QLISPÉ
Qlispé (kuh-lee-SPEH) is the international phonetic-alphabet spelling of the Kalispel name and the original way tribal members pronounced it. It translates to the “Camas people,” referring to the beautiful purple flowers that grow along the Pend Oreille River. The bulbs of the camas plant were harvested and dried in spring, then consumed in winter as an important source of protein when fish and game were difficult to find.