Montana Music 1

Running head: MONTANA MUSIC

Music of the Nations of Montana

Julie Methot

Montana State University - Billings

EDCI 690

Dr Susan Barfield
 Montana Music 2

Abstract

This document, intended for the teacher who is familiar with music, serves to introduce

the historic styles of music from the first people in Montana. Three culture groups are examined

in historical perspective: the Plateau area, the Plains area, and the Great Lakes area. Change

because of the pan-Indian movements is briefly explained, and the shape of modern Native

music is described. Additional references and resources are given for the reader to explore more.
 Montana Music 3

Introduction

This paper will be an introduction to the music of the twelve registered tribes of Montana.

For the sake of convenience and brevity, they will be grouped into three 'culture areas' with

common elements of environment and language groups, the Plains, Plateau and Woodlands

(Great Lakes). History and tradition will start this examination, along with the powwow’s inter-

tribal effect on music, and the directions taken by modern musicians. The Crow and Northern

Cheyenne of southeastern Montana are classified with the Plains culture group. Fort Peck is

home to Assiniboine and Sioux, which are also Plains cultures. Fort Belknap is also home to

Assiniboine people, and to members of the Gros Ventre tribe (also a Plains culture). The

Chippewa and Cree, of Great Lakes/Woodlands origin, live on Rocky Boy's Reservation. The

Little Shell group is considered a part of the Chippewa people. The Blackfeet still live on the

eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, and their music shares most of the characteristics of

Plains music. The Flathead Indian Reservation is home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai

tribes, which are a combination of the Salish, the Pend d'Oreille and the Kootenai people. The

Flathead residents are considered members of the Plateau culture group. Merriam's (1955) study

of Flathead music took place on this reservation. The Plateau, the cultural region of people who

lived in the Columbia River drainage between the Rockies and the Cascades, influenced their

language and culture, but the Plains influenced their music. Music is only one part of a culture,

and it is shaped by other parts of the culture – religion, language, and environment (See map).

This paper will introduce the music of the twelve registered tribes of Montana, placing the music

into three major groups based on the original homes of each of the groups.
Montana Music 4

Map from
(MT.gov, 2008)
 Montana Music 5

A Few Common Historical Ideas

Where does music originate? “Native Americans consider music to be a gift from the

Creator. All music is part of the Universe and individuals are allowed by the Creator to 'catch' a

song from this source. Music might be the product of an individual...or a result of communal

effort” (Burton, 1993, p. 22). It then becomes part of oral history. “Music serves to join the

natural with the supernatural, the person with the Creator” (p.22). The sharp distinctions of

musician and non-musician, sacred and secular, do not seem to apply to this traditional music.

The harmony and community are intrinsic to the music. War songs, dance songs, lullabies,

hunting songs, work songs, and songs of peace and unity are links between members of families

and communities. Music is a part of community life.

Musical Characteristics

A vocable is a non-word vocal sound or syllable. “Vocables are used by virtually all

Native American groups....Vocables, however, may or may not have specific meaning to the

performer or a specific 'initiated' audience. In no case are they felt to be 'silly sounds' or

'nonsense syllables.' “A song may consist solely of vocables, solely of linguistic text, or contain

both text and vocables.” (Burton, 1993, p. 23) Burton said of the selections in his book, that he

was mostly using vocables for lyrics, either because that is how it was passed along, or for

personal or spiritual reasons.

In 1939, Oscar Lewis was invited to sing when he was leaving the Blackfeet. He

responded with an aria, and the listeners were amused because white music had so many words.

