Historical Nez Perce Providers by Paty Jager

Root diggers on the Colville Reservation

The Native Americans (Indians) thought highly of the earth and believed all its creatures were gifts. The Nez Perce were especially grateful to the bountiful fish and wildlife in their territories as well as the plants which they harvested to round out their diets.

The men of the Nez Perce built weirs and fished, but the women maintain the weirs and processed the fish. Drying the salmon and trout over fires on racks made of limbs or on sticks stuck in the ground and bent over the fire. In the heat of the summer the fish would also be dried on racks in the hot summer sun and soup was made from the heads.

The men hunted large game animals and could be gone for up to a year or more when they traveled into the plains for buffalo, returning with huge amounts of dried buffalo and hides. The women traveled with them on theses hunts to prepared the meat for transporting back to their villages.

Nothing was wasted of an animal, the meat was cooked, smoked, and dried. The tongue and liver were eaten raw and ears were used as seasoning in soups. The fat was used to cook fry bread and bear meat was barbecued. Pemmican was made from the dried meat. It was broke into pieces that would fit in a mortar and pounded adding intestines and meat fat. This was a staple when traveling. They also made a pemmican of dried salmon and berries which the Nez Perce men carried wrapped in leaves in the bottom of their quivers. This was a nutritious easy-to-carry food when they were hunting.

The women were in charge of gathering roots, herbs, berries, and killing small game. They used sticks called tu`k`es or digging sticks to extract the roots from the earth. In some instances they would span out across valleys teeming with the camas, bitterroot, and kous.

Kous was dug from April to July. It was found in dry rocky soil and is similar in shape to a carrot. It was eaten either fresh or dry. Thy peeled off the skin and sun dried it. Then they would pound it into a oatmeal or cornmeal and serve as a cooked mush or make a ball and sun dry it or make a long bread called o`ppah that was smoked.

Bitterroot was dug in Nespelem area in August. It resembles a crocus with pink flowers. The yellow root looks like spaghetti and must be peeled. This root wasn't ground up, it was served like a vegetable. They mostly traded for it with the Plateau Indians. Women ate bitterroot or made tea to increase their milk flow after childbirth.

Wild onions were the first root of spring, dug in April. They have a fern-like top and the bulb is the size of a walnut. They also dug wild carrot in May. It grows in clusters in damp or wet areas. The blossom is two feet high and smells like the food. It is a finger sized food with a brown jacket and white meat. Sweet and rich flavor and may be eaten raw. They also dried and ground it for porridge and boiled it fresh like a potato.Or preserved the root by drying and grinding it into flour for loaves that were smoked and stored.

They stone boiled soup in willow baskets. Putting a rock that has been heating in a fire into the basket. They stored food in baskets and hide bags as well as caches or pits dug in the ground where large amounts of food would be stored for the whole band. These could be anywhere along their well traveled routes or hidden.

That is some more of the information I've gleaned while researching for the historical paranormal romance trilogy set among the Chief Joseph Band of the Nez Perce.

Camas roots were dug from June to September depending on the elevation where they grew. They were gathered in wet upland meadows. Weippe Meadows, Camas Prairie, Palouse Prairie and Grande Ronde Valley. They were baked and steamed. Cooking pits or large holes were dug before the harvest. After the roots were dug they would lay out hot red rocks in the hole, sprinkle with water, put dirt over the rocks, then fresh alder leaves, and a layer of meadow grass. Then the camas. The roots were covered with alder leaves, meadow grass, sprinkled with water and dirt, then a fire built on top and they cooked for three days. The roots were then eaten whole, pounded into flour, or tossed in soup.

Spirit of the Mountain

Wren, the daughter of a Nimiipuu chief, loves the mountain and her people—the Lake Nimiipuu. Himiin, as spirit of the mountain, watches over all the creatures on his mountain, including the Nimiipuu. When an evil spirit threatens Wren’s life, Himiin rushes to save her. But to leave the mountain means he’ll turn to smoke…

Spirit of the Lake

Can a spirit set upon this earth to watch over the Nimiipuu stay true to justice when revenge burns in his heart? On their quest for justice, Dove reveals spiritual abilities, ensnaring Wewukiye’s respect and awe. But will these abilities seal their future or tear them apart?

Spirit of the Sky

Sa-qan, a Nimiipuu eagle spirit, must take human form to save her mortal niece when the Nimiipuu are forced from their land by the U.S. Army. Trying to remain true to her spirit world and her people becomes hard when a Cavalry Officer captures her heart.

Find the books here.

Photo by Carmen Peone

Joesph Oregon

   

"Rolling Thunder and Toma" by Dave Manuel

On a recent trip to visit my dad who lives in Wallowa County, Oregon, we wandered the streets of Joesph, named for old and young Chief Joesph who were the chiefs of the band of Nez Perce who lived along rivers and the lake during the summer months, grazing their horses on the meadow grass and lived in the canyons of the Snake, Imnaha, and Grand Ronde rivers in the the cold winter months.

The town of Joesph, population 1,054, has gone from a lumber and tourist town to a tourist and art mecca. Walking the streets there are a large number of art galleries, knick knack and souvenir shops, and restaurants. The town sits on the only road to pristine Wallowa Lake. A clear blue lake of melted snow from the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

"The Sentinel" by Austin Barton

The streets of Joesph are lined with flowers, trees, brickwork, and bronze statues depicting the area. The statues are donated by the artists. There is a man on a bucking horse, a farmer and his dog, Young Chief Joesph, and Young Joesph and his wife Springtime. Along with other statues.

Walking the streets was relaxing and enjoyable and brought back memories of  picnics at the lake and Chief Joesph Day parades we watch when I grew up in the county.

The statue "The Sentinel" by Austin Barton has been my favorite ever since I saw it at my brother's art studio. He molds, welds, and patina's bronze pieces for other artists and creates his own statues. But "The Sentinel" spoke to me and when my first mystery is out you will recognize a statue in the story that is similar to this one.

If you haven't visited NE Oregon and Wallowa County you are missing out on beautiful scenery, relaxed atmosphere, and crystal clear air. There is a reason the white man didn't start homesteading in the valley until the 1860's. It is surrounded by mountains, deep gorges and wide raging rivers. It is an isolated area which many of the locals like even if their main means of income is tourism now that the logging has dwindled.