Nez Perce Country

by Alvin M. Josephy Jr., Jeremy FiveCrows (Introduction)

The rivers, canyons, and prairies of the Columbia Basin are the homeland of the Nez Perce. The Nez Perce, or Nimiipuu, inhabited much of what is now north central Idaho and portions of Oregon and Washington for thousands of years. The story of how western settlement drastically affected the Nimiipuu is one of the great and at times tragic sagas of American history.

 

Renowned western historian Alvin M. Josephy Jr. describes the Nimiipuu’s attachment to the land and their way of life, religion, and vibrant culture. He also chronicles the western expansion that displaced them, beginning with the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805 and followed by the influx of traders and trappers, then miners and farmers. Josephy traces the ill fortune of the Nez Perce as their homeland was carved up by treaties, creating an atmosphere of hostility that would culminate in the Nez Perce war of 1877 and conclude with Chief Joseph’s famous “I will fight no more forever.”

 

Despite the challenges of the past, the Nimiipuu have maintained their ties to the land. In his introduction to the book, Jeremy FiveCrows details how the tribe has fought for self government to undo the damage wrought by shortsighted practices.

Genres: History, Native American, Nonfiction, Westerns

196 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

An American historian who specialized in Native American topics. He served as a combat correspondent during World War II and was awarded the Bronze Star for his coverage of the U.S. capture of Guam. His interest in Native American history started during an assignment from Time Magazine.

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The definitive history of the Nez Perce people, including the good, the bad and the ugly/unjust parts. The writing itself was fine. More significantly, the author does a great job of laying out the complex and ugly affair between the US government, white settlers, and the various Nez Perce bands. Also, anybody who is a resident of Idaho/Washington/Oregon/Montana will appreciate the detailed history of the small rural towns we know and love.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This past week I visited the Wallowa Valley in Oregon, the beautiful home of many of the Nez Perce Native Americans. Or I should say the "previous" home. As with every other Native American people, the Nez Perce were driven onto a reservation because white people wanted the Wallowa Valley.

Most of us feel that this treatment was unforgiveable, and I agree. If WE had been there, this never would have happened.... However, we have the luxury of guilt now. It's past and no matter how outraged we are, we can't change it (sigh of relief). No matter what we do, nothing can change the past.

But we can try to understand it. And the people who were affected by the decisions of our ancestors. This book is a beautiful way to begin that understanding.

Too few people in the United States have a good understanding of the interactions of the whites and the natives during our country's development. To them, things are quite simple: they were wrong and we were right; or alternately, they were completely right and we were completely wrong. Things are never black and white though.

Most people DO know certain Native Americans and are proud that they know the names (this shows that they know and care about Native Americans) even if they don't know anything about the person who carried that name - Pocahantas, Sacajawea, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Chief Joseph.

The Nez Perce were the people that sheltered Lewis and Clark for a winter because one of their members had been saved from cruelty earlier in her life by a white man and persuaded the others that they were OK fellows. At first, they had few contacts or conflicts with whites. And even when they did, they were usually peaceful. When their young men took it into their own hands to murder and rape, the others were appalled and held council to determine how to respond.

Everything changed of course when whites began discovering places like Willamette and Wallowa Valleys. Good farming and grazing ground on the east side of the Cascades. Good fishing and trapping lands on the west side of the Cascades. And those filthy natives are wasting it all.

The final chapter of the Nez Perce story has not been written. They are still with us. But their penultimate chapter reached across the nation.

Non-treaty Nez Perce met with General O.O. Howard to explain why they wouldn't go to the reservation (they hadn't sold the Wallowa Valley land - and it was discovered later that they were telling the truth. Too late, of course). An altercation occurred and one of their most respected elders was manhandled and briefly jailed. This constitued "showing the rifle" and the non-treaties realized that was the end. They made plans to leave the area and try to continue living peacefully on the land they still owned. However, a few of their young men were incensed at their treatment and began taking revenge on the people who were moving in. When the army was finally called in to punish these "boys" the council of chiefs had decided to surrender and parley. They and the army met in White Bird Canyon where several of them rode forward with a white flag. A volunteer who claimed he knew the Nez Perce ways as well as their language fired two shots at the unarmed natives and blew the whole thing up.

The rest of the warriors attacked and killed at least 1/3 of the soldiers that day. General Howard was sent in pursuit which was expected to wrap up quickly. Instead from June 17 when the battle of White Bird Canyon erupted, the chase lasted until October 5 and ranged across territory including Yellowstone National Park and ended less than 40 miles from the Canadian border.

Although you can tell which side the author is on, he stays very carefully in the middle. When one side does wrong, he mentions it, no matter which. He is very considerate of O.O. Howard who was severely chastised by his own soldiers as well as his superiors for allowing the chase to last so long.

And although his name will forever be attached to the flight, even though he was seen as the Red Napoleon, Chief Joseph was neither the instigator nor a war chief. His position was to protect the rest of the people, pack up camp, get the horses going and move on. He never planned a battle.

[Xarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short book on the history of the Nez Perce. I found it easy to read (not too technical or dry), and while not overly detailed, it did provide a brief summary of the Nez Perce from pre-Contact to the present.

I really think that it is important for everyone to learn the history of Native Americans; of what they went through and how they are still trying to come to terms with what western civilization did to them.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a brief book giving an overview of history and geography of the area encompassed by the Nez Perce National Historical Park. It is clearly written, though many places mentioned are not included in the maps. Josephy's achievement is the care and freedom from bias with which he treats material which surely is as horrible and contentious as anything in western history.

[Martha]

I learned more about the tribe and what problems they had with the Americans and how poorly they were treated by the U.S. Excellent reading.

[Rachel]

I am trying to learn more about the Nez Perce people for my 4th grade classes.