They wondered why he would sing, if he really wanted to talk (Nettl, 1989). It appears that the

few words used in much of Native music have rich connotations. The vocables are not nonsense

syllables, either. They are fixed, and may be remnants of forgotten earlier languages.
 Montana Music 6

Many musicologists have collected recordings and made transcriptions of traditional

music. In the early Twentieth century, the Smithsonian published a series of bulletins from the

Bureau of Ethnology. Some have been reprinted, and are interesting resources for historic music

from an analytical view. One should remember, when viewing these collections of transcribed

music, that they are filtered through the musicologists’ scale and temperament training, so may

be only an approximation of what was actually sung at the time. There is no reason to expect the

traditional music of the Native American to conform to the European tunings. This is especially

apparent in the flute. The instrument from Woodlands group varies significantly from that of the

Plains group, and there is also variation in individual instruments within each group (Nakai &

Demars, 1996).

What about flutes?

One recent find includes a bone flute over 40,000 years old. The flute is one of the oldest

of human instruments, and it appears in all three culture groups. The traditions of flute-making,

performance and philosophy are not documented. Much traditional flute music was lost because

of colonization, government suppression and overt cultural change. (Nakai & Demars, 1996)

Each instrument is an individual. The flute is suited to individual expression and was not used

for ensemble performance. Each instrument is a personal work of art. One can find facsimiles of

traditional flutes sold today. The small animal on the block is actually a functioning part of the

instrument, not mere decoration. The instrument was highly personal in decoration and

intonation. “Flutes originated among the Plains tribes as courtship instruments although the

instrument is now used for all kinds of music” (Burton, 1993, p. 31). The traditional flute is

hand-made, to fit the player, usually by the player under the supervision of a teacher. Some

makers now are standardizing their instruments. “Each player ...attempts to match the instrument
 Montana Music 7

to his voice and songs” (Burton, 1993, p. 31). The novice learns from the experienced player,

and gradually learns ornamentation and improvisation in the player’s own individualized style.

Burton (1993), in studying the traditional style, found an abundance of ornamentation - grace

notes, portamenti, tremolos and mordents. The flute or flageolet was also reported in the

Flathead reservation in 1950 (Merriam & Merriam, 1955). The music of Joseph Firecrow of

Montana is a modern player of traditional flute music, though he has added other instruments in

some pieces. Mary Youngblood, of Northern California, is one of the few female Native flute

players who records her work. The instrument has persisted through time among the cultures

with very little change.

History of Each Culture-Group

The largest group of people living on Montana reservations are the people of the Great

Plains. Some authors group the Chippewa and Cree as Great Plains cultures, while others

consider them separately, as part of the Great Lakes culture groups. The Northwest Coast and

Plateau people are represented in our state.

Traditional music is passed on from oral tradition, and language also shapes music. The

spoken languages here are grouped into Salishian, Siouan and Algonquian by linguists.

(Gabarino & Sasso, 1993 and WALS, 2005). Languages, while important, are another study

entirely.

Plains Traditional Music

Music is not static, but there are snapshots of historical patterns. Nettl (1954) and Burton

(1993), in describing traditional music from the Plains area, characterized certain common vocal

techniques and characteristics. Very loud singing, especially in unison, vocal tension, pulsations,

sudden changes in dynamics and pitch, and a predominance of descending patterns are typical.
 Montana Music 8

Melodies start high, and the last note is the lowest. The large drum seen at powwows is a Plains

instrument (Burton, 1993). If music is influenced by environment, these characteristics make

sense. The sound of a large drum and loud voices would be necessary to carry well in open

country. Nettl (1954) described the Northern Plains sub-genre. The range, he said, is about an

octave to a tenth, the scale is often tetratonic (a four-note scale) or pentatonic (a five-note scale),

and the intervals are mostly thirds (some find these to be between a major and minor third,

perhaps a microtone) and minor seconds. Some musicologists do not find a direct

correspondence with regulated pitches. Nettl described a frequent construction as “tonic, perfect

fourth, perfect fifth, major sixth, octave, and major ninth” (p 29). This limited number of notes,

(do, fa, sol, la, do, and re) though not a complete diatonic scale, still allows complexity in

melody. He continued, “The melodic movement is of the terrace type” (p. 29) and rhythmically

complex. Terrace movement is a melodic line wherein “each phrase descends, and each begins

somewhat lower than the previous one.” (p.24) These analyses were based on recordings and

transcriptions.

