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Carla High Eagle, former Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee (NPTEC) member, tells of what it means for her to be Nimíipuu, while on her 2001 annual visit to the Big Hole Battle site (part of the Nez Perce Conflict of 1877). (Interviewed by Dan Kane, August 2001; edited by Rodney Frey, October 2001)

William Clark reported that we called ourselves the "Chop pun-nish or Pierced noses." And hence forth the soyaapos (white people) would call us, "the Nez Perce," literally meaning, "pierced noses," though we seldom practiced the custom of piercing our noses.

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Julia Davis, former NPTEC member, tells of the meaning of Nimíipuu and "Nez Perce," while on her 2001 annual visit to the Big Hole Battle site. (Interviewed by Dan Kane, August 2001; edited by Rodney Frey, October 2001)

One of our tribal elders, Cecil Carter, tells of a name we had before we had horses, Cuupn'itpel'uu. The name means, we walked out of the woods or walked out of the mountains. It is a very old word.

Some of our southern neighbors, such as the Shoshone and Bannock, called us "people under the tule." It was in reference to the tule mat-covered, long houses we lived in. In addition to the long houses, we covered our conical tipi-like lodges with tule mats. Tule was a wonderful material to cover our lodges. When wet these reeds would swell to form airtight mats for our winter lodges to keep us warm, then during the summer, air circulated easly through them to cool our lodges.

Our southern neighbors also referred to as "Cous eaters," because of the roots we gathered. One of the principle roots we relied upon was cous. Cous is used for food and medicine.

Heart of the Monster, along the Clearwater River, near Kamiah, photo taken by J. A. Hussey, c. 1963. Photo courtesy of the Nez Perce National Historical Park

Whether we call ourselves by the name Cuupn'itpel'uu, Nez Perce, Nimíipuu, or 'Iceyéeyenim mamáy'ac, we have been here since time immemorial, traveling a vast territory. When 'Iceyéeye, Coyote, killed the Swallowing Monster near Kamiah, he sprinkled the blood of the monster upon the earth and a people strong in heart and strong in mind, the Nimíipuu, were created.

We welcome you to this module to learn about the ways of the Nimíipuu - our history and culture, and our contemporay lives. We have organized this module into the following Topics:

Nimíipuu Culture under Native American	Contemporary Programs under Culture	Nimíipuu - U.S. History under U.S.
Acknowledgments and Cultural Property Rights
Lewis and Clark: A Nimíipuu Perspective under Expedition	Nimíipuu Biographies under People	Maps under Maps

Going to Mars, drawing by Harry Taylor, Nez Perce

Going to Mars, drawing by Harry Taylor, Nez Perce