Indigenous People Day

Reynolds School District - Oregon

October 9, 2014 is Indigenous People Day. One of our parents Nellie McConville, who also works for NAYA a community partner, offered this in honor of the holiday. With permission we are sharing this celebration of the Nez Perce Tribe.

Nimi'ipuu (Real People/We the people) aka: Nez Perce

Celebrating the elders who are the essence of my existence

Big Hole Battle, August 9: Some 90 Nimíipuu lives were lost in this battle, many of them women and children.

Bear Paw Battle, September 3 to October 5, only about 40 miles from the Canadian border: The Nimíipuu were intercepted by Col. Nelson Miles, with both sides in this final battle sustaining great losses. Being trapped and weary of his people's suffering, on October 5th, Chief Joseph negotiated an end to the fighting, surrendering with over 400 Nimíipuu, and gave his speech that has since become famous, concluding with, "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."  

During the 3-month conflict, some 123 soldiers and 55 civilians were killed, while an estimated 155-200 Nimíipuu died and some 90 were wounded.

Although some Nimíipuu survivors were able to escape to Canada with Chief White Bird, those that surrendered in hope of returning to Idaho were instead relocated to Oklahoma's Indian Country. Eventually, in 1885 the U.S. government allowed Nimíipuu who had converted to Christianity to return to the reservation at Lapwai, Idaho. Chief Joseph and 150 others, who chose to retain their traditional religion, were exiled to a reservation at Colville, Washington.   Chief Joseph died in 1904.