by Sean Malcom
The 44th annual Bitter Root Day festival was held Saturday, June 10th, outside the Ravalli County Museum in Hamilton.
Michelle Nowling, the executive director of the Ravalli County Museum, said, “It’s an event where we celebrate the bitterroot flower as the state flower and also its significance in the valley, as well as the Salish people and their connection to the bitterroots.”
Nowling said the Ravalli Historical Society originally started the festival as a way of celebrating the flower, raising awareness, and helping propagate it. “This is our state flower,” she said. “Let’s protect it. Let’s help it spread, so we continue to have bitterroots in the valley.”
A culturally significant plant, the bitterroot was important to the Salish people and other native tribes, as a food source and a means of trade. Traditionally, the roots were dried and used for food. Because of the root’s bitter taste, it was often cooked and mixed with other foods.
This year the festival saw 93 different vendors selling art, crafts, food, produce and more. There were museum exhibits as well as free kids’ activities.
Salish drummers and dancers from the Flathead Reservation also performed during the festival. “We love that they come almost every year and share not only their drumming and dancing but their stories and invite the public to participate with them,” said Nowling.
Nowling noted the importance of the bitterroot flower and its influence on the naming of the valley and the river that flows through it. She said this had a major role in the decision of it becoming Montana’s state flower.
“It’s also very unique to this area of Montana,” she said. “Bitterroots only grow in really terrible soil and the east side of the valley is a perfect place for them,” she laughed.
“Bitterroots can only be dug on private land,” said Nowling. “We have community members who generously donate bitterroot plants every year so that we can resell them and educate people on how to grow them and help them spread.”
The museum was able to raise funds during the festival through the sale of potted bitterroot plants as well as making and selling fry bread. This year, the museum raised close to $2500 from the sale of both.
For a list of upcoming events, visit ravallimuseum.org or stop by the museum at 205 Bedford Street in Hamilton.