCHANDISE AT HIS MERCANTILE. THAT HIS ACT OF DRAGGING OUT A QUARANTINE, NOT ONLY BENEFITTED ONLY HIM, IT EXCLUDED THE VERY BELIEF OF FREE OPEN MARKETS, AND EXCLUDED SURROUNDING COUNTIES TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE INDIANS.
BE PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND, WILLIAM SMEAD, POCKETED THE MONEY WHERE WHITE SETTLERS OFF AND ON THE RESERVATION WOULD LEASE INDIAN LAND. HE WAS CALLED OUT ON IT, AND AFTER THREATENING TO INDIANS OF DISPATCHING THE ARMY AND CALVARY, ULTIMATELY BACKED DOWN FROM THE THREAT, AFTER BEING CALLED A THIEF.
BE PREPARED TO LEARN, THAT EVERYTHING AN INDIAN EVER NEEDED, WAS PRICED HIGHER, BLOW THRU THEIR MONEY. THAT THE BELIEF WAS WIDELY KNOWN... KILL THE INDIAN, SAVE THE MAN. WAS NOT CONSIDERED RACIST, EVEN THO, IT FOLLOWED THE EXTERMINATION ACT, AND SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE ACTER THE FACT WAS JUST REBRANDED AND RENAMED THE INDIAN REMOVAL ACT.
FINALLY, BE PREPARED TO PONDER THIS SCENARIO... THE FIRST INDIAN APPROPRIATION IN 1886, after telling Indians they could only be Indian on heir reservation. Took resources in lieu of payments for the services they never provided the Indians. But had the nerve to allow people like WILD BILL and Annie Oakley, Or ENTREPRENEURS, WHEN GLACIER PARK WAS STILL IN ITS INFANCY. WOULD REQUEST AND PAY NATIVE FAMILIES TO PROVIDE A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR WHITE PEOPLE WHO WERE PAYING TOP DOLLAR TO EXPERIENCE THE WEST, TO PLAY INDIAN, ON DISPLAY. LIKE OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN BE YOU, AS LONG AS IT MAKES ME MONEY.
THAT WOULD BE LIKE ME KILLING OFF YOUR FAMILY, WHO ONLY WANTED TO LIVE LIKE THEY ALWAYS HAD LIVED, AND THE SURVIVORS, WERE ON LOAN TO ME, TO PLAY THE PART, THEY ONLY EVER WANTED TO BE ALLOWED TO LIVE... SO OTHERS COULD EXPERIENCE WHAT YOU WERE NEVER ALLOWED TO EXIST IN. BUT THE SIGHT OF A TIPI AND CAMP FIRE, HEIGHTENED THE EXPERIENCE WHITE PEOPLE HAD IN THE SOON TO BE TAMED "WILD WEST"
Be prepared to realize, very few white inhabitants, know or care to know the history. Anyone who stuck with me thru this entire comment. Knows more than most whites on my reservation today will bother to learn.
It’s important to remember the past, but it is also important to remember it IS the past. All people are one. There are heroes and villains in every story, on every side. I am just happy to be able the experience the beauty of this area, and will enjoy a nice canoe trip and will think about the history you have written.