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Listen as Ernie Stensgar, Tribal Chairman, considers the responsibility he, as an elected official, as well as the Council and the Elders have toward protecting Lake Coeur d'Alene. (interviewd and edited by Rodney Frey, September 2002)

Round Lake and Mission Point

There is a lodge where a grandmother and her daughter live with her son. He is raised on roots, and grows tall and strong. One day he asks, "Who is my father?" But his grandmother says, "You have no father, he’s dead." He asks, "What was his name?" She says, "He had no name." He grows angry and asks again. His grandmother says, "Your father was Yellow Root." Sp’ukhwenichelt (literally, "son of light") or Chief Child of the Yellow Root goes to the lake and there kills a fish monster. With its throat he makes a canoe and travels around the lake.

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Hnchit'elchu - Lolo Pass Area - Listen as Felix Aripa, Tribal Elder, tells of the Lolo Pass route to the Benewah Lake area. This is a traditional gathering area, named after one of the first prominent Indian farmers, Lolo. (recorded and edited by John Hartman as part of the Coeur d'Alene Tribal GIS Names-Place Project)

Chief Child of the Yellow Root comes to a lodge. Inside are the Awls hanging on the walls, with a big, beaded Awl in the middle. He takes it down and, when he does, the other Awls jump off the wall and attack Chief Child of the Yellow Root. They pierce Chief Child of the Yellow Root all over his body. He puts the chief of the Awls back on the wall and goes outside. Chief Child of the Yellow Root sets the house on fire. The Awls are crying, "Yar, yar, yar!" And Chief Child of the Yellow Root says, "Don’t be man-eaters anymore. You are to be used for making moccasins and sewing clothing."

Chief Child of the Yellow Root continues his journey around the lake and comes upon many "man-eaters," such as Foolhen, Combs, Bladders, Lassos, and Fishhawk. Each in turn Chief Child of the Yellow Root overcomes, and tells them how they are to serve the human people who are coming.

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Alice Koskela, Legal Counsel for the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, discusses the importance of Lake Coeur d'Alene, where the heart of the people resides. (interviewed and edited by Rodney Frey, August 2002)

Lake Coeur d'Alene

Finally Chief Child of the Yellow Root comes to another village. Toad wants to marry him, and attaches herself to his face. He tries everything, but cannot remove Toad. At this time there is no Sun or Moon, so Coyote says, "I'll become the Moon." And Robin says, "I'll become the Sun." But the Sun is too hot and the Moon is no good. Each night Coyote spies on what people are doing and announces it to everyone the next day. So the people pull down Robin and Coyote, and throw them away. Chief Child of the Yellow Root says, "I'll become the Moon, so you can't see this toad on my face." And Helldiver's Child says, I'll become the Sun." The Sun is not too hot, and the Moon just right. (Abbreviated from Frey, Landscape Traveled by Coyote and Crane, University of Washington Press, 2001:147-151; originally told by Dorothy Nicodemus in 1927, Lawrence's grandmother.)

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Hnch''mti - Listen as Felix Aripa talks about the Clark Fork area and Lake Pend Oreille, a traditional area of the SiJohn family. This was one of the primary routes to buffalo country, through Kootenai country, over the Rockies and into Montana. (interviewd by Paulette Jordan and edited by John Hartman, September 2002)

After years of contesting the ownership of Lake Coeur d'Alene with the state of Idaho, in July of 1998 U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge ruled that the Coeur d'Alene Tribe was "entitled to exclusive use, occupancy and right" to the bed and banks of the southern third of Lake Coeur d'Alene. This is the area falling within the reservation boundaries. His ruling was, in part, based upon the Executive Order of 1873, as well as the continued cultural identification and link to the lake by the itsu'umsh. On June 18, 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Lodge decision, reaffirming the aboriginal ownership of at least this portion of Lake Coeur d'Alene. See map.

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