The Blackfeet of the nineteenth century had “much in common with other Northern

Plains tribes such as the Crow, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Gros Ventre, but they also shared

customs and other culture traits with the Flathead, a Salish-speaking people on the western side

of the Continental Divide in Montana, and with the Algonquian-speaking Cree, directly northeast

of Blackfoot territory” (Nettl, 1954, p. 13).

This is not to say that there was only one cultural identity among all these tribes, but that

many had certain common characteristics. Certain ideas were linked, culturally and

linguistically. Conceptually, the idea of dance included the idea of ceremony and the idea of
 Montana Music 9

singing included the idea of drumming, as the two were inseparable. Singing was tied to events,

not used as background music. Songs could be adopted from other tribes, however (Nettl, 1989).

Chippewa and Cree: Woodlands or Plains?

Densmore (1972) analyzed many Chippewa songs. She wrote (p.6) that “in 70 percent of

the songs the first progression is downward and...that 65 percent of the entire number of

progressions of the song are downward. It has been noted that in 90 percent of the songs the last

tone is the lowest of the song.” This suggests the terrace movement that Nettl had described, but

there is a difference. Densmore (1972) stated, “[T]he correspondence between the music of the

Chippewa and the Sioux, which may be attributed to contact of the two tribes, is rhythmic, not

melodic.” (p. 11). However, she found that tones were not loud.

Burton (1993) described “Eastern Woodlands” style with several features including

“relaxed voices in medium and high range”, “use of song cycles”, and “frequent use of call and

response” (p 24). The Mide song cycle, a very important group of spiritual songs of the

Chippewa seems much closer to this description. Sadie and Ashkenazy (2004) stated that the

Chippewa (Great Lakes) sing short call- and -response songs with simple rhythms and

undulating melodies” (p 14). The region, historically, was a mix of evergreen and deciduous

forest, with abundant wildlife. Music from this region would be different from the Plains style,

and this can be seen to be the case with the Chippewa and Cree music. “The voices of

the...Ojibway are likened to the flute. Nasality only exists in the upper register and the tone

becomes harsh only when projection over distance is required; in a closed space the tone remains

mellow. An Ojibway male averages at least two octaves,” according to Lavonis (2004). The Cree

and Chippewa music is Woodlands style, though they moved westward in the late 1600s and

early 1700s. For more history of the Ojibway people, see http://www.tolatsga.org/ojib.html.
 Montana Music 1

Plateau/Coastal

There is some disagreement concerning the origins of the Flathead people; “the Flathead

have a clear linguistic relationship to the Salishian-speaking peoples west of them” (Merriam,

1967, p. 148). However, “If we assume that the Flathead are indeed Salish, on linguistic and

some cultural evidence, then we should expect that their music system would also be Salish, or at

least that it was Salish at some time in the past.” (Merriam, 1967, p. 148).

If their music was typical of the Northwest Coast, we would expect complex percussion

rhythms, elaborate dramas with masks, slit drums, upward key changes, and polyphony (music

that is not unison, but more than one voice and rhythm) (Burton, 1993). Merriam (1967) pointed

out that the language is Salish, but the music is Plains. How could this happen? Did the language

change, or the musical culture change? “Flathead culture is definitely a mixture of Plains and

Plateau, but, again, is distinctive enough...to be placed in an eastern-sub area of the

Plateau....Flathead music is Plains-type” (Merriam, 1967, p. 149). The borrowing of songs occurs

from time to time, but this is more than a few songs. The Flathead lived on the eastern Plateau,

near the Shoshoni people. History does not record the details.

Music is contextual, and there have been changes in the Flathead music also. How many

war dances and marriage dances are still performed?

