Indian,Tribes,Montana,Proud,He education Indian Tribes of Montana - A Proud Heritage

Some forms of parent involvement with the school such as communications with school, volunteering, attending school events and parent--parent connections appeared to have little effect on student achievement, especially in high school. Helpi Translation jobs are undertaken by professional translators who are well versed with at least two languages.Translation can work at two levels: inter-state or regional language translation and inter-national or foreign language translation.

The first people to inhabit the area now known as Montana weremembers of nomadic tribes that supplemented their diets with nativeplants and sustained their existence by hunting buffalo and othermammals. Following the buffalo herds, these first people crossed theBering Strait from Asia approximately 12,000 years ago and over timemigrated southward. Archaeologists have verified evidence of a thrivingtribal culture established west of the Rocky Mountains more than 9,000years ago.Before the white man came west, Indian people roamed freely acrossthis great land, following the gigantic buffalo herds that once coveredthe plains. For hundreds of years the native peoples relied on thebuffalo for food, clothing and shelter. The bison was revered among theIndian Tribes as a bountiful gift from the Creator and were thus huntedwith reverence and respect.The area now known as Montana was inhabited by two major groups ofIndian tribes. The Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Crow, Assiniboine, Atsina andArapaho tribes lived on the south and eastern grassy plains. The ruggedwestern mountains were the home of the Shoshone, Bannack, Kalispell,Flathead and Kootenai tribes. The Dakota, Sioux and the Nez Percetribes entered Montana at times to hunt and dispatch war parties, butwere not permanent residents of the State.With the arrival of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the firstdecade of the 19th century, the traditional way of life of MontanaIndians became increasingly threatened. By the mid-1880's, the federalgovernment began to deal formally with the tribes, entering intotreaties that assigned tribes to certain designated areas and obligatedthem to respect the land boundaries of their neighbors. However, themining “booms” of the 1860's fractured these fragile arrangements asminers rushed into the lucrative gold fields that often lay adjacent toor within the designated tribal lands. These new “settlers” demandedfederal protection, thus beginning the garrisoning of Montana and theeventual forced relocation of the tribes to smaller and smallerreservations.The combination of "tribal" and "nation" best encapsulates essentialaspects of both the historical and contemporary identity of Indiancommunities in Montana. There are nine principal tribal groups livingon seven reservations in Montana. Three of the reservations areinhabited by more than one tribal group.The Confederated Salish, Pend d'Oreille and Kootenai share theFlathead Reservation; the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine co-habit the FortBelknap Reservation; and the Assiniboine and Sioux both reside on theFort Peck Reservation. In each of these cases, the reservationpopulation consists of diverse fragments of larger tribal nations. Forexample, there are 33 bands of Assiniboine Indians, two of which arerepresented on the Fort Peck Reservation, where each of the sevenprimary bands of the Sioux nation are also represented.The Rocky Boy's Reservation was originally inhabited by members ofthe Chippewa and Cree Tribes. However, because of extensiveinter-marriage over the generations, the tribal rolls now list membersonly as "Chippewa Crees". In 1935, the Chippewa Crees adopted a tribalconstitution for the "Chippewa Cree Tribe", officially recognizing thecoming together of the two tribes into one.Montana is also home to the Little Shell Band of Chippewa, oftenreferred to as "Landless Indians". Although a distinct tribal group,the Little Shell are not yet a federally recognized tribe.Tribal nations are distinctive in several respects. They are basedprimarily, although not exclusively, on ethnic heritage and areracially distinct from other minority groups in Montana and the UnitedStates. Most important from a legislative standpoint, tribal nationshave a unique status in the American federal system. American Indiansare not just an ethnic minority; they are also respected members ofquasi-sovereign tribal nations. The Indian nations of Montana aregoverned by tribal governments that are legally empowered to determinewho is and is not a member of that nation. Each of the tribalgovernments in Montana has established its own criteria for enrollment,with some requiring higher blood quantum levels than others.The tumultuous history of the Indian tribes in Montana ischaracterized by years of violent warfare and constant movement. Theytraveled the plains to follow the buffalo and the many tribes battledfor control of prime hunting grounds.  Finally, with the bison nearextinction and tribes decimated by disease and battles with whitesettlers, there came a final move onto reservations, marking the sadend of a proud and noble era.Indian PopulationAccording to 2007 figures from the US census,Montana has a population of approximately 957,800 people, the IndianPopulation of Montana was approximately 6.4 percent of the totalpopulation of the state.The census reports information for American Indian areas thatincludes all American Indian reservations, off-reservation trust lands,and other tribal-designated statistical areas. Montana has seven Indianareas. The Indian population ranges from 24% of the total population inthe Flathead area to 95% in the Rocky Boy's area.Although the Indian population in Montana is highly concentrated ina few counties, Native Americans live in all 56 counties of the state,ranging from a small percentage of less than 1% in 19 counties to 10%of the population in 29 counties. There are eight counties in whichIndians compose 11% to 56% of the total population.Each Montana Indian tribe has unique customs and culturaltraditions. The state’s Indian tribes have endeavored to adapt andadjust to the ever changing world around them; however, they haveretained the traditions and tribal mandates of their proud past. Incelebrating through language, dance, songs and sacred religiousceremonies the special connection they feel with nature, our nativetribes richly contribute to the distinct flavor of Montana.