Warren Seyler’s talk will review what it was like for the Spokane ancestors when they lived as a semi-nomadic river people upon the Plateau. Oral traditional stories will be shared telling how this land was formed and how the first Spokane arrived at the location known today as the Spokane Falls. Seyler will delve into the life of the Spokane ancestors which was filled with song, ceremony and tradition built and based upon what the creator had instructed. Seyler will speak about the many attempts made by the Federal and State governments to rid the land and society of the tribal people living within the American landscape and will discuss the eras of war, reservation, boarding school, allotment, relocation and termination. Seyler will end his talk with how the tribe has endured, overcome and risen to what it is today. This lecture is presented by the Spokane Society of the Archaeological Institute of America.