In honor of National Native American Heritage month, the next few Livewell segments will feature discussions with leaders of local tribes.
Jim Boyd, Coville Business Council Chairman, discusses the importance of honoring the heritage of the Colville Tribes while moving forward with a more modern economic strategy.
"We were salmon people," says Boyd, describing the tribes' historic dependency on salmon to live. "Until the Grand Coulee Dam was built it was all about the river."
Yet the Colville Tribes find new ways to grow and expand building tribal corporations such as a security corporation, credit union and casinos. Current construction on a new casino in Omak generated over 600 jobs for both tribal and non-tribal members.
Intertwined with the growth is an appreciation of the past. Boyd excitedly speaks about the revival of the language and the imperative need to educate children about the cultural traditions of the Colville Tribes.
Click here to learn more about the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.
