Introduction

The Gold Rush

Aboriginal Culture

Chief Isidore

Ktunaxa Religion

In the beginning before Europeans came to settle in Canada the Ktunaxa worshiped the sun and believed in reincarnation.

Things quickly changed when the Europeans came to Canada. Many of the first European settlers were missionaries. In the Kootenays, Roman Catholic missionaries taught the Ktunaxa their religion.

Kootenay Indians, Fort Steele (FS-100.57)

We have written information from early European explorers that tells us how religious some of the converted Ktunaxa people became. Nearly all of them were baptised and went to lively Sunday morning services where they did a lot of singing.

Soon the Catholic missionaries helped the Ktunaxa build their own Churches. In 1861 a small log Church was built on the Tobacco Plains with the help of Father de Smet. Many of the Ktunaxa were becoming very strong Catholics. They would meet at the Church every morning and evening. They also prayed before every meal. Many of the Ktunaxa were baptised and married in this Church. A Catholic priest travelled to the Tobacco Plains at certain times of the year to perform these ceremonies.

Just outside of Cranbrook another Church was started by Father Fouquet in 1873, called St. Eugene’s Mission. Here the people of another Ktunaxa band, later headed by Chief Isidore, slowly came to build their homes. The mission soon became a small community.

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