289:
around the sides for insulation. An open space in the centre of the roof, allowed for the escape of smoke. On the inside were ranged fires along the centre at a distance of 10 to 12 feet (3.0 to 3.7 m) apart, each fire serving two families on opposite sides of the house, the family sections being sometimes separated by mat curtains. One house might shelter more than one hundred persons. Lewis and Clark mention one large enough to accommodate nearly fifty families. On temporary expeditions, they raised buffalo-skin
365:, with a marked absence of elaborate myth or ritual. The principal religious event in the life of the boy or girl was the dream vigil. After solitary fasting for several days, the child was encouraged to have a vision of the spirit animal that was to be his or her tutelary through life. Dreams were the great source of spiritual instruction, and children were taught how to interpret and understand them. The principal ceremonial was the dance to the tutelary spirit, next to which in importance was the scalp dance.
500:(1877). After successfully holding in check for some months the regular Army troops and a large force of Indian scouts, Joseph, Looking Glass, and other chiefs conducted a retreat to the north for over a thousand miles across the mountains. They were intercepted by the US Army and forced to surrender within a short distance of the Canadian frontier. Despite the promise that he should be returned to his own country, Joseph and the remnant of his band were deported to Indian Territory (now
38:
538:
308:
Furniture consisted chiefly of bed platforms. The women made varieties of baskets and bags woven of rushes or grass, and used wooden mortars for pounding roots. They used no pottery. They made spoons of horn from deer or bison. The woman had a digging stick for gathering roots, which they were given
304:
There were also temporary sweat-houses, used in turn by both sexes. It had a framework of willow rods, covered with blankets, and heated stones were brought inside from fires. The menstrual lodge was constructed for the seclusion of women during the menstrual period, and for a short period before and
288:
Their permanent houses were communal structures, sometimes circular, but more often oblong, about 20 feet (6.1 m) in width and 60 to 90 feet (18 to 27 m) in length, with a framework of poles covered by rush mats. In the interior, the floor was dug below the ground level, and earth banked up
476:
of the
Wallowa band refused to sign the new treaty, stating that the Treaty of 1855 was promised to be the rule of law for "as long as the sun shines," and was supposedly to protect their home land from white intrusion. Since Nez Percés custom dictated that no single chief spoke for all others, when
492:
Chief Joseph steadfastly refused to be a party to the treaty or to its terms, relenting only when it became clear that the survival of his people depended on it. But as they made the arduous trek out of their home land and to the new reservation, a small group of young Nez Percés warriors broke off
255:
In 1805 the
Sahaptin numbered, according to the most reliable estimates, probably over 6,000. Through the 19th century, their numbers declined sharply, due largely to mortality from new infectious diseases. Contributing causes were incessant wars with the more powerful Blackfeet in earlier years; a
300:
and menstrual lodges. The permanent sweat-house was a shallow subterranean excavation, roofed with poles and earth and bedded with grass. The young and unmarried men slept here during the winter season. They occasionally performed sweat ceremonies by steam produced by pouring water upon hot stones
321:
Sahaptins, although semi-sedentary, were traditionally hunter-gatherers. The women gathered and processed many wild roots and berries, sometimes combining them with cooked meats and drying the mixture. Aside from fish and game, chiefly salmon and deer, their principal foods were the roots of the
433:
When the
Catholic Bishop Brouillet arrived, who had intended to meet with Whitman about purchase of the mission property, he was allowed to bury the dead. He warned Spaulding so that he could leave the area and reach safety. Because of the troubles, all the Presbyterian missions in the Columbia
357:
Interment was in the ground, and the personal belongings of the deceased were deposited with the body. The dwelling was torn down or removed to another spot. The new house was ceremonially purified and the ghost exorcised. The end of the official mourning period was marked with a funeral feast.
305:
after childbirth. It was a subterranean structure, considerably larger than the sweat-house, and entered by means of a ladder from above. The occupants cooked their meals alone and were not allowed to touch any articles used by outsiders, because of beliefs about the power of blood.
488:
But, General Howard reportedly gathered numerous other Nez Percé to make their "X" on the document, to give the appearance that Joseph and the other chiefs had signed the treaty. In the eyes of the U.S. government, they would also be subject to its terms.
