OUR GEM: Honoring Sqigwts: A celebration of tradition, culture, and community

A vibrant celebration of culture, tradition and community came alive as the Coeur d'Alene Tribe gathered to honor Sqigwts, the sacred water potato. The tribe's annual Sqigwts celebration marks a vital time of year for the people, as it symbolizes the harvesting and honoring of a staple food that has nourished generations. This year's celebration saw over 500 participants from local schools and the greater tribal community gathering for a weeklong celebration of culture and heritage. 

The celebration took place along the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene, where the Tribe has harvested Sqigwts for centuries. This vital food source, grown in the shallow waters of local lakes, has sustained the Coeur d'Alene people for generations. The festival is a time to reconnect with the land, celebrate the harvest and remind everyone why these traditions are important. 

Local schools played a significant role in the celebration, with students learning about the Tribe's history and cultural practices. The event allowed the Coeur d'Alene people to reconnect with their roots and served as a teaching moment for the larger community.  

One of the key highlights of the celebration was the community gathering at the site, where tribal members performed traditional song, prayer and drumming in honor of Sqigwts. The gathering served as a reminder of the deep spiritual and physical connection the Tribe has to the land, water and natural resources that sustain them. 

Throughout the week, visitors sampled traditional foods such as smoked salmon, dried meat and stew made from the Sqigwts. These culinary offerings reminded visitors of the tribe's traditional ways of cooking and eating and introduced new generations to these essential food sources. 

In addition to the cultural stations and food, the gathering was also a place to celebrate the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's storytelling tradition. Elders shared tales passed down through the generations, recounting the Tribe's stories, legends and teachings about respect for the natural world. Storytelling is one of the foundations of Coeur d'Alene culture, a practice that helps preserve history and identity. 

As the Sqigwts celebration continues to grow in popularity and participation, it is a powerful reminder of the Tribe's resilience and the importance of cultural preservation. For the Coeur d'Alene people, the gathering celebrates identity, community and the generations that came before. It's an opportunity to teach the younger generation about the importance of their heritage and to honor the land and water that have provided for them for centuries. 

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe's annual Sqigwts celebration serves as a reminder that cultural heritage is not just something to be remembered but something to be lived, shared, and celebrated. As the community continues to gather each year to honor the water potato, the Tribe's story — and its relationship to the land — remains a powerful and living testament to the strength and continuity of indigenous traditions. 

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Terissa Elwell is the Communications Specialist Education and Outreach for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe Department of Natural Resources.

The Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake Collaborative is a team of committed and passionate professionals working to preserve lake health and protect water quality by promoting community awareness of local water resources through education, outreach and stewardship. Our Gem includes local experts from the University of Idaho — Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Kootenai Environmental Alliance, Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce and Kootenai County.