The Nez Perce tribe is a group of indigenous habitants of the Columbia River Plateau. They are found in the United States in a specific region known as the Pacific Northwest. They have been known to originate from the Cordilleran culture of the old who later migrated to the plateau. The name, Nez Perce was given by French traders who used to do business with them. Various scholars like William Clark called the people with a different name. The names were given based on the culture of the people. The Nez Perce tribe had a rich culture ranging from clothing, food to where they lived (Fredrick and Jay, 2007). This paper will discuss their culture but will specifically talk about the shelters or dwellings of the people.
Shelters or dwellings of the Nez Perce Tribe
The Nez Perce people were very creative and hence made their houses artistically. They made houses from the resources they had like branches. These houses were occupied by several people. They lived as a group and each group had their leader called a headman. They had permanent and temporary houses (Edmunds, 2008). The houses played different roles. The houses were: the wigwams or longhouses, the teepees and winter villages.
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Longhouses or wigwams
These houses were made from sticks or wood. The sticks were then covered with hides, reeds or grasses. These were permanent structures. They housed a large group of people (extended family) ranging from 20 to 40 people. They divided the house in to two, one side was where they had to live and the other side was used as the store. They stored their meat and other foods there. These houses had a hole dug in the middle for circulation of air, to act as an entrance tunnel and also to connect one house to the other. These houses were usually used during summer (Dwellings, shelters and Homes of the Plateau Indians, 2015).
The Teepees
They were also referred to as lodges. These were usually made from long poles of wood and animal skin, either from a buffalo or deer. The skin was wrapped around the poles and tied at the top with wild hemp. The skin had to cover the poles up to the top. These were smaller as compared to longhouses because they housed fewer people. They also had holes dug in the middle just as the wigwams. The lodges provided very good shelter. They were also easily removed and movable.
Winter villages
During winter, the people lived in large houses called winter villages that had houses called outhouses. A path was constructed through the snow to enable the people get in and out of the house. They mostly depended on the food in stores. These houses were built near the river. The large group would later divide into small groups. The small groups would go fishing, hunting and gathering. These winter villages had various structures including: pregnancy house, menstrual house, sweat lodge, ceremonial structure and birth houses. During spring, the outhouses were demolished.
The Nez Perce people later own started keeping horses and hence were able to move from one place to another. They started making temporary structures which they were able to demolish before moving (Robert, 2004).
Conclusion
The Nez Perce people were very innovative people. They were able to use the resources they would get to make shelters. After the introduction of horses, they were able to move from one place to another. The movement was also made possible because they were able to make temporary structures like the teepees. Those who were left behind lived in permanent structures, the longhouses and winter villages. These houses were mostly made from wood and animal skin.
References
Dwellings, shelters and Homes of the Plateau Indians (2015). Retrieved on September 22, 2016 from www.aaanativearts.com
Edmunds, David. “The Nez Perce Flight for Justice”, American Heritage; 2008
Hoxie, Fredrick. Nelson, Jay. Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country: the Native American perspective. Urbana Illinois: University of Illinois Press.2007. 66-67
Native American Indian Facts. Nez Perce Tribe Facts. Retrieved on September 22, 2016 from www.native-american-indian-facts.com
Robert, McCoy; Chief Joseph, Yellow Wolf and the creation of Nez Perce History in the Pacific Northwest; Indigenous peoples and politics; New York: Routledge.2004. 103-109
The Life and Customs of the Nez Perce Indian. Retrieved on September 22, 2016 from thenezperceofnorthamerica.weebly.com