248:, possibly another form of Saptin. The popular and official name of the Nez Percé, "Pierced Noses", was originally given to the people by French-Canadian trappers. The term referred to the people's former custom of wearing a
485:) refused to sign the treaty, it was done so with the understanding that the U.S. Government was still bound by their original agreement. Only Lawyer's band would be bound by the new treaty that only they signed.
312:
The men conducted hunting and fishing, and were armed with a bow and arrows, lance (stone or silver strung to willow branch), shield, and fishing equipment. A protective skin helmet was fashioned for warriors.
338:). The camas roots were roasted in pits. Kouse was ground in mortars and molded into cakes for future use. Women were primarily responsible for the gathering and preparing of these root crops.
449:. For fifty years it was conducted by Joseph Cataldo, S.J., who gave attention also to the neighbouring tribes. The Catholic Indians were reported in the early 20th century at over 500.
280:
The clan system was unknown. Chiefs were elective rather than hereditary, governing by assistance of the council. Their bands were decentralized and there was no supreme tribal chief.
403:. Two years later, he set up a printing press and published some small pamphlets in the native language. Regular Catholic work in the same region began with the advent of Fathers
206:
268:
and other infectious diseases following the occupation of the country by miners after 1860; losses in the war of 1877 and subsequent removals; and wholesale spread of
791:
840:
351:
639:
309:
in a rite of adulthood. The women also processed and tanned animal skins, sewing and decorating them for clothing. The women wore a fez-shaped basket hat.
497:
801:
354:
system, with inheritance in the male line. "The standard of morality, both before and after marriage seems to have been conspicuously high" (Spinden).
508:
in eastern
Washington. Throughout the entire retreat, Joseph's warriors committed no outrages. The main portion of the tribe took no part in the war.
674:
468:, another treaty was negotiated between Nez Percés chief Lawyer (whose band had converted to Christianity and was assimilating to white culture) and
548:
761:
669:
90:
605:
422:
through the country of the Nez Percé and allied tribes resulted in the passage of many more
European Americans and introduction of an
835:
830:
725:
482:
457:
In 1855 they sold by treaty a large part of their territory. In the general outbreak of 1855–56, sometimes designated as the
272:
because of outside contact. In 1848 they were officially estimated at 3,000; by 1910 they were officially reported at 1,530.
50:
346:
Marriage occurred at about the age of fourteen. The ceremony was accompanied by communal feasting and giving of presents.
781:
730:
740:
705:
430:
held Dr. Whitman of the
Presbyterian mission as responsible. They killed the minister, his wife and eleven others.
785:
511:
In 1893 the communal land of the Lapwai reservation was distributed to heads of household of the tribe under the
434:
region were discontinued. Missionary work resumed in later years, and many of the Nez Percé became
Presbyterian.
17:
598:
415:, assigned from St. Louis, Missouri, and other Jesuits operated in the Flathead country beginning in 1840.
404:
384:
to the Nez Percés. By 1820 both they and the
Flathead had voluntarily adopted many of the Catholic forms.
795:
765:
241:
805:
591:
121:
According to early written accounts, Sahaptin-speaking peoples inhabited the southern portion of the
578:
249:
162:
66:
579:
Available online through the
Washington State Library's Classics in Washington History collection
515:. Remaining lands were opened for sale to white settlers, depriving the Nez Percé of their land.
442:
377:
126:
210:
553:
269:
218:
358:
Sickness and death, especially of children, were frequently ascribed to the work of ghosts.
505:
465:
157:
tribe lived to the east. There were additional villages along tributaries, including the
8:
412:
194:
142:
201:, with whom they maintained close friendly relations. They frequently competed with the
679:
98:
524:
400:
182:
170:
166:
62:
54:
31:
710:
644:
634:
469:
388:
327:
198:
178:
154:
122:
110:
74:
70:
664:
629:
478:
446:
396:
395:
mission was established in 1837 among the Nez Percés at Lapwai, near the present
392:
214:
138:
102:
240:
was a term given by the
Salishan tribes and adopted by European Americans. When
408:
174:
134:
58:
824:
689:
659:
542:
427:
335:
106:
715:
649:
473:
419:
381:
158:
86:
504:). So many died that in 1885 the few who survived were transferred to the
472:
of the U.S. Army. Lawyer ceded all their land but the Lapwai reservation.
576:. Published for the American Folk-Lore Society by G.E. Stechert & Co.
