The Nez Perce’s Diaspora.

While American settlers where expanding westward tensions with many local nations arose. The Nez Perce experienced their first contact with settlers during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Nation was peaceful and helped lead the travelers through the Pacific Northwest. The Nez Perce would later maintain peace and neutrality with all people while their land was being surrounded by newcomers. This helped avoid conflicts many other Native Nations experienced. In 1885,the Nez Perce signed the Walla Walla Council in which they handed over a portion of their traditional homeland in exchange for money and the promise that no more of their 13 million acres of land would be taken. Many Native groups felt betrayed when the government opened the new acquired land to white settlers. This turmoil opened the door for many wars but still the Nez Perce sought peace.

The discovery of gold in the 1860’s on Nez Perce land would create many problems for these people. Many gold seekers would ignore the Walla Walla Treaty of 1885 and search for gold on Indian land. This would result in the Nation to unsuccessfully renegotiate peacefully with the federal government. Instead, the Idaho governor collected a few signature from members of the tribe which then ceded 7 million more acres to the government. Young Chief Joseph decided to not honor the “Theft Treaty”. The government responded with a 30 day notice to vacate the area. An attack by Nez Perce rebels on whites caused a portion of the tribe to flee to Canada and started the Nez Perce War of 1877.

This portion of the Nez Perce fled 1600 miles towards Canada and fought fourteen battles in four months. The Nez Perce was always able to outsmart the better equipped military and continue moving north. During their last battle, the Indians were surrounded just 30 miles from Canada and were forced to surrender. The surrendered Nez Perce were then forced from their ancestral territory and marched to Kansas, then Oklahoma. Like many other native Nations the Nez Perce went through a diaspora and settled in unfamiliar land.

“Nez Percé.” UXL Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes, 2nd ed., vol. 3: Arctic, Subarctic, Great Plains and Plateau, UXL, 2008. Gale eBooks, https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.spscc.edu/apps/doc/CX3048800073/GVRL?u=olym74496&sid=GVRL&xid=db405073. Accessed 2 Feb. 2020.