Teachers in Bonner County, Idaho have asked for information about contemporary Kalispel who have visited our county and made significant contributions to our civic life.
One such individual is Francis Callougah from the Kalispel reservation near Usk, Washington. He brought his family to the Sandpoint Community hall in 1990. Our research in the historical society indicated that he was the first Kalispel to speak formally before a Sandpoint audience since the 1940’s.
This was the opening lecture in a year-long program called the Kalispel Project, designed to renew ties between Bonner county residents and the Kalispel who lived in North Idaho prior to their expulsion in the nineteenth century. Francis w as wonderful in this first presentation which was tape recorded. His comments and background information are available at the county library under the “Kalispel Project” report.
It is thirty years later, and Francis is now the director of the tribal cultural program on the Usk reservation. This reservation currently has four hundred members, half who are under eighteen. Teachers and civic groups interested in more information can contact Francis through the cultural program.