Missoula Public Library Land Acknowledgement
- Salish Land Acknowledgement: Read and written by Aspen Decker 00:00
Salish
Es mistéʔes qe es lʔci łu l̓ T̓at̓ʔayaqn u Qlispélixʷ sqlixʷúʔulexʷs t Nłʔáycčstm Snčłq̓ey̓mintn. T̓at̓ʔáyaqn skʷstulexʷ łu Nmesulétkʷ łu ne puti ep sxʷuymaqs. Es šʔit Suyapi łu cxʷixʷúʔuy čtem̓mis łu Sqélixʷ skʷstulexʷ Nmesulétkʷ. Tma še x̣am̓stetkʷ u T̓at̓ʔáyaqn epł i sic skʷstulexʷ Nłʔáycčstm. Nkʷtnáqsm łu T̓at̓ʔáyaqn skʷstulexʷ x̣ʷl̓ mipulexʷ u sqlqelixʷ u t sqsip sck̓ʷúʔul̓ms łu l̓ Nłʔáycčstm.
Łu t opnčstqn eł hén̓młnk̓ʷoʔqín eł clčłʔupn eł cil, łpmintm łu Suyapi c̓ox̣ʷš q̓ey̓min t T̓at̓ʔáyaqn ilmixʷm. Suyapi p̓ic̓m łu T̓at̓ʔáyaqn x̣ʷl íʔimšm č̓ i sic sqlixʷulexʷ. U plpulsntm łu Séliš u es tixʷlm sqlqelixʷ x̣ʷl̓ q̓eʔečst łu sqlqélixʷ t Suyapi x̣ʷl es ntéʔe t stúʔulixʷs. T Sqsiíp u scq̓ʷom łu sqelixʷ st̓mtem̓ u i še č̓scuuts łu l sqlqelixʷ nxʷlxʷíʔiltis t Suyapi. Pn puti lʔe u i x̣sx̣éʔes t T̓at̓ʔáyaqn łu l̓ ye mlk̓ʷsqlixʷúʔulexʷs.
Łu ne qe mipnunm łu Suyapi č̓skʷúʔulms łu l̓ Sqlqélixʷ u stúʔulixʷs, u łu nkʷtnelsm łu sqlqélixʷ, tma tʔé pistem̓ qe ep x̣spupúʔus. Nłʔáycčstm Snčłq̓ey̓mintn súʔuxʷis łu Sqlqelixʷ u skʷstulexʷ x̣ʷl̓ ye stulixʷ, Nłʔáycčstm. Qe es nté t tl̓ ciʔ x̣stm̓tem̓ x̣ʷl̓ Sqlqelixʷ u qe stúlixʷ x̣ʷl̓ išé es cxʷixʷúʔuy. Qe es ax̣lmistm łu x̣ʷl̓ epł Nsélišcn, u Sqlqélixʷ snʔawʔawtn u x̣sx̣séʔečstm, u sxʷm̓im̓éy̓em łu l̓ ye snčłq̓ey̓mintn.
English
We recognize that the Missoula Public Library sits on the ancestral homeland of the Salish and Kalispel peoples. The name Missoula derived from the Salish placename Nmesulétkw, which means “the place of freezing water”. This name has been used since the existence of Glacial Lake Missoula, and dates to the last ice age. The first settlers to arrive here borrowed and modified this name to become Missoula. Later, Salish people began using an additional term for Missoula: Nłʔáyčstm, which means “place of the small bull trout.” These place names indicate historical and current Salish relationship with the land, and it is critical to learn to understand the history of Missoula.
The Bitterroot Salish were forced to sign the Hellgate Treaty of 1855. Following this treaty, land dispossession and attempts of ethnocide against the Salish and other Indigenous tribes were made in efforts to acquire land. Regardless of centuries of colonial theft and oppression, many Salish and other Indigenous peoples continue to thrive in this “place of the small bull trout.”
Recognizing the colonial past of Montana and upholding Indigenous voices helps us to move forward into the future collectively. The Missoula Public Library begins this journey by properly acknowledging this land as known by the first peoples of Missoula, Nłʔáyčstm. We will actively work to increase Indigenous engagement and access by providing a space on their homelands that they can come to. We are committed to showcasing Salish language signage, books with Indigenous authors, Indigenous art, and programing by Native facilitators.