369:
297:
222:
146:
236:, meaning simply "the people", or "we the people". The name Sahaptin or
569:
458:
775:
771:
512:
37:
461:, the Nez Percés, almost alone, remained friendly to the Americans.
745:
735:
720:
583:
541: This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
501:
423:
373:
368:
Trading posts were first established in the upper Columbia region.
347:
265:
226:
202:
684:
654:
438:
362:
261:
257:
94:
82:
426:
disease. Frantic because of the many deaths they suffered, the
130:
78:
350:
was general, but kinship prohibition was enforced. They had a
181:. The western portion of Sahaptin territory was shared with
150:
493:
and killed numerous white settlers along the Salmon River.
290:
437:
The Catholic work in the tribe was given in charge of the
205:-speaking tribes on their northern border, including the
244:
came through the area in 1805, these people were called
792:
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
252:
shell through a hole bored in the septum of the nose.
57:. The Sahaptin tribes inhabited territory along the
169:rivers. Several villages were located west of the
802:Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation
822:
762:Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
173:in southern Washington, including those of the
264:epidemic (1847) from contact with immigrants;
599:
841:Native American tribes in Washington (state)
568:
606:
592:
574:Folk-tales of Salishan and Sahaptin tribes
546:
445:, and centering at St. Joseph's mission,
69:. Sahaptin-speaking peoples included the
452:
217:. They were chronically at war with the
133:. Villages were concentrated along the
36:
496:These events were the catalyst for the
14:
823:
587:
613:
557:. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
411:along the Columbia in 1838). Father
782:Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
755:Tribal governments and reservations
24:
562:
547:Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "
25:
852:
283:
53:tribes who speak dialects of the
836:Native American tribes in Oregon
536:
831:Native American tribes in Idaho
786:Warm Springs Indian Reservation
464:In 1863, in consequence of the
149:from the mouth to close to the
13:
1:
530:
477:Joseph and others (including
391:appealed for missionaries. A
153:border. The closely related
116:
7:
796:Umatilla Indian Reservation
766:Colville Indian Reservation
518:
380:passed on some ideas about
341:
197:, to which belong also the
195:Shahaptian linguistic stock
188:
61:and its tributaries in the
10:
857:
275:
29:
806:Yakama Indian Reservation
754:
698:
622:
418:The establishment of the
405:François Norbert Blanchet
772:Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho
470:General Oliver O. Howard
443:Sisters of Saint Joseph
316:
229:on the east and south.
301:placed in the centre.
42:
30:For the language, see
776:Nez Perce Reservation
554:Catholic Encyclopedia
453:Treaties and conflict
232:They call themselves
40:
506:Colville Reservation
378:Hudson's Bay Company
41:Yakama women in 1911
413:Pierre-Jean De Smet
352:patriarchal kinship
293:or brush shelters.
175:Upper Cowlitz tribe
143:Vantage, Washington
177:, and some of the
43:
815:
814:
699:Prominent figures
525:Sahaptin language
466:discovery of gold
401:Henry H. Spalding
376:employees of the
361:The religion was
171:Cascade mountains
63:Pacific Northwest
55:Sahaptin language
32:Sahaptin language
16:(Redirected from
848:
711:Old Chief Joseph
608:
601:
594:
585:
584:
577:
558:
549:Sahaptin Indians
540:
539:
389:Flathead Indians
328:Camassia quamash
193:They are of the
183:Chinookan tribes
145:, and along the
49:are a number of
21:
856:
855:
851:
850:
849:
847:
846:
845:
821:
820:
818:
816:
811:
750:
694:
675:Upper Nisqually
618:
612:
565:
563:Further reading
537:
533:
521:
479:Toohoolhoolzote
455:
447:Slickpoo, Idaho
441:, aided by the
397:Lewiston, Idaho
344:
319:
296:They also used
286:
278:
242:Lewis and Clark
191:
139:Cascades Rapids
119:
51:Native American
35:
28:
23:
22:
18:Sahaptin people
15:
12:
11:
5:
854:
844:
843:
838:
833:
813:
812:
810:
809:
799:
789:
779:
769:
758:
756:
752:
751:
749:
748:
743:
738:
733:
728:
723:
718:
713:
708:
702:
700:
696:
695:
693:
692:
687:
682:
677:
672:
667:
662:
657:
652:
647:
642:
637:
632:
626:
624:
620:
619:
611:
610:
603:
596:
588:
582:
581:
564:
561:
560:
559:
532:
529:
528:
527:
520:
517:
498:Nez Percés war
454:
451:
409:Modeste Demers
399:, by Reverend
343:
340:
318:
315:
285:
284:Accommodations
282:
277:
274:
190:
187:
135:Columbia River
123:Columbia Basin
118:
115:
65:region of the
59:Columbia River
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
853:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
828:
826:
819:
807:
803:
800:
797:
793:
790:
787:
783:
780:
777:
773:
770:
767:
763:
760:
759:
757:
753:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
726:Looking Glass
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
703:
701:
697:
691:
688:
686:
683:
681:
678:
676:
673:
671:
670:Upper Cowlitz
668:
666:
663:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
631:
628:
627:
625:
621:
616:
609:
604:
602:
597:
595:
590:
589:
586:
580:
575:
571:
567:
566:
556:
555:
550:
544:
543:public domain
535:
534:
526:
523:
522:
516:
514:
509:
507:
503:
499:
494:
490:
486:
484:
483:Looking Glass
480:
475:
471:
467:
462:
460:
450:
448:
444:
440:
435:
431:
429:
425:
421:
416:
414:
410:
406:
402:
398:
394:
390:
385:
383:
379:
375:
372:Canadian and
371:
366:
364:
359:
355:
353:
349:
339:
337:
336:Lomatium cous
333:
329:
325:
314:
310:
306:
302:
299:
294:
292:
281:
273:
271:
267:
263:
259:
253:
251:
247:
243:
239:
235:
230:
228:
224:
220:
216:
212:
211:Coeur d'Alene
208:
204:
200:
196:
186:
184:
180:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
124:
114:
112:
108:
104:
100:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
67:United States
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
39:
33:
19:
817:
716:Chief Joseph
614:
573:
552:
510:
495:
491:
487:
474:Chief Joseph
463:
456:
436:
432:
420:Oregon Trail
417:
393:Presbyterian
386:
382:Christianity
367:
360:
356:
345:
331:
323:
320:
311:
307:
303:
298:sweat-houses
295:
287:
279:
254:
245:
237:
233:
231:
192:
120:
46:
44:
27:Ethnic group
706:Yellow Bird
680:Walla Walla
640:Lower Snake
570:Boas, Franz
270:consumption
260:fever, and
167:Walla Walla
147:Snake River
137:, from the
99:Walla Walla
91:Lower Snake
825:Categories
731:White Bird
531:References
459:Yakima War
246:Chopunnish
234:Ni Mii Puu
127:Washington
645:Nez Perce
635:Klickitat
513:Dawes Act
363:animistic
250:dentalium
219:Blackfeet
199:Nez Perce
179:Klickitat
163:Deschutes
155:Nez Perce
117:Territory
111:Nez Perce
71:Klickitat
746:Kanasket
741:Kamiakin
736:Colestah
721:Qualchan
665:Umatilla
630:Kittitas
615:Sahaptin
572:(1917).
519:See also
502:Oklahoma
424:epidemic
374:Iroquois
370:Catholic
348:Polygamy
342:Religion
266:smallpox
227:Shoshoni
207:Flathead
203:Salishan
189:Heritage
141:to near
103:Umatilla
75:Kittitas
47:Sahaptin
685:Wanapum
655:Skinpah
623:Nations
617:peoples
545::
439:Jesuits
276:Culture
262:measles
258:wasting
215:Spokane
95:Skinpah
83:Wanapum
690:Yakama
660:Tenino
428:Cayuse
330:) and
238:Saptin
225:, and
165:, and
159:Yakima
131:Oregon
109:, and
107:Tenino
79:Yakama
650:Palus
332:kouse
324:camas
291:tipis
151:Idaho
87:Palus
481:and
407:and
387:The
317:Food
223:Crow
213:and
129:and
45:The
551:".
125:in
827::
221:,
209:,
185:.
161:,
113:.
105:,
101:,
97:,
93:,
89:,
85:,
81:,
77:,
73:,
808:)
804:(
798:)
794:(
788:)
784:(
778:)
774:(
768:)
764:(
607:e
600:t
593:v
334:(
326:(
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
