2011

Descendants organized “The Return of the Boise Valley People” event with the first in late August 2011. More than 400 Newe (tribal people) from the various tribes came to Quarry View (now known as Eagle Rock) and Barber Park to share stories, oral history and pray for ancestors.

The Newe (tribal people) of this land came from all directions to pay homage to their ancestors who are buried throughout the Boise Valley and Weiser areas. Some say the existence of the event was a prayer that had been answered and brought to life.

Shoshone-Bannock tribal elder Lionel Boyer said the important thing is a lot of descendants of the Boise Valley must remember they still own the title to the land and it still belongs to them. “We want to let them know we’re coming back, the past few years we’ve been going to our aboriginal areas and we needed to be here to let them know it’s our territory because our ancestors are buried here.”