CHENEY, Wash. — EWU athletics in partnership with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians and Northern Quest, will wear special Salish helmet decals for Saturday's game against Montana State.
The special helmet decals are in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.
The decal utilizes the Salish phrase of “uł pql̓qeyn” (pronounced oo-th p-kill-cane) which translates to a “group of eagles".
“As long-time supporters and partners of EWU athletics, we’re thrilled to celebrate the kick-off of Native American Heritage Month with this collaborative effort that pays tribute to our Salish language,” says Northern Quest General Manager and Kalispel Tribal Council Member Nick Pierre. “We’re proud of our partnership with the Eags and are grateful for this opportunity to share some of our Kalispel cultural traditions with Eagles fans on gameday.”
The first 1,000 fans will receive a special game day rooter card, which showcases the helmet artwork and pays tribute to the history and generosity of the Tribe in our community.
There will be several other ceremonies throughout Saturday's game to honor our local Native American tribes.
Prior to kickoff there will be a land acknowledgement presentation and the singing of the Salish national anthem. The halftime performance will be a traditional tribal Jingle Dance.
Northern Quest and the Kalispel Tribe will also host the Cusick junior high and high school football teams for a pregame tailgate.
“We are fortunate to live in an area with such incredible ties to Native American land, heritage and culture. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work with partners like the Kalispel Tribe of Indians and Northern Quest Resort & Casino,” said EWU Director of Athletics Tim Collins. “EWU Athletics thanks them for their support, and we look forward to partnering with them to create additional outreach opportunities within our regions’ tribal communities in the future.”