“As recently as the 1950's some old people whose contact with the traditional past was

firsthand were still alive. They were people who had made the trek from the Bitterroot to the

Jocko reservation area with Chief Charlot in 1891. They had lived in tipis..., had gone on the

annual hunting trek...been married under the conditions of the Marriage Dance, had participated

in the scalp dance...Since 1960, the two old women who persisted in practicing the First Roots

ceremony have died” (Merriam, 1967, p. 157).

 Montana Music 1

The loss of the ceremonies and rituals leads to the loss of the music, but the basic form

does not change. Music and cultural identity have strong links, and much more study of these

past treasures could be completed. Densmore, Nettl, and Merriam are good authors for the seeker

who wants to begin with the historical study of the Montana tribes’ music.

Some of the characteristics of traditional music are preserved today, but there have been

strong influences for change since the time of the contact of cultures in the past two centuries.

Contact and Change

In the late part of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, two major

pan-Indian movements occurred. The Ghost Dance started among the Ute people, and quickly

spread throughout the Plains. The founder advised his followers to live in peace, learn to farm,

and dance for the restoration of the grasslands. There were variations on this message, and the

movement ended in 1890 in South Dakota.

The Peyote dance was part of the Native American Church, a mixture of Christian

teachings and the peyote spiritual quests, which was spread by the Comanche. The use of peyote

was believed to aid in communion with God and to promote physical and spiritual healing. This

practice is perhaps 3000 years old in Mexico. The Blackfeet people, however, resisted both the

Ghost Dance movement of the 1880s and the Peyote dance of the twentieth century (Nettl,

1989). The Ghost Dance was widespread in the Plains for a short time, but it is significant as a

pan-Indian musical movement. The “Arapaho had and still have large Peyote and Ghost Dance

repertoires” (p. 106).

In 1789, wrote Merriam (1967),the Hudson Bay Company trappers came to Flathead

country, along with 250 Iroquois. These Iroquois were Catholic, and shared their teaching and
 Montana Music 1

hymns, and conducted services of preaching which also included singing and dancing,

specifically a prophet dance.

Nettl (1989) pointed out that in the twentieth century, the Blackfeet repertoire added the

Grass Dance from the Assiniboine, the Owl or Rabbit dance and the Forty-Niner. Indian Days,

beginning in the 1940s and powwow culture in the 1950s also were strong influences. The songs

of certain ceremonies have been lost, and intertribal songs have been added. Singing retains the

Plains style – high and loud, with pulsations. “The Blackfoot style is essential” (p. 68), he adds,

suggesting that certain vocal stylistic elements remain in spite of additions to repertoire and new

dances. New music is transformed.

Among the Blackfeet, “[i]n the 1980s, although women's “drums” were recognized and

some women were listed as members of singing groups, the title of “singer” or “drummer” was

gender-specific” (Nettl,1989, p. 83). The author continued, “The general implication of the

literature is that women participate in the same musical culture as men, but do so to a smaller

extent than men” (p. 84). Among the Blackfeet, songs are a link to the supernatural, and to

society. It appears that songs have a power of their own. B. Nettl (1989)

DesJarlait (1997) noted a difference between “traditional” and “contest” powwows

among the Ojibwé and the Oyaté people. Some saw the changes as inevitable, but others strongly

resisted the outside influences of a social event with a long history. The author made a

distinction between the traditional powwow, which renews the connection to earth and each

other, and the contest powwow, which is danced for money. The contest powwow style seems to

cause a blending of intertribal and traditional forms by the addition of new dances, regalia, and

music, and for many, the effect is quite uncomfortable. The origin of the powwow is traced back

to the Hethushka, a war dance, of the Omaha and Ponca, which was danced in their warrior
 Montana Music 1

societies. The feathers, scalps (later replaced by sweetgrass) and feather bustles were used. The

dance spread to the Ojibwé, and became secular. The large drum was a change for the Ojibwé,

who had previously used hand drums. This dance was called the Omaha dance by some, and

became known as the grass dance among the Lakota (DesJarlait, 1997).

