This book sheds light on the struggles of the Kutenai (alternately spelled Kootenai, Kootenay, or Ktunaxa) to substain life in a harsh envirnoment. Chapters in the book cover such topics as the Kutenai homeland, the tribe's customs and the use of trails prior to white settlement. For Centuries the Kutenai Indians traveled the trails of the Northern Rockies to reach, through a number of mountain passes, the buffalo country on the high plains from the Bow River country in Alberta southward to the Hell's Gate at present-day Missoula. Then came the advent, in Canada and the United States, of the Indo-European culture and everything changed. In detailed text, photographs, and illustrations the book notes the dramatic flux of an Indian people in transition from utilizing the high mountain passes of the Northern Rockies to access the buffalo country of the high plains, and the conflict that brought between them and the Blackfeet, which was, most of the time, ferocious. The book then develops a throrough understanding of how both the Canadian and American trappers, traders, prospectors, and others ultimately took over the utilization of these trails for their purposes and in the process virtually ended the centuries of use of these trails by the Kootenai. Several chapters note the journals of the first explorers and surveyors whose names were given to mountains and valleys and streams in the area which includes Glacier National Park. The cover of the book shows a well-defined trail approaching Mount Jackson in present day Glacier National Park.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
In detailed text, photographs, and illustrations, Flanagan notes the dramatic story of the kutenai. -- West Shore News October 3, 2001
About the Author
Darris Flanagan is a retired educator and historian now living in Eureka, Montana the ancient home of the Kutenai Indians. He is also the author of an earlier book Adventures Along the Fort Steele Trail which outlines the history of Highway 93 from Indian Trail to highway.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Native Trails and Mountain Landscapes of the Kutenai, Blackfeet, and Salish,
By Lance M. Foster "Solvitur ambulando" (Helena, Montana, USA) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Indian trails of the Northern Rockies (Paperback)
This is a wonderful book for regional studies of the landscape and native trails in the Northern Rockies of Montana, Idaho, Washington, Alberta and British Columbia. It focuses on the mountain homelands of the Kutenai (or Kootenay, Kootenai), the Blackfeet or Blackfoot (Piegan, Blood, Siksika), Sarcee, Cree, Stony, and Salish (including the Flathead, Kalispel, and Pend d' Oreille).The chapters are titled: The Kutenai Homeland,The Grave Creek Trail, The Palliser Expedition Discovers The Grave Creek Trail, William Hamilton's Escape, The Northwest Exploring Expedition, The Boundary, The Naming, Englishman Alex Stavely Hill, and Conclusion. But the real stars of every chapter are the trails, the mountain passes, and the Kutenai people themselves. There are engrossing discussions of the Kutenai connections to Glacier National Park (even more than the Blackfeet), battles, the Kutenai "Buffalo Trail", over 22 passes over the Continental Divide, and traditional trail markers and landmarks. We learn that in general, most trails ran along the north-south oriented river valleys between the towering mountain ranges, with occasional passes connecting the valleys. This is a unique and wonderful work, valuable for those residing in the northern Rockies and interested in the cultural landscapes, trails and Native peoples of the area. There is not much published and available about the Kutenai, and this book helps fill that need.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Indian Trails of the Northern Rockies,
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This review is from: Indian trails of the Northern Rockies (Paperback)
This was a fascinating and interesting collection of information concerning early Indian trails in the Kootenai regions and others. This was very helpful in a project of mine.
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