Flathead Indians, Tribe, History

The Flathead Tribe came together from a group in western Montana of 15 Flatheads (Selish), the well-known tribe of De Smet and Ravalli, as well as several Spokan (Sihqomen) and Coeur d'Alene (Kalispiel). In the past these three tribes were closely associated, and spoke similar dialects.

The Flatheads are called such not because they have flat heads. Rather, they are called this because the Indians of the Columbia region, who were known to compress their heads artificially, thought of their own heads as pointed, and would call their neighbors "flat-heads" as an insult. The Flatheads, however, simply retained the natural shape of the skulls without forcing them to grow into a conical shape.

Early visitors in the region used the name without knowing why it first came into use, leading to the perpetuation of the misunderstanding that these people have flat heads. Ironically, they were the only tribe in the area not practicing the reshaping of the skull.

The men of the tribe wore their hair turned up from the forehead. This was similar to the style employed by the Crows. Their skin color differs from the copper brown of the eastern Indians; but instead is closer to the hue of creamy yellow more common among the Pueblos. The Flatheads tend to be good-natured and polite to those they meet, again more culturally similar to the Pueblos rather than the warriors you find in the plains.

In the past they originally inhabited the rough mountains at the head of the Missouri river, surviving on roots and berries more than by hunting because they were disconnected from buffalo country by the Blackfoot, their enemies. Their houses were constructed of bark and reeds - they also built skin teepees.

In 1855 the tribe were put on a reservation; the confederated tribes now number about 2,000. On the Colville reservation in Washington there are about 670 Spokan and 500 Coeur d'Alene.