Ktunaxa

The Ktunaxa (English pronunciation: /tʌˈnɑːhɑː/ tun-AH-hah;Kutenai pron. [ktunʌ́χɑ̝]), also known as Kutenai (English /ˈkuːtᵊneɪ, -ni/), Kootenay (predominant spelling in Canada) and Kootenai (predominant spelling in the United States), are an indigenous people of North America. There are four bands that form the Ktunaxa Nation and the historic allied and through intermarriage kindred Shuswap Indian Band in British Columbia, in Montana together with the Bitterroot Salish (also known as Flathead) and Upper Pend d'Oreilles they are part of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation. There are also the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho in Idaho and small populations in Washington in the United States, where they are part of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

The Kutenai language is an isolate, unrelated to the languages of neighbouring peoples.

Communities

There are 4 bands in southeastern British Columbia, 1 band in northern Idaho, 1 band in northwestern Montana, and there are also small populations in Washington.

Kootenai Tribe of Idaho

The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho is a federally recognized tribes of Lower Kootenai people. They are an Indigenous people of the Northwest Plateau.

Reservation

The Kootenai Reservation was first established in 1896. After subsequent land loss, the reservation was re-established in 1974. The reservation is 3,985-acres large and located in Boundary County, Idaho, along US Route 95.

Government

The tribe's headquarters is in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The tribe is governed by a democratically-elected, nine-member tribal council. The current administration is as follows:

Language

Traditionally, Kootenai people have spoken the Kutenai language, a language isolate. It has a dictionary and grammar and is written in the Latin script.

History

The Kootenai people lived along the Kootenai River in Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia. They were hunter-gatherers, and salmon was an important staple to their diets. They have permanent winter villages of cone-shaped houses made from wooden poles and rush mats.