Even though competitive dancing was centuries old, the modern contest powwow is

thought to have begun in the 1880s in Oklahoma. “The 1950s and 1960s were formative years of

the modern contest powwow in which the organizational aspects were influenced by the rodeo;

the elimination point system, exhibition, day money, grand entry and retreat are but a few

examples” (DesJarlait, 1997, p. 120). This changed the Oyaté social dance significantly.

Northern Plains clothing styles, intertribal rules and regulations predominated, and the traditional

powwow fell into decline. Local tradition and custom often conflicted with the intertribal

traditions (DesJarlait, 1997). Though some may see powwows as a homogenization of the

cultures, this is not necessarily the case. “Our dance clothing reminds us of the beauty of our

culture and of our race. Through our dance, the dance outfit becomes the art that makes visible

the utterance of our soul-spirits...the dance outfit defines who we are and where we came

from”(p. 123).

Still, the majority of drum groups are exclusively male, though a few female groups are

appearing. In 1993, the Rising Hail Singers (Dakota) were not well –received at an Ojibwé-

Anishinaabé traditional powwow (DesJarlait, 1997). At contest powwows, drum groups with

female singers are more common. DesJarlait (1997) mentioned the Cathedral Lake Singers,

Little Boy Singers, and the Ironwood Singers as popular female drum groups. An example of

powwow singing can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYltWhG7-

 Montana Music 1

BM&feature=related . Notice the female singers standing back, but joining in the song; this is

more common than women sitting at the drum.

The Sweetgrass Road Drum Group of Winnipeg sued the University of Saint Thomas

when the annual (2001) powwow excluded the group because they were female. The singers

cited preservation of the songs and the increasing responsibilities of women in modern society,

and the spiritual advisor cited traditional belief. The university claimed religious freedom in its

defense (Flores, 2002). (The powwow was canceled). In spite of the differences and the conflict

between traditional and competition powwow, the author said, “it is the Drum, which symbolizes

peace and good will between communities, that has brought people together” (DesJarlait, 1997,

p. 126). Individual differences remain, and tribal unity and identity are not disappearing.

Conclusion

What are responsibilities of the teacher? One cannot claim what one does not own. If one

is not a member of a tribe, one cannot claim authority about the tribe. Tradition and copyright

protect the songs, and so does respect for the owners of the songs. The music that is

recommended here for study is freely available in libraries.We must treat the works of other

nations and religions with respect, and any hint of condescension will not be tolerated. Do

children of the non-European nations feel disenfranchised when all they hear in schools are

English/German/Italian works? Possibly. Can presenting music from other cultures than one's

own be of benefit? Definitely. Local leaders can be consulted, and many are happy to help.

Check with the nearest cultural outreach office, as listed in the appendix. Music can be a bridge

rather than a barrier. There is no such thing as a single music or tribe that defines all of the

cultural richness and beauty of Native people. Each individual and group has a sound and music

history that shapes what music they make.

 Montana Music 1

“There are occasional experiments mixing styles, with harmony, on guitar or piano, the

incorporation of modern Indian tunes into rock and roll, the adoption of hymn and popular

melodies into Blackfoot repertory” (Nettl, 1989, p. 68). There are certainly examples of this

available to the seeker today. A number of Native performers incorporate traditional sounds and

modern styles in their recordings. Some examples show a rich variety: Rezawrecktion, from

Crow country, plays Christian rap. Joseph Firecrow, of the Northern Cheyenne, plays a blend of

traditional flute and modern synthesizer. Paul Underwood of Exitwound, also Northern

Cheyenne, plays heavy metal/new age but with some elements of traditional music. Under the

Green Corn Moon is a collection of lullabies from various tribes. The Rocky Boys Singers have

recorded powwow and traditional Cree-Chippewa music. Jack Gladstone of the Blackfeet sings

in a country-western style. Jared Stewart (Crow) plays blues; Young Grey Horse preserves songs

for future generations.

