S05 Episode 05: Julie Cajune – The Sum of Her Stories

"Stories are the way that we make meaning. And so they're the primary vehicle for all human beings to make meaning of their life and to find their place and relationship with others. All of that is informed through story." Julie Cajune is an educator, cultural historian, artist and activist who believes that the challenges we face today "demand that which story nurtures: imagination, compassion, creativity and connection." A member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe, she was born and lives today on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Northwest Montana where, straight out of college, she developed and taught their first bilingual education program. Julie went on to run the Department of Education on the reservation, train hundreds of teachers in Montana and lead two major educational projects documenting tribal histories and stories in Montana and across the country. Her passion for storytelling is not limited to the classroom. Julie also created and produced Heart of the Bitterroot, an album of Salish and Pend d'Oreille women's stories that she collected and enlisted poet Jennifer Green to write. This past September, Julie appeared in the New York premiere of her one-woman show, Belief, based on her own life experiences and the true stories of generations of women in her family. You may have missed the show, but luckily you can catch our brilliant conversation with her now.