About Sqelios and Activists

G. GEORGE OSTROM / For the Hungry Horse News

Old newsmen can't help analyzing and nitpicking news items more thoroughly than average people. Three stories from last week's news did not make front page, but were tucked away toward the back; however, they're worth taking a second look at … I think.

Story #1 - Montana Secretary of State, Linda McCulloch, is asking "educators, journalists, and public speakers to learn and teach the 'correct' names of Tribal Nations in Montana, as used in Indian's own language." That confusing Big Brother business is contained in Joint Resolution 27, passed by the last Legislature. Some of us diligent taxpayers apparently missed it. Linda is dutifully informing us about what lawmakers want citizens to do.

Sorry Linda … and legislators! There is at least one veteran "public speaker" who ain't goin' to do it. With a hundred or so Indian history books in my library, I still get confused over such things as the different names of three major Blackfoot Tribes, and am still not positive over whether they are collectively Blackfoot or Blackfeet? Now you and I are supposed to start calling them "Niitsitapi?" NI-IT-SI-TA-PI ??

It gets even tougher when referring to Salish-Kootenai. Under the new/old names, we are being asked to use Squlio (Salish), Ktunaxa (Kootenai), and Qaeisp'e (Pend d'Oreille). Pend d'Oreilles, a minority, on the Flathead Reservation have historically been excluded from the official Tribal name so, will it still be acceptable to just call the Tribe the Sqelio/Ktunaxa? Are Indians going to change all the public signs … and their stationary?

McCulloch accentuated the point, the state government hopes to ensure "those using these names will honor each tribe by pronouncing the name correctly." There is a Web site where you can learn to do that. If you're not into computers, perhaps they'll teach this in Pablo … at the Sqelio-Ktunaza Community College.

Story #2 - The BLM has gone against wishes of the "activists' and rounded up 1,922 wild horses from the Calico Mountains of Nevada. They wanted to catch 2,500 but hundreds ran to a different place. The Calico range can roughly carry 750 horses. Higher numbers drastically affect native wildlife, plants, and the horses themselves. The "activists' haven't figured this out yet.

The Feds currently estimate 37,000 wild horses in western states with about half in Nevada. That is thousands more than ranges support without drastically affecting wildlife, the plants, and the horses themselves. The "activists' haven't figured this out yet. The Obama administration wants to remove thousands of wild horses from public lands "for adoption or transfer to pastures in the Midwest." We can only hope the Feds aren't counting on very many of those mustangs being adopted or pastured … by the "activists."

Story #3 - Logan Campbell did fairly well in taekwondo competition at the Beijing Olympics, but came home to New Zealand financially worried. Decided to open a "high class gentlemen's Club" in Aukland to finance his future athletic endeavors. Now, that business along with the high class girls who work there is up for sale on a Web site. Logan hoped to make about $210,000 to pay for his training and a trip to the 2012 London Olympics. There are several concerned New Zealand citizens who claim operating and/or selling brothels is against Olympic principles.

All over the world there are different kinds of … "activists."

G. George Ostrom is a Kalispell resident and a national award-winning Hungry Horse News columnist.