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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Nic Offers Tribes Homecoming Signing Ceremony Marks College’s Drive For More Indian Studies, Services

Today’s ceremony in the center of North Idaho College’s campus is intended to mirror the treaty agreements the region’s tribes participated in with the U.S. government 100 years ago.

Only this time, the government intends to make good on its promise, said Jeanne Givens, NIC board member and Coeur d’Alene tribal member.

Today’s signing of an agreement between the tribe and college marks the beginning of a push for more Indian history and culture on campus and added services for Indian students. NIC board members and Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council members will hold a passing of the pipe ceremony and signing at 11 a.m.

“It’s a homecoming, it’s a wedding ceremony, and it’s an event that’s going to pay off long term for the school, the region and the tribe because it’s going to enhance everyone’s education,” said Bob Bostwick, tribe spokesman.

NIC’s campus, where Lake Coeur d’ Alene meets the Spokane River, was a traditional gathering place for the tribe. The site’s strategic location made it a focal point for feasts, ceremonies and commerce as neighboring tribes passed north to pick huckleberries or east to hunt buffalo.

French fur traders and Catholic missionaries also met and traded with the Coeur d’Alene at the flat bank that later housed Fort Sherman.

“The area had a history before the fort and this program hopes to add the Indian element of history to the public’s understanding of this place,” Givens said. “The history of the Coeur d’Alene people is the history of all people in North Idaho.”

The agreement suggests a plan to expand Indian history and literature collections in the library and begin a Native American studies program. The plan also suggests building a long house to serve as a cultural center and possibly changing the names of some rooms, streets, pathways and gardens, which has prompted some concern from residents.

“There have been some genuine, legitimate questions about the Native American program, and we are answering them on a question-by-question basis,” Givens said.

Gov. Phil Batt recently cast his support behind the project in a congratulatory letter to the board encouraging the cooperative effort to continue. Not just for the students, but for community relations as well.

Although the days of “no dogs or Indians allowed” signs and sundown laws ordering Indians out of Coeur d’Alene by dark have long passed, Givens said many tribal members still don’t feel welcome.

“Tribal members have told me they don’t feel comfortable here and that some don’t even feel comfort able shopping here,” Givens said.

“We feel as an institution that this is a very good opportunity to say ‘welcome.”’ Because colleges and universities often are at the forefront of social change, they can jump-start improved community relations, Givens said. Lewiston’s Lewis-Clark State College has a growing Indian enrollment and thriving cooperative programs with the nearby Nez Perce. University of Idaho and Washington State University also have embarked on new Indian initiatives.

Board members are quick to point out that conversations under way are just forming the kernel of a relationship. It’s premature to discuss what the plan might cost, Givens said, adding: “I think we need to be innovative about money and use our imagination. There’s only a limited amount of dollars, everybody recognizes that.”

One option might be to apply for a share of $22.2 million in Kellogg Foundation grant money to help colleges and universities create more learning opportunities for Indian students.

The grant money, announced in late May, is targeted primarily at Indian-controlled colleges but also is available for mainstream institutions enrolling large numbers of American Indian students.

, DataTimes