Title: Chief Joseph: A Legacy of Resistance and Hope
Introduction
Chief Joseph, born Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt (Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain) on March 3, 1840, was a prominent leader of the Nez Perce tribe. He is best remembered for his principled resistance against the United States government and its efforts to forcibly remove his people from their ancestral lands in the Wallowa Valley. His leadership and steadfast determination in the face of adversity make him an important figure in American history.
Early Life and Family
Chief Joseph was born in the Wallowa Valley in present-day northeastern Oregon. He belonged to the Wallowa band of the Nez Perce tribe, and his father was the esteemed Chief Tuekakas, also known as Old Chief Joseph or Joseph the Elder. His mother's name was Khapkhaponimi. Chief Joseph grew up immersed in his people's traditions and values and was trained in leadership and diplomacy.
Taking on Leadership
When his father passed away in 1871, Chief Joseph assumed leadership of the Wallowa band. At that time, tensions between the Nez Perce tribe and the United States government were increasing, mainly due to the government's attempts to coerce the tribe into signing treaties that would force them off their ancestral lands.
The Nez Perce War and Flight
In 1877, conflict between the Nez Perce and the U.S. government reached a boiling point, and the Nez Perce War began. Chief Joseph, along with other Nez Perce leaders, tried to lead his people to safety in Canada to avoid further conflict. Over the course of several months, Chief Joseph and around 700 men, women, and children traveled over 1,170 miles across the treacherous and varied terrain of the Pacific Northwest. They were pursued by the U.S. Army, led by General Oliver Otis Howard.
During the journey, the Nez Perce engaged in several battles and skirmishes, demonstrating their tactical prowess and resilience. They gained significant support from the American public due to their courage and determination.
Surrender and Imprisonment
On October 5, 1877, Chief Joseph and the remaining members of his band were forced to surrender to the U.S. Army, just 40 miles from the Canadian border. In his famous surrender speech, he poignantly declared, "I will fight no more forever." The Nez Perce were then taken as prisoners of war and transported to Fort Leavenworth in Kansas before being relocated to a reservation in the Indian Territory (now Oklahoma).
Later Life and Legacy
Chief Joseph spent the remainder of his life advocating for the rights and well-being of his people. He met with President Rutherford B. Hayes and other influential figures, lobbying for the Nez Perce's return to their ancestral lands. Although he did not succeed in this endeavor, he remained a symbol of resistance, dignity, and hope. Chief Joseph passed away on September 21, 1904, in Nespelem, Washington.
Today, Chief Joseph is remembered as a skilled leader and diplomat, embodying the spirit of resistance against injustice. His story continues to inspire generations and serves as a testament to the strength and resilience of Indigenous peoples in the face of adversity.
Native name: Hinmatóowyalahtq’it
(Aoki 1994:155)
March 3, 1840 - Wallowa Valley, Oregon
September 21, 1904 (aged 64) - Colville Indian Reservation, Washington
"If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace.....Treat all men alike. Give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers. The Earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.......Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade....where I choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself, and I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.” - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Joseph
Perhaps you think the Creator sent you here to dispose of us as you see fit. If I thought you were sent by the Creator, I might be induced to think you had a right to dispose of me. Do not misunderstand me, but understand fully with reference to my affection for the land. I never said the land was mine to do with as I choose. The one who has a right to dispose of it is the one who has created it. I claim a right to live on my land and accord you the privilege to return to yours. Brother, we have listened to your talk coming from the father in Washington, and my people have called upon me to reply to you. And in the winds which pass through these aged pines we hear the moaning of their departed ghosts. And if the voices of our people could have been heard,that act would never have been done. But alas, though they stood around, they could neither be seen nor heard. Their tears fell like drops of rain. I hear my voice in the depths of the forest,but no answering voice comes back to me. All is silent around me.My words must therefore be few. I can say no more. He is silent, for he has nothing to answer when the sun goes down.
...... Chief Joseph
"Whenever the white man treats the Indian as they treat each other, then we will have no more wars. We shall all be alike--brothers of one father and one another, with one sky above us and one country around us, and one government for all.” - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce
"The Earth is the Mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it. You might as well expect the river to run backward as that any man who was born a free man should be contented when penned up and denied liberty to go where he pleases.” - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce
"I love the land of winding waters more then all the rest of the world. A man who would not love his father's grave is worse then a wild animal.” - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce