Wallowa Band Nez Perce History

Remembering the Past

The band of Nez Perce Indians who made the Wallowa Valley their home traditionally gathered fish, game, and wild plants. They followed changing seasons to headwaters of rivers and high mountains of the Wallowas in the summer and returned to deep canyons of the Snake River and its tributaries in winter.

At Walla Walla in 1855, Indians from many Northwest tribes, including almost all Nez Perce chiefs and sub-chiefs, signed a treaty leaving the Wallowas and large chunks of land in the present states of Idaho and Washington to the Nez Perce. In 1863, with the discovery of gold and increased settler pressure, a new meeting of Nez Perce bands was convened. The government asked the Indians to reduce their lands by almost six million acres. Accepting a reservation approximately one-tenth of what they agreed to in 1855.

Several chiefs, including Old Chief Joseph, father of the famous Young Chief Joseph, Heinmot Tookyalakekt, walked out, and from that time on became known as ‘non-treaty' Nez Perce. After this walkout, an Idaho Nez Perce chief named Lawyer and other chiefs were browbeaten into signing a treaty on behalf of all Nez Perce. Government folks reported to Washington ‘the job was done.'

Young Chief Joseph never accepted the 1863 treaty. He did continue to befriend Wallowa settlers and government officials. But he also looked for a way for his people to remain in the Wallowas of Oregon. In fact, in 1873, the government briefly decided that Wallowa lands had not been legally ceded and ordered the removal of white settlers. Howls from settlers and Oregon politicians caused a quick reversal of that decision.

Following the defeat of Custer in 1876 a new discipline was imposed on Indians by the US Army. Young Chief Joseph's band of Nez Perce and all others must constrain themselves to the boundaries of the 1863 reservation. But after searching the confines of a greatly reduced territory, Young Chief Joseph found no land suitable for his people that was not already occupied.

After discussions in May 1877 General Howard incarcerated the Nez Perce spokesman, Toohoolhooltzote. Young Chief Joseph then decided his people would have to resettle away from the reservation lands in Idaho to preserve their culture and religion. As a result of this some dissension broke out. Some Nez Perce preferred to settle in Lapwai to avoid retaliation by the U.S. government, while others prepared to travel to buffalo country or Canada for freedom. In June 1877 near the reservation young warriors killed some white settlers. One of the warriors was the son of a man killed by a settler. The ‘Nez Perce War' - really a 1200 mile retreat ending 40 miles short of Canada - ensued.

Wallowa Nez Perce Trail Map

At the conclusion of the fighting, Young Chief Joseph and the others were sent to Oklahoma, Indian Territory, where many died. Joseph pleaded to Congress, "If I can not go to my own home, let me have a home in some country where my people will not die so fast."

The bands of Nez Perce who fled with Joseph's people are now scattered in exile from Canada to Oklahoma. Many of the non-treaty Nez Perce, descendants of the participants in the Flight of 1877, remain in exile in Nespelem, Washington, on the Colville Indian Reservation. According to historian Alvin Josephy:

"In 1885, after eight long years and a massive campaign by eastern humanitarians, Joseph and the other exiles were allowed to return to the Northwest. But Idaho’s settlers and politicians still considered the 150 surviving Nez Perce ‘dangerous troublemakers,' ‘criminals,' and ‘murderers,' and even threatened Chief Joseph with death. Unable to join the other Nez Perces on the Idaho reservation, or return to their homeland in Oregon's Wallowa Valley, they were taken under military escort ...(to live among)... non-Nez Perce Indians on the Colville reservation in Washington Territory." (Josephy, 1994).

Shelter and Structures

Historically, the Nez Perce constructed at least four unique types of structures. The largest, and probably most important, was the longhouse. They were large enough to house many families, and were shaped similar to an A-framed tent. It was constructed of ridge poles and side poles that were tied together, with an opening at the apex. The poles were covered originally with cattail or tule mats, and in later years by canvas.

The second most important structure was the very mobile tepee. The framework was usually constructed of 10-12 poles. Of these, three poles were tied together at the upper end to form a tripod, and the remaining poles were laid against the three, usually in odd numbers. They were then normally covered with mats. Sometimes the tepees were buried one to two feet, especially in winter.

Other structures common to the Nez Perce were menstrual lodges, sudatory lodges for unmarried men and sweat lodges (Spinden, 1974).

Clothing

The traditional dress of the Nez Perce was the type used by many Sahaptin and Salish people. The men’s dress usually consisted of moccasins, leggings, shirt, blanket, breech cloth, made of skins and furs. Their clothing was highly decorated in a variety of ways, including fringes, beads, porcupine quills, paint and metal ornaments.

Nez Perce women usually wore moccasins, a long loose gown, a fez-shaped cap, and occasionally they wore gator-like leggings. Normally, the women’s clothing was not as highly decorated as the clothing of men, but were made of the same materials, and decorated with similar items (Spinden, 1974).

The Nez Perce, like other Plateau peoples, were known as Cúupnitpeluu (The Emerging or The Walking Out People). They procured their first horses between 1700-1730. After the horse, the Nez Perce became very mobile, and were able to travel farther, especially to the buffalo country on the Plains. They also utilized canoes for travel up and down the many rivers in their homeland (Treaties: Nez Perce Perspectives, 2003).

Hunting and Gathering

The Nez Perce were, and still are today, avid hunters and gatherers. They mostly hunted deer, elk, buffalo and mountain sheep, but the occasional otter, bear and beaver were also hunted. They also fished for salmon, trout, eels, suckers and sturgeon.

The women gathered a variety of vegetal products. Qém’es (camas) was the most important bulb that was gathered throughout their homelands. Other favorite foods were qáaws (kouse), it’áan (bitterroot), cawíitx (wild carrots), séex (wild onions) and páasx (sunflower), as well as a variety of berries, such as: cemíitx (huckleberries), kikéeye (serviceberries), blackberries, tíms (choke cherries), currants and goose berries.