“Spup, you need a horse that has as much heart as you have.” – Heart of Courage Spupaleena’s passion for horses runs deep in her soul. As deep as mine, I suppose. Perhaps that’s why we get along so well. Why my love for her is unending. You see, we’ve had a relationship for a…
In all sports, athletes need to prepare for their upcoming race, game, or match. In horse racing it’s the same, the horses need to train daily to stay strong for the demanding challenges of a race. Breezing is one type of workout and means the horse works entirely without urging at a moderate speed. When…
Raised in Omak, WA, on the Colville Reservation is my Change of Heart cover model, nineteen-year-old Shayna (pronounced Shania) Ann Palmanteer. She is currently a student at the Inchelium Language House on the reservation––a young woman on a path to self-discovery. Not long ago, I found myself on a journey to find a model for…
Two weeks left until Hannah’s Journey is released! October 1 and the Oct. 3 Facebook Launch Party! Salmon was the main staple for the Lakes people until 1942 when Grand Coulee Dam was built. The dam may have been a saving grace for non-natives, but for the tribes who depended on the fish for survival,…
As you recall from my last post, in 1930, Inchelium and all towns north of Coulee Dam had to be moved to higher ground. Lake Roosevelt, the backwaters from Grand Coulee Dam to Kettle Falls, would rapidly flood several towns along the Columbia River. Men cut trees, moved buildings, and grieved a life soon to…
Harmony dominated the Sinixt or Arrow Lakes People of northeast Washington State until 1930. Talk of a great dam being erected at Grand Coulee, Washington struck fear and tension reservation wide. Traditional fishing could be lost forever. Would be lost forever. Backwater would force towns, graveyards and other historical sites to relocate. Backwater would soon…
My last blog post introduced you to basket making of the Arrow Lakes or Sinixt people. I want to take you from the coiled baskets made of cedar root and the folded cedar bark baskets to tule baskets and mats. Tule is the tall, hollow stem of the cattail which was not only a prized…
Basket making was not only a piece of art for the Sinixt or Arrow Lakes People of Northeast Washington State, but more importantly a way of life. One of Survival. In my Young Adult book, Change of Heart, I wanted numerous facets of the traditional Arrow Lakes way of life. Basketry was a pledge. I…
Welcome back! I want to share with you about the First Root Ceremony of the Sinixt or Lakes People of Northeast Washington State. When I was editing for my up-and-coming book Heart of Passion, my editor wanted more cultural pieces woven in the tapestry of my story like the colorful hues the Native women entwine…
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