The Kalispel Tribe Activity Book
What do archaeologist do? Archaeology is the study of the ancient and recent human past by what they left behind.
Careful digging or excavation of soil reveals important details about the past, such as what people ate, where they lived, and what they did hundreds and thousands of years of ago. Soil is then sorted through a fine screen. Artifacts that remain in the screen are analyzed.
Stratigraphy is important for understanding the age and context of an archaeological site.
The Pend Oreille Valley is the home of the Kalispel people, and an abundance of wildlife, plants, and important resources.
Stone Tools
Stone tools, like arrowheads and knives, can be analyzed for protein residue to find out what animals they were used for hunting or processing.
Understanding the type of stone that was used for tools was important, whether it was a local rock or a rock like obsidian that had to be traded for.
Can you find your way to the village? Start
Local Fish Bulltrout
Native Sucker
Fish were once caught with bone hooks, spears, harpoons, nets, waterfall baskets, weirs, and even bow and arrows.
Mammals Archaeologist excavate earth ovens to find out what types of animals were hunted and cooked in the past.
Moose
Bear
Lynx
Local Plants Huckleberry
Camas
Camas is a vital staple for the Kalispel people, which is a nutritious onion-like root. The flower blooms in the spring, and the bulb is dug in the summer, then the bulb is dried or baked.
Try writing Salish Use the guide to help you write
kʷsixʷ
means - Canadian goose
x̣ʷyu
means - Mountain whitefish
c̓ išps
means - Wolverine
čłipm
means - Hunting
The Salish Language Here are some salish words
čłéneʔ
means - Sucker fish
sx̣ʷeʔlítx̣ʷeʔ means - Camas
es qq̓méyeʔi means - Fishing
Word Search Can you find all the words? E Y B A S F R D O K Y E K C R Z A A U U X K U S L E X A A C O Y G O L O E A H C R A L N Z O P V L S L S G C R P H I O C L G Y A E P T U N C S E S E A V N M O O S E R F I O N P J A X A D K Q T W U O X H E E D T C F A D D K N P S U W S L X L E N Y L Z Z I R G T T S I Y N E H U C K L E B E R R Y P F S
ARCHAEOLOGY
BULLTROUT
CAMAS
CANOE
EAGLE
FISHING
GRIZZLY
HUCKLEBERRY
KALISPEL
LYNX
MOOSE
OSPREY
SPOKANE
Historical photo records Historic photos provide an amazing look into the past. Archaeologists can sometimes match historic photos with physical places to understand past activities.
Draw your own trout Use the guide to help you draw
Connect the dots Connect the dots to finish the drawing
History of the Kalispel flag The Kalispel Flag was designed in the mid 1990s and according to the person who designed the flag, “incorporates the essence of the Kalispel Tribe.