Nez Percé

Nez Percé
en:Lee Moorhouse · Public domain · source
Group	Nez Percé
Native name	Niimíipuu
Population	est. 3,500–4,000 enrolled
Regions	Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana
Languages	Niimiipuutímt, English
Religions	Indigenous traditional beliefs, Christianity
Related groups	Sahaptin peoples, Cayuse, Umatilla

Nez Percé The Nez Percé are an Indigenous people of the Plateau region traditionally known as Niimíipuu, whose history intersects with explorers, traders, missionaries, and the United States government; their territory and culture connect to the Columbia River Basin, the Rocky Mountains, and networks of Sahaptin-speaking neighbors. Their society and leadership engaged with figures and events including Lewis and Clark, the Hudson's Bay Company, Jesuit missions, and the Nez Percé War, shaping ongoing legal and political disputes involving the United States, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and federal courts.

Name and Identity

The people use the autonym Niimíipuu, a term tied to kinship groups, bands, and leaders such as Chief Joseph, Looking Glass, and White Bird, while the exonym arises from contact with French explorers, fur traders, and the Corps of Discovery led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Identity involves connections to Plateau neighbors like the Yakama, Palus, and Umatilla, alliances and marriages with the Cayuse and Walla Walla, and later recognition by institutions including the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the United States Congress.

History

Pre-contact lifeways were shaped by trade routes, seasonal rounds, and interactions with groups documented by Lewis and Clark, fur companies such as the Hudson's Bay Company and North West Company, and explorers like Alexander Ross and David Thompson. Epidemics introduced during the early 19th century, and pressures from settlers traveling the Oregon Trail, shifted demographics prior to treaty negotiations with representatives including Isaac Stevens and Ely Parker. The 1877 conflict culminating in the Nez Percé War involved campaigns and battles such as the Battle of White Bird Canyon, the Clearwater engagements, and the Bear Paw Fight, with leaders including Chief Joseph and Looking Glass engaging with U.S. Army officers like Oliver O. Howard and Nelson A. Miles. Postwar developments included relocation to reservations overseen by agents from the Interior Department and protracted legal disputes heard in courts such as the United States Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit concerning treaty rights and land claims.

Culture and Society

Social organization centered on kinship, bands, and leaders—figures like Toohoolhoolzote and Old Joseph feature in oral histories—while ceremonial life included practices shared with Plateau peoples, potlatches comparable to those among the Coast Salish, and seasonal salmon and root harvesting tied to places like Celilo Falls and the Salmon River. Material culture encompassed horse breeding and horsemanship influenced by Nez Percé horses, which later affected equine breeding programs in Europe and the United States; art traditions include beadwork, basketry, and storytelling preserved through museums such as the National Museum of the American Indian and regional institutions like the Idaho State Historical Society.

Language

The Niimiipuutímt language belongs to the Sahaptian branch of the Plateau Penutian family and connects linguistically to Sahaptin varieties spoken by the Umatilla, Yakama, and Klickitat; linguists such as Franz Boas and William Bright documented lexical and phonological features, while contemporary revitalization efforts involve tribal programs, university collaborations with institutions like the University of Idaho and Washington State University, and media projects supported by the Smithsonian and public broadcasters.

Traditional Lands and Environment

Traditional territory extended across the Columbia Plateau, including valleys and mountain ranges such as the Bitterroot Range, Wallowa Mountains, Salmon River canyon, and Snake River Basin; resources included anadromous salmon runs at sites like Celilo Falls, camas prairies, and big game in areas used by Plains tribes such as the Crow and Nez Percé horse trade partners. Environmental stewardship practices intersect with conservation efforts by agencies and organizations such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service sites like Nez Perce National Historical Park, and regional initiatives addressing hydroelectric impacts from dams operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bonneville Power Administration.

Relations with United States and Treaties

Treaty-making involved commissioners including Isaac Stevens and representatives of the U.S. government, producing agreements such as the 1855 treaty and the disputed 1863 “Stevens” or “Thief” Treaty that redefined reservation boundaries; these treaties prompted litigation in federal courts and administrative actions by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Interior Department. Conflicts over land and resources led to military campaigns by the U.S. Army, decisions by generals like Oliver O. Howard, and later legal victories and settlements adjudicated through mechanisms including Indian Claims Commission filings, Congressional acts, and rulings by the United States Supreme Court addressing fishing rights, land restitution, and treaty enforcement.

Contemporary Nez Percé and Government

Today the federally recognized Nez Perce Tribe, with its headquarters at Lapwai, Idaho, governs tribal affairs, operates enterprises including fisheries and casinos, and engages with federal agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on resource management. The tribe participates in intertribal organizations like the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, collaborates with universities and the Smithsonian Institution on cultural preservation, and pursues language revitalization, economic development, and legal advocacy in state courts, the Ninth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.

Category:Plateau tribes Category:Native American tribes in Idaho Category:Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast