ST. MARY, Mont. — The millions of people who visit Glacier National Park
each summer will soon have an opportunity to know the park’s Native
neighbors much better.

That’s because 2006 should see tangible results of an effort to greatly
expand activities and exhibits about the Blackfeet Tribe, which shares a
long border with the eastern side of the park, and the Confederated Salish
and Kootenai Tribes, whose reservation is just adjacent on its west.

The first sign of the expansion of the park’s “Native America Speaks”
program is a Blackfeet tipi which has been erected at the St. Mary entrance
to the park. The tipi is “the first step in the development of an expanded
educational effort,” according to the park. Visitors who duck inside see a
display enumerating a four-step program which will take the program beyond
the occasional American Indian lecture or dance event.

The first step, according to the display, is raising the money for the
expansion, to be done by the Glacier Natural History Association. The GNHA;
the Blackfeet, Salish and Kootenai tribes; and the National Park Service
have collaborated on the current “Native America Speaks” programs in the
park for more than two decades.

In addition to GNHA money, the project will be funded by donations from
Native artists who perform or speak at the park, as well as donations from
park visitors. Blackfeet artists Ray Croff, Joe McKay and Jack Gladstone
this year will contribute all proceeds from their ticket sales to this
effort.

Phase II will start next summer if sufficient funding is gathered,
according to GNP. A tipi encampment will be erected at the St. Mary center,
and Native college students will be hired to staff it and help educate
visitors who stop by.

In Phase III, the St. Mary Visitor Center exhibits will be modified to
better “reflect the relationship between Native peoples and Glacier
National Park.” The “Native way of knowing” will be more clearly
demonstrated to the park’s tourists.

The final intended enhancement is the construction of an outdoor dancing
arbor adjacent to the center for evening dance performances. This is
intended to increase audience capacity over the current auditorium,
according to park officials.

This summer, Gladstone has been presenting “a musical/visual narrative of
the major cultural contributions of Indians to American culture” called
“Legends of Glacier.” Presented both at the visitor center and at the
park’s Lake McDonald Lodge, the presentation features traditional stories,
animal legends and personality portraits.

On Wednesdays at the visitor center, the Two Medicine Lake Dancers and
Singers, featuring Croff and McKay, “provide insight into contemporary and
traditional Blackfeet history and culture through narration and Fancy,
Jingle, Traditional and Grass Dance demonstrations.”

In addition, Blackfeet, Salish and Kootenai tribal members “share their
knowledge of the history and culture of Native America” through weekly
45-minute programs at the park’s Many Glacier, Two Medicine and Rising Sun
campgrounds.

GNP noted that “Glacier’s Native American programs and free publications
are made possible with the generous financial support of the Glacier
Natural History Association.” GNHA operates bookstores at nine locations in
the park, and donates a percentage of proceeds back to the park each year.