Ye lʔe łu T̓at̓áyaqn šiyúʔulexʷs u Snyoʔnuntn x̣ʷl mipnunm łu xʷixʷeyuł, u łxʷixʷeyuł, u c̓lc̓il, u nšulexʷ, u skʷʔál̓ulexʷ stm̓tem̓

Land Acknowledgment for the Montana Natural History Center

Nsélišcn (Salish)

Ye lʔe łu T̓at̓áyaqn šiyúʔulexʷs u snyoʔnuntn x̣ʷl mipnunm łu xʷixʷeyuł, u łxʷixʷeyuł, u c̓lc̓il, u tišulexʷ, u skʷʔál̓ulexʷ. Es lc̓iʔ łu l̓ T̓at̓áyaqn u Qlispélixʷ sqlixʷúʔulexʷs. Sqlqelixʷ es lcíʔi x̣ʷl opópnčstqn spentč. T̓at̓áyaqn skʷs tu lexʷ łu Nmesulétkʷ łu ne ep sxʷuymaqs łu t upn eł eslʔopnčstqn spentč. Es šʔit Suyapi łu cxʷixʷúʔuy čtem̓mis łu Sqélixʷ skʷstulexʷ Nmesulétkʷ. Tma še x̣am̓stetkʷ u T̓at̓áyaqn epł i sic skʷstulexʷ Nłáy.

Łu t opnčstqn eł hén̓młnk̓ʷoʔqín eł clčłʔupn eł cil, łpmintm łu Suyapi c̓ox̣ʷš q̓ey̓min t T̓at̓áyaqn ilmixʷm. Suyapi p̓ic̓m łu T̓at̓áyaqn x̣ʷl íʔimšm č̓ i sic sqlixʷulexʷ. Čʔemtupsm łu l T̓at̓áyaqn x̣ʷl ta eł xʷúʔuy č̓ sqelixʷ šiyúʔulexʷs t Suyapi. Q̓eʔečst łu sqlqélixʷ t Suyapi x̣ʷl es ntéʔe t stúʔulixʷs. T Sqsiíp u scq̓ʷom łu sqelixʷ st̓mtem̓ u i še č̓scuuts łu l sqlqelixʷ nxʷlxʷíʔiltis t Suyapi. Pn puti lʔe u i x̣sx̣éʔes t T̓at̓áyaqn łu l̓ ye mlk̓ʷsqlixʷúʔulexs.

Ye Snyoʔnuntn es suxʷms łu šʔíʔit sqlqelixʷ tl Nłay. Qs čtem̓ms łu Nsélišcn, u łu T̓at̓áyaqn nk̓ʷúʔul̓mis, u sck̓ʷłpáʔax̣em t ye Snyoʔnuntn. ƛ̓éʔem x̣ʷl Nsélišcn l qe snyoʔnuntn. Yetłx̣ʷásq̓t stem łu i sic scq̓y̓q̓y̓i łu yoʔnuntxʷ? Suxʷms łu sqelixʷ scmipnunm x̣ʷl putʔentxʷ łu šʔit sqlqelixʷ tl ye stulixʷ.

English

The Montana Natural History Center is located within the traditional homelands of the T̓at̓áyaqn (Bitterroot Salish) and Qlispélixʷ (Kalispel) peoples who have lived here since time immemorial. The name Missoula comes from the Bitterroot Salish word Nmesulétkʷ, which means “place of freezing water.” This name has been used for over 12,000 years, since the existence of Glacial Lake Missoula! The first Europeans to arrive here borrowed and modified this word, and the name Missoula was born. Later, Bitterroot Salish began using an additional term for Missoula: Nłáy, which means “place of the small bull trout.”

In 1855, in what is now Council Grove State Park, the T̓at̓áyaqn and other peoples were forced to sign the Hellgate Treaty. Following this treaty, the United States government carried out forced assimilation, removal, and genocide against the Salish and other peoples in their efforts to acquire land. Yet despite centuries of colonial theft and oppression, the T̓at̓áyaqn people are still here and thriving on their aboriginal lands.

The Montana Natural History Center is dedicated to the recognition of the first peoples of Missoula and the integration of Salish language, culture, and Indigenous knowledge. Please keep an eye out for Salish language in our exhibits. What new words can you learn today? Familiarizing ourselves with Indigenous natural history knowledge is one way we recognize and honor the original inhabitants of our local landscape.

This land acknowledgment was written, translated, and recorded by Aspen Decker, an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (T̓at̓áyaqn, Qlispé & Sqlsé) and a reviver of her tribal language, Nsélišcn (Salish).