(An ongoing series highlighting individual INUUC social justice activities, this one about Georgette Thornton.)   

Sometimes the difference is immediate, other times longer term. For Sandy and Martha Nichols, the relationship with the Kalispel Tribe began 52 years ago when children from the tribe attended the school where Martha taught grades 1 to 3. Her teaching assistant Eula was married to the tribal leader. Martha learned about federal government funding for schools enrolling native children, and through Eula learned about and took field trips to most of the local Kalispel sights.

Sandy became involved when he and Martha married and he moved to Newport some 31 years ago. For the last 16 years they have been on the reservation several times a week because they belong to the Camas Wellness Center. Martha’s former students are now the elders of the Tribe, and the Camas Center is where she runs into them. Sandy frequently meets staff and tribal members in the sauna…a great place for discussions.

Several years ago, Sandy was asked by the head of the Camas education department to bring the tribe’s astronomy equipment up to snuff. He did and now they own several working telescopes and have constructed a permanent space for them. Sandy has trained their educators in their use, and he has hosted star viewing parties.

Martha and Sandy attend Kalispel events whenever they (or the public) are invited, such as the Pow Wow, and have invited several INUUC folks to attend with them. Recently, they presented with their Camas Center line dance class at the senior health fair and attended the archeological dig exhibition day that uncovered 6000-year-old evidence of native people.

As Martha and Sandy have deepened their relationship with the Kalispel tribe, the progress they see in themselves is “an awareness, appreciation, and the beginning of a lifetime of learning of and about indigenous peoples and their cultures.” They note that the most important thing to support any native tribe is to show up when invited! And if you want to engage with a tribe, you need to do it on their agenda, not your agenda.