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The Flathead were the eastern-most tribe of the Plateau Indians. The Plateau was the High Plateau area of the Northern Plains. They were primarily found in what is now western Montana from the crest of the Bitterroot Range to the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains, especially ariound the upper extent of the Clark Fork of the Columbia River. Anmericans first became aware of the Flathead as a result of the Lewis and Ckark Expedition (1805). They proved to be friendly. They provided crucially important more horses for the Corps of Discovery and offered advise on crossing the challenging Bitterroot Mountains. There was a tendency to refer to all Salish-speaking tribes as 'Flathead'. The tribal people that came to be called Flatheads, however, adopted head flattening. Modern members of the tribe reject the name prefer Salish--a linguistc term, which actually though from a linguistic perspective 'Salish' refers to a much larger grouping of tribes. Many of the Tribes like the Flatheads that lived along the Rockies in the northern Plains. Many of these tribes had similar cultures. The Plains were dominated by nomadic tribes whosec cultures which fiused on two animals--the horse and the bufalo. Horses were introducded back to the plains by the Spanish (16th century). This radically changed the culture of many Native Americans increasing their ability to hunt bufalo. Rhere were autumn bufalo hunts. Endemic warfare with between tribes that were more settled and more nomadic. The Flathead were on the more nomadiuc side. The Flathead also embraced Plains-type mounted warfare involving war dances, killing caoptives, counting coups, kidnapping the women and children, and perhasps most importantly taking horses -- the main manifestation of wealth. Like many other Plains Indians, the Flathead lived in tepees-- the iconic bufalo hide tents. Fishing was important among the Plateau tribes.Kiowa.
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