Nez Perce Country (Bison Original)

197 Pages·2007·1.69 MB·English

by  Alvin M. Josephy Jr.

Nez Perce Country
(cid:0)
(cid:0) (cid:54)(cid:65)(cid:75)(cid:62)(cid:67)(cid:0)(cid:66)(cid:13)(cid:0)(cid:63)(cid:68)(cid:72)(cid:58)(cid:69)(cid:61)(cid:78)(cid:0)(cid:63)(cid:71)(cid:13)
With an introduction by
Jeremy FiveCrows
University of Nebraska Press
Lincoln and London
©(cid:17)(cid:15)(cid:15)(cid:22)bytheBoardofRegentsofthe
UniversityofNebraska
Allrightsreserved
ManufacturedintheUnitedStatesof
America
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-
PublicationData
Josephy,AlvinM.,1915–2005.
NezPercecountry/AlvinM.Josephy
Jr.;withanintroductionbyJeremy
FiveCrows.
p.cm.
Includesindex.
isbn-13: 978-0-8032-7623-9 (pbk.:alk.
paper)
isbn-10: 0-8032-7623-0(pbk.:alk.paper)
1.NexPercéIndians—History. 2.Nez
PercéIndians—Sociallifeandcustoms.
3.Northwest,Pacific—History.
4.Northwest,Pacific—Sociallife
andcustoms. I.Title.
e99.n5j5855 2007
979.5004'974124—dc22
2007021252
SetinAdobeGaramondbyKimEssman.
DesignedbyAshleyJohnston.
Contents
ListofIllustrations vii
IntroductionbyJeremyFiveCrows ix
EditorialNote xviii
WelcometoNezPerceCountry xix
(cid:0)(cid:0) (cid:16). BeforetheWhiteMan (cid:16)
(cid:17). OmensofChange (cid:17)(cid:16)
(cid:18). TheFurTraders (cid:18)(cid:18)
(cid:19). AgentsofChange (cid:19)(cid:15)
(cid:20). TimeofCrises (cid:20)(cid:24)
(cid:21). TheGatheringStorm (cid:23)(cid:18)
(cid:22). WarComestotheNon-Treaties (cid:16)(cid:15)(cid:23)
(cid:23). Aftermath (cid:16)(cid:18)(cid:21)
(cid:24). Today (cid:16)(cid:20)(cid:21)
Index (cid:16)(cid:21)(cid:18)
List of Illustrations
Figures
NezPercefishingspearpointsandline (cid:16)(cid:17)
OilportraitofRabbitSkinLeggings
byGeorgeCatlin (cid:19)(cid:18)
OilportraitofHornsWornOutby
GeorgeCatlin (cid:19)(cid:18)
PhotoportraitofChiefTimothy (cid:20)(cid:15)
ClearwaterRivervillage (cid:20)(cid:17)
Rev.HenrySpalding (cid:20)(cid:18)
SketchportraitofChiefLawyer
byGustavusSohon (cid:21)(cid:18)
SketchofCouncilof(cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:20)(cid:20)
byGustavusSohon (cid:21)(cid:23)
SketchportraitofChiefLookingGlass
byGustavusSohon (cid:22)(cid:18)
PhotoportraitofChiefJoseph (cid:16)(cid:15)(cid:15)
ChiefJosephandJohnGibbonsonthe
ColvilleReservation,(cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:23)(cid:24) (cid:16)(cid:19)(cid:15)
JamesStewart,ChiefJoseph,and
AliceFletchernearKamiah,ca.(cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:24)(cid:15) (cid:16)(cid:19)(cid:22)
ANezPercefamily (cid:16)(cid:20)(cid:16)
Map
MapofNezPerceWarof(cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:22)(cid:22) (cid:16)(cid:17)(cid:17)

Introduction
I Am Of This Land
(cid:0) (cid:63)(cid:58)(cid:71)(cid:58)(cid:66)(cid:78)(cid:0)(cid:59)(cid:62)(cid:75)(cid:58)(cid:56)(cid:71)(cid:68)(cid:76)(cid:72)
I am of this land. Growing up on the Nez Perce reservation, I often
heard this simple phrase and believe that it captures the essence of
who the Nez Perce are. The rivers and valleys, mountains and forests
of Nez Perce country hold my heart and connect me with my past.
Living on the land where my culture was born, was almost destroyed,
and is now recovering makes my history take on a much more real
sense—it presents a reality impossible to capture in any way other
than actual experience. For example, photographs of the Camas Prai-
rie never capture the awe I feel when standing in that world of green
camas stalks, with blue blooms stretching as far as I can see. Amid
the sea of camas flowers I can see the wind turning the plants into a
sea of gentle waves, and I realize that the preservation of this place is
inextricably tied to the preservation of my culture, for they are one
and the same. For my tribe this land is both a source of strength and
its greatest responsibility. I truly am of this land.
The stories and legends of the Nez Perce, passed down from
generation to generation, are the repository of our collected knowl-
edge and wisdom. I grew up hearing stories about Coyote and other
animals, learning from their mistakes and marveling at their deeds.
What child wouldn’t be impressed to learn about the fight between
Ant and Yellowjacket, or how Coyote turned them to stone as pun-
ishment? I can still remember my amazement the first time I actu-
ally saw the basalt arch mentioned in the story, realizing that those
weren’t just words—I could see with my own eyes the place where the
two warriors were locked in battle! The stories of my childhood not
only explained the world around us but also taught us how to live.