This article presents the Salish (Flathead) people’s own account of their encounter with the Lewis and Clark Expedition at Ross’s Hole in September 1805, drawing on oral traditions maintained by the Salish-Pend d’Oreille Culture Committee. The piece offers a significant counterpoint to the expedition journals’ perspective, describing how the Salish first observed the strangers and debated how to respond to their arrival. The article details the Salish understanding of the exchange of horses and information, noting discrepancies between the tribal oral history and the captains’ written accounts. It also addresses the broader context of Salish-European contact and the profound changes that followed the expedition’s passage through their homeland, including increased Euro-American presence, the arrival of missionaries, and eventual confinement to the Flathead Reservation.
Our Partners
