A new gathering place for the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe is nearing completion in Great Falls, providing more space for community activities and public use.
Quentin Shores reports - watch the video here:
The Little Shell Ceremonial Center - located just north of Northwest Bypass off of Stuckey Road in Great Falls - will serve as a central gathering place for cultural activities, traditional practices, language revitalization, and community events.
It will also serve as an anchor for the Tribe’s planned 18-acre housing development immediately adjacent to the Ceremonial Center.
According to tribal officials, the center was designed to alleviate long-standing space concerns at the tribe's current elder facility.
Chairman Gerald Gray stated that the current building can only hold a few dozen people, making larger gatherings problematic.
“Right now, just up the road, we have our Little Shell Elder Center that holds maybe 45, 50 people. And it's really tight. Right now, this will hold about 200 people, so we're really excited about that.”
According to Gray, plans for the new center began around three years ago, with construction lasting around a year. The larger arena is expected to accommodate quarterly tribe meetings and other activities.
“This is really about for future generations to have a space where they can have events and whatnot,” he noted.
The ceremonial center is part of the tribe's broader development initiatives, which include housing programs and enhanced services that help strengthen its presence in the community.
Gray stated that the project highlights progress made since the tribe received federal recognition in 2019 – a milestone that allowed for infrastructure expansion and long-term planning.
“It's taken a long time to have our own, with recognition coming in late 2019, and then to build this event structure for our citizens — to have a space like this that actually can host a lot of people was just something we lacked.”
Once operational, the center will host tribal meetings, community meals, and social events, such as bingo evenings. Leaders also intend to make the facility available for public use.
The location is close to other tribal services, such as food distribution and elder programs, resulting in what Gray characterizes as a more integrated hub for locals.
“We have our food distribution building right next to it. It'll make it easy for our citizens to get food distribution, come here if we have an event, and then up the road we have our bus and elder center.”
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new ceremonial center is set for Saturday, February 28, at 11:30 a.m. at 1315 Stuckey Road. The event will be open to the public.
The project represents years of planning and reflects the Tribe’s renewed visibility and momentum since obtaining federal recognition in 2019.
