The Nez Perce tribe was historically nomadic, traveling with the seasons from buffalo hunting in the Great Plains to salmon fishing at Celilo Falls. 17 million acres in what is
now Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Montana
made up the tribe's homeland.
When did the Nez Perce Tribe start?
Just six years after the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark visited the Nez Percé in
1805
, fur traders and trappers began penetrating the area; they were followed later by missionaries. By the 1840s emigrant settlers were moving through the area on the Oregon Trail.
Is Nez Perce an Indian tribe?
The Nimiipuu people have always resided and subsisted on lands that included the present-day Nez Perce Reservation in north-central Idaho. Today, the
Nez Perce Tribe is a federally recognized tribal nation with more than 3,500 citizens
.
What does Nez Perce mean?
Nez Percé is an exonym given by French Canadian fur traders who visited the area regularly in the late 18th century, meaning literally “
pierced nose
“.
What is the Nez Perce tribe known for?
The Nez Perce were famous for being
excellent horsemen and for breeding fine horses
. They are credited with creating the Appaloosa horse breed. There were around 12,000 Nez Perce in 1805, but the population declined to less than 2,000 by the early 1900s.
What religion did the Nez Perce follow?
Although the Nez Perce tribe is mostly
Presbyterian and Catholic
, practitioners of the so-called Seven Drums religion say their numbers are slowly growing.
Where is the Nez Perce tribe now?
17 million acres in what is now
Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Montana
made up the tribe's homeland. Today, the Nez Perce Indian Reservation consists of 750,000 acres, of which the tribe or tribal members own 13 percent. The tribe, with an enrolled membership of about 3,500 (2011), is headquartered in Lapwai, Idaho.
What language do the Nez Perce speak?
Nez Perce,
also spelled Nez Percé or called Nimipuutímt (alternatively spelled Nimiipuutímt, Niimiipuutímt, or Niimi'ipuutímt)
, is a Sahaptian language related to the several dialects of Sahaptin (note the spellings -ian vs. -in).
How many Native American tribes are there?
At present, there are
574
federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages.
What did the Nez Perce hunt with?
Nez Perce fishermen used spears and nets to catch
fish
. Hunters used bows and arrows. In war, Nez Perce men fired their bows and arrows or fought with war spears and leather shields.
What were the Nez Perce beliefs?
The religion and beliefs of the Nez Perce tribe was
based on Animism
that encompassed the spiritual or religious idea that the universe and all natural objects animals, plants, trees, rivers, mountains rocks etc have souls or spirits.
Can you visit the Nez Perce reservation?
The historic district at the site is open from sunrise to sunset daily year-round. The visitor center for Nez Perce National Historical Park at Spalding, Idaho,
is open all year
, 7 days a week.
What did the Nez Perce live in when traveling?
The Tipi. … The Nez Perce and other tribes called their beautiful portable homes
“tipis
.” You will often see the word spelled tepees or teepees, but the correct spelling is tipi. It means “living place.” Tipis were made from buffalo skins held up by poles.
Did any Nez Perce make it to Canada?
Flight of the Nez Perce
On May 31st, led by Chief Joseph, the Nez Perce began what would eventually become a
1,170-mile (1,883 km)
flight for freedom to Canada, only to be stopped 40 miles (64 km) short of the border in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana.
How did the Nez Perce choose their leaders?
The Nez Perce Tribe's government included a leader for many aspects of their traditional lifeways, such as fishing, hunting, warfare, and religion.
Councils
guided the decisions of each leader. The Nimiipuu people chose leaders and council members based on their knowledge and skill sets.
