Nez Perce "Hear me, my chiefs, I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."

Where did the Nez Perce Live? In the Pacific Northwest Region, which includes the states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho The area has mountains, plateau, forests, grasslands, and rivers Plateau- large area of high flat land Hot dry summers Moderately cold winters with snow Temperatures depended on elevation ALWAYS a lot of rain

Use the Resources Streams & rivers to catch salmon and other fish Meadows & forests for hunting bear, deer, and elk Rabbits & squirrels to be trapped Vegetation to gather roots, nuts, seeds, and berries

Where did they get their name? The tribe officially called themselves “Nimi’ipuu” (The People) The French renamed the “Nez Perce” which in French means “pierced nose.” A French interpreter gave the group the name after he saw them wearing shells in their nose for decoration. Nose piercings are NOT a regular custom of the tribe.

On the Go Moved around due to season changes Spring: women to the valley to gather roots; men to the river to catch salmon Summer: higher elevations to hunt Traveled mostly by foot or canoe (hollowed out log) Used travois for carrying small loads (dog sled)

SHELTER Lived in villages usually along rivers or streams with lots of extended family Several TYPES of homes: Long-House (summer) 60 ft. long Pit-House (winter) dug down and hole at top Teepees (traveling) idea from Pawnee Covered with TULE woven mats

The Nez Perce Men… Made bows from the horns of mountain sheep for hunting Boys developed sufficient hunting skills Trained Appaloosa horses Became experts in horse-riding skills Spent the winter playing games and telling stories Played sports to help train them to hunt

Appaloosa Horses European settlers brought horses to North America Nez Perce developed the American Breed Known for their preferred leopard-spotted coat Sadly, many Nez Perce people lost their Appaloosa horses following the end of the Nez Perce War in 1877 (many white settlers wanted the Nez Perce territory in order to make an open ranch for cattle)

The Nez Perce Women… Taught girls traditional skills of cooking, weaving, and basketry The cornhusk bags that women wove from hemp fiber were important for daily use and for trade Women gathered roots, nuts, seeds, and berries

What did they eat? The food they gathered and the game they hunted varied with the seasons In the spring, women traveled to the valleys to dig root crops (camas bulbs, bitterroot, wild carrot, and wild potato). They gathered berries (gooseberries, thorn berries and currents) Women also collected pine nuts, seeds and black moss In the summer, people moved higher in the mountains. Here they gathered more roots, fished the streams for salmon and hunted big game Men hunted deer, elk, moose, bear, mountain sheep and goat

What did they eat? They traveled by horse to the Montana plains to hunt buffalo and antelope They also hunted small game like rabbit, squirrel and badger In the late fall, the Nez Perce moved back into their traditional villages where they prepared for the long winter by drying and preserving food

Men’s Clothing Men and boys wore long fringed buckskin shirts and leggings They wore belts, breechcloths, and moccasins During colder weather, men put on bison skin robes and gloves Feathered bonnets

Women’s Clothing Long, belted buckskin dresses and knee- length moccasins Dresses were decorated with elk teeth, beads made of shell and bone and porcupine quills Used vegetable and mineral dyes to color the clothing Wore cornhusk basketry for hats Carried babies on their backs in “cradleboards”

Ceremonies Were held to assure good harvests Music and dance were central to the ceremonies People played rattles, drums and flutes There were ceremonial songs and chants for births, marriages, deaths, hunting and for war

Things to ponder… How are the Nez Perce similar/different form the Pawnee? How are the Nez Perce similar/different from you? How does living in the Pacific Northwest affect the Nez Perce tribe?