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In French Coeur d' Alene translates roughly into "heart-of -the-awl". Why this appellation was given to these people by French trappers is now hidden by history. The people called themselves Schitsu'umsh.

One of the panhandle tribes, along with the Kalispel and Kootenai, the Schitsu'umsh made their encampments along the Spokane, Coeur d' Alene and St Joseph rivers. These three tribes not only lived near one another, but the Schitsu'umsh & Kalispel also shared similar languages. Both of these tribes spoke languages included in the Salish language family.

In common with Nimi'ipuu, the Schitsu'umsh had available rich resources provided by the rivers and the surrounding forest. The resources were so plentiful in fact that the population density was five humans per each 100 square miles; with local populations increasing to 100-200 people, many more humans than could live on the deserts of the Snake River Plain. Subsistence for the Schitsu'umsh was attained through hunting and gathering activities of the men and women.

With bows made of syringa and sinew the men hunted deer, elk and bear. Trips would also be made into Montana to hunt bison, although the Schitsu'umsh did not keep large herds of horses for doing long distance traveling. Hunting techniques included using fire to encircle animals then killing them. A similar strategy involved driving the animals into lakes and then killing them from canoes. Many of the hunts were community activities rather than single hunters which would ensure that everyone in the village would have food. Small animals such as beaver, marmot, squirrel, badger and rabbit were also hunted.

The fish available in the streams were the trout, squawfish, white fish and some shell fish. Amazingly, fish were rare even though the Schitsu'umsh lived in an area with many streams. To solve this problem the Schitsu'umsh would travel, sometimes great distances to fish for more than their streams provided. Bands would travel south in the spring to the North Fork of the Clearwater River and west to Kettle and Spokane Falls where they could fish the early salmon and visit with their neighbors the Nimi'ipuu and other tribes. Tools for fishing were complex and made under the supervision of a "boss" who regulated the construction. Naturally hooks and line would be used, but they also used spears, weirs, traps, harpoons and dip nets which were made from bone, stone, wood, antler and sinew.

While the men fished, hunted and made tools the women followed their own calendar of activities to provide food. June signaled the beginning of the root harvest. Small groups would move from one area to the next to gather ripening roots using a syringa digging stick. In July large groups would come together to harvest camas near Desmet, Clarkia and Moscow, Idaho. Because of the large, temporary populations at these three areas, activities other than food gathering developed. Ceremonies, such as marriages, trading between tribes and organization of late-summer buffalo hunts would take place.

As summer faded into fall the women busied themselves gathering bitteroot, wild onion, berries, nuts and wild rhubarb (which was a delicacy). Foods were processed by the women using mortars and pestles made from river cobbles.

Tags:  french coeur trappers history spokane coeur salish family syringa lakes