Southwest Sierra #79 – The Nez Perce

A few weeks ago, in SS#76 I spelled the name of the Nez Perce tribe incorrectly. “Perce” is the correct spelling of the second word and it is pronounced “Purse”. The name is a misnomer anyway, but the tribe got stuck with it. The name means “pierced nose” in French, and it was early French explorers who coined the name for both the Nimiipuu (now recognized as the Nez Perce) and the Chinook. Ironically, at the time of early European contact, some of the Chinook people did pierce their noses but the Nimiipuu did not. This is a simplification of the complex topic of their tribal name.

In SS#76 I mentioned my early memory of seeing an Appaloosa Horse for the first time. That article got a lot of response from my readers who shared experiences of visiting places for the first time and of having the uncanny feeling of having been there before. Another example given was of meeting a person for the first time but feeling like they always knew them. There is a common practice of referring to wise young people as “old souls” and the idea of reincarnation is by no means new. It is fun to explore the mysteries of life, and this is one of them. Following is a more recent experience of mine that is also linked to the Nez Perce.

For the last eighteen years, my husband and I have made an annual trip to Butte Montana to work on rental property there. We try to take different routes and explore the territory between Butte and Alleghany as much as possible. One alternate route passes through the Big Hole Meadow (Battlefield). The first time that we went through that way was at least 15 years ago heading from Alleghany to Butte. There was a dense fog that day which kept us from seeing the one sign for the battlefield that is posted several miles before you get there. A couple of miles before the battlefield I was overcome by a deep sorrow. It was the deepest sorrow that I have ever felt. I began weeping. David just kept driving, then we saw the sign for the battlefield! We did not know that it was there until we saw that sign. David continued driving. I gave myself permission to feel what I was feeling, and I wept for a while longer.A year or so later, I had a long and powerful dream that took place at the Meadow and that ended with a visit from a Medicine Man. On our many subsequent trips through the meadow David would often ask if I wanted to stop at the Battlefield and I would always say “no.” Finally this year, on our way home, as we approached the battlefield I said: “Let’s stop”.

From the battlefield’s website https://www.nps.gov/biho/index.htm: “On August 9, 1877, gun shots shattered a chilly dawn on a sleeping camp of Nez Perce. By the time the smoke cleared on August 10, almost 90 Nez Perce were dead along with 31 soldiers and volunteers. Big Hole National Battlefield was created to honor all who were there.” The visitor’s center has a foyer with bathrooms and informational placards lining the walls. After using the restrooms and reading some of the informational material we entered the gift shop area just as the 20-minute film presentation was starting. We took seats in the little theater and watched the presentation. As it began, I realized that I had been pronouncing and spelling Nez Perce wrong ever since I was a teenager!

The film struck a nice balance of historical narrative with personal story sharing by many Nez Perce people. It also shared stories of cavalry members and volunteers who fought on the side of the United States. One young Nez Perce woman spoke of her elders saying that if you listen you can hear the voices of those who died when visiting the site. Others in the film presentation spoke of healing and what it means. They spoke of moving forward with compassion and forgiveness for the losses on both sides of the battle, of how healing happens at its own pace and in different ways for different people — how we can choose what to carry forward.

After the film was over, we walked into the visitors center where large windows overlook the site of the battle. We read displays and looked at pictures and artifacts. After purchasing a few items in the gift shop, we headed back to the truck where Kava was waiting with the windows rolled down. It was a perfect fall day, not too hot and not too cold. As we drove away, I felt a tremendous sense of gratitude for the messages of healing that were in the film and for my own medicine dream from many years ago. I thought about that dream and the non-verbal message that I received to keep my eyes straight ahead. To keep looking forward.