Scott Prinzig of Billings, who writes music reviews for the independent newspaper

Outpost, has written a guide to Native Music called “American Indian Music: More Than Just

Flutes and Drums” for the Office of Public Instruction, and has also given similar information in

presentations about Native American performers. Paul Underwood and Jack Gladstone have

both expressed a willingness to be contacted by teachers to make presentations in nearby schools

(Personal communication, October 14, 2008 and November 19, 2008, respectively).

Teachers may find the following selections useful: Joseph Fire Crow's “Wolf Song” and

“Wind in My Mind” from Northern Cheyenne Flute, Exitwound's “Spirits of the Pack” from

After the Storm, lullabies of Under the Green Corn Moon, the music of Brule, “Buffalo Cafe” by

Jack Gladstone and “Someone Else's Door” from Scott Prinzig's CD to accompany the OPI

collection. Though the focus is on Montana tribes and groups, students may find the South
 Montana Music 1

Dakota group Brule interesting. A few examples are included of music from tribes not

represented on Montana reservations, since the reservations are not the total Native population of

our state. Additional Resources are given at the end of this paper.

The seeker needs only to listen. Many people believe that music comes from the heart,

and opening one's heart to someone else's music is a journey worth taking. The reader is

encouraged to explore the musical heritage of the students who attend our schools.

Our students, and we, can benefit from what Paul Underwood said. “Don't let anybody

tell you that you can't live your dreams” (personal communication October 14, 2008).
 Montana Music 1

References

[Mt.gov website]. Retrieved December 19, 2008, from MT.gov website:

http://www.nris.mt.gov/gis/gisdatalib/downloads/ab9.gif

Burton, B. (1993). Moving within the circle. Danbury, Connecticut: World Music Press.

Densmore, F. (1972). Chippewa music. [Reprint of no. 45 and 53 of the Smithsonian Institution,

Bureau of American Ethnology bulletins]. New York: DaCapo Press. (Original work

published 1913)

DesJarlait, R. (1997). The Contest Powwow versus the Traditional Powwow and the role of the

Native American community. Wicazo Sa Review, 12(1), 115 - 127. Retrieved October 23,

2008, from JSTOR: Wicazo Sa Review Vol 12, No. 1 (Spring 1997): http://jstor.org

Flores, C. (May 31, 2002). Drumming up a lawsuit? The Chronicle of Higher Education, 48, 38.

Retrieved October 23, 2008, from http://find.galegroup.com/itx/start.do?prodId=EAIM:

EBSCO

Gabarino, M., & Sasso, R. (1993). Native American heritage (3rd). Prospect Heights, Illinois:

Waveland Press.

Lavonis, W. (2004). A study of Native American singing and song. Lewiston, New York: Edward
Mellen Press.

Merriam, A. (1967). Ethnomusicology of the Flathead Indians. Chicago: Aldine Publishing

Company.

Merriam, A., & Merriam, B. (1955). The ethnography of Flathead Indian music (2). Missoula:

Western Anthropology.

Nakai, R. C., & Demars, J. (1996). The art of the Native American flute. Phoenix: Canyon

Records.
 Montana Music 1

Nettl, B. (1954). North American Indian musical styles. Philadelphia: American Folklore

Society.

Nettl, B. (1989). Blackfoot musical thought. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press.

