The Spokanes had a fall celebration for the purpose of sharing and Thanksgiving.

Late in the fall a family would have a dinner. They would invite many people to share in their good fortune. It would be a family who had done well in hunting and gathering food for the winter. This family would especially invite people like widows with children and elders.

There was food that was from their gardens. They had pheasant and grouse that they had plucked and cleaned. They also had turkey, deer, and elk. There was bitterroots, berry pies, small wild potatoes, brown and white camas that were baked three days with wild sweet onions and dried moss.

Prayers had been said for the roots and berries to last all winter. They had prayers for there to be plenty of deer and elk. It was a time of getting together and thankfulness.

If there was to be a war dance afterwards, the dinner would be around two o'clock This gave everyone a chance to talk after dinner before the dance began. The dance usually lasted two or three hours. If there wasn't to be a war dance, the dinner started around four or five o'clock in the afternoon.

Before going home the widows and those in need were given potatoes and roots to take with them. This was to make sure everyone had enough food to last through the winter.

Later on in the middle of winter another family would put on another dinner. In this manner everyone in need was helped through the winter.

Thanks to Pat Moses for this information.

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first published in the Rural Review - Wellpinit School District Newsletter, November 1993.