NOVEMBER 22, 2025 — The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) of Montana are reconsidering the design of their tribal flag, say the Char-Koosta News, responding to requests for a symbol that more accurately represents the distinct identities of the Séliš (Salish), Ksanka (Kootenai), and Ql̓ispé (Upper Pend d’Oreille) peoples.
Deliberations on the issue have intensified over the past several months, with a meeting on November 12 highlighting both community interest and discussions surrounding potential changes.
The current CSKT flag, familiar to many on the Flathead Indian Reservation, reflects a traditional Plains lifestyle. It features a central disk with motifs such as a buffalo, bear tracks, a tepee, the Rocky Mountains, and indigenous weapons. While this imagery has longstanding significance, pressure to revise the flag arose after Ql̓ispé community members pushed for more explicit recognition on the flag, a symbol that, until now, has primarily emphasized Salish and Kootenai heritage.
Efforts to address this concern have led the CSKT Tribal Council to propose a new design that would incorporate all three tribal names and grant a more prominent place to the official tribal seal. The council opened a public comment period on the proposed flag, seeking feedback and engaging with the community at various meetings.
Rob McDonald, the CSKT Communications Director, has stressed that the intent behind the redesign is to foster inclusivity. However, early responses suggest the process has exposed divisions among tribal members.
In particular, an initial proposal featuring a blue flag and the tribal seal met significant opposition. “Did they really hear the community, though? Because apparently, they didn’t,” said Loretta Hoots, underscoring skepticism over whether public input was adequately considered. “This isn’t the original flag. This isn’t what we’ve been seeing. This is a different flag. If you’re putting this out for us to respond to, they didn’t hear what we said.”
Many comments submitted during council meetings favoured keeping the existing red flag, a position echoed by a majority of voices at the session on November 12.
Council representative Carole Depoe-Lankford emphasized the rationale for the redesign, stating, “We have three tribes, and that is my understanding, is the change on here, and then the language, and I think that is appropriate. If you disagree, that is fine.”
Some participants urged a departure from conventional flag designs in favour of more traditional representations, such as an eagle staff. “I would recommend that this leading body of people come up with a genuine eagle staff with eagle feathers that go with it to set in the council chambers,” said Francis Auld.
Image: Char-Koosta News and FOTW