Sadie, S., & Ashkenazy,., V. (2004). In Billboard encyclopedia of classical music (Billboard

Books). Retrieved November 21, 2008, from http://books.google.com/books?

id=KtkJx5vNFyUC: Google Books

WALS. World Association of Language Structures: http://wals.info/languoid/genus/algonquian

http://wals.info/languoid/family/siouan and http://wals.info/languoid/family/salishian

retrieved October 20, 2008

 Montana Music 1

Additional Resources

A Crow fair medley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4JFZSDfWIw&feature=related

Jack Gladstone: www.jackgladstone.com He is happy to be a contact for teachers.
Gombert, G. (199y) Native American music directory. Summertown, Tennessee: Book
Publishing Company.
Intertribal sound clips http://www.angelfire.com/ar/waakomimm/midi.html
Language and Culture information: http://www.native-languages.org. This resource has many
pages of language, history and is also a stepping stone to other sites.
Lewis and Clark site: http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/ The Corps of Discovery encountered
many of the nations on their way through Montana.
Native Radio: http://www.nativeradio.com/links.cfm
Pages for kids: www.bigorrin.org The individuals involved are promoting Native languages.
Smithsonian Folkways. http://www.folkways.si.edu/
Paul Underwood: http://natube.magnify.net/user/8LYKTTZRLB8SX2L8 He is willing to talk to
kids or set up performances in schools. He can be reached at: [email protected].
Many recordings are available, including:
Canyon Records: many examples
Exitwound (2007) After the storm. (and others)
Fire Crow, J. (1996) Northern Cheyenne flute. Bismarck, ND: Makoché. (and others)
Nettl, B., & Many Guns, T. (2008). [United States, Indiana, Bloomington, Blackfoot Indians,
1952]. Bloomington, IN: Archives of Traditional Music.
Nettl, B. (1996). Excursions in world music Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Prinzig, Scott “More Than Just Flutes and Drums” Montana: OPI
Rocky Boy Singers have several CD s available, traditional and powwow music.
Various Artists Under the Green Corn Moon. Boulder, Colorado: Silver Wave Records.
 Montana Music 2

Montana Tribal Cultural Contacts

Cultural Committee contacts for Montana and neighboring tribes are listed below. These
individuals can
provide extensive information on a variety of Indian cultural resources, traditions, language
and other
aspects of Native culture. They are the principal contact for anyone wishing to work on
projects on tribal
lands or on Indian related sites throughout the state. from mhs.mt.gov/shpo/THPOS.pdf

Tribal Culture Committees/THPO

ASSINIBOINE & SIOUX TRIBES
CULTURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE
ATTENTION: CURLEY YUPEE
PO BOX 1027
FORT PECK AGENCY
POPLAR MT 59255
PHONE: (406) 768-5155

BLACKFEET NATION TRIBE

JOHN MURRAY, THPO
PO BOX 2809
BROWNING MT 59417
PHONE: (406) 338-7406
[email protected]

FORT BELKNAP COMMUNITY COUNCIL

RR 1 BOX 66
HARLEM MT 59526
WHITE CLAY SOCIETY
GEORGE HORSE CAPTURE
PO BOX 340
HAYS MT 59527
PHONE: (406) 673-3366
BUFFALO CHASERS SOCIETY
JOHN ALLEN
PO BOX 834
HARLEM MT 59526

THE CROW TRIBE OF INDIANS

MR. DALE OLD HORN, THPO
P.O. BOX 159
CROW AGENCY MT 59022
PHONE: (406) 638-3126
FAX: (406) 638-3169

NORTHERN CHEYENNE TRIBE

CONRAD FISHER, THPO
PO BOX 128- N. CHEYENNE AGENCY
 Montana Music 2

LAME DEER MT 59043

PHONE: (406) 477-6035
[email protected]

CHIPPEWA CREE TRIBE OF THE

ROCKY BOYS
ALVIN WINDY BOY, THPO
R R 1 #544
BOX ELDER MT 59521
PHONE: (406) 395-4225

CONFEDERATED SALISH & KOOTENAI

TRIBES PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT
MARCIA PABLO, THPO
PO BOX 278
PABLO MT 59855
PHONE: (406) 675-2700
from mhs.mt.gov/shpo/THPOS.pdf