The Nez Perce of the Northwest
Environment
The Nez Perce settled on the Columbia plateau between the Cascade Mountains and
the Rocky Mountains. The top of the plateau was mostly flat and covered with
thick prairie grasses, which the Nez Perce used to build their homes.
Many rivers are found in the valleys of the region. The area around the rivers is a
thick forest. The Nez Perce used the rivers and forests for shelter, food, and
clothing.
The difference in altitude between the river valleys and the top of the plateau
meant a difference in temperature/climate. The temperature on top of the
plateau was cooler than in the valley, which meant that the same plants and berries
would bloom at different times.
Food
Three main sources of food:
1. Fish (salmon)
2. Hunting in the forests (elk, big horn sheep)
3. Gathering roots and berries
Shelter
The main type of housing for the Nez Perce was the mat covered longhouse. These
houses were made from logs linked together, then covered with mats woven out of
the prairie grass. Many families lived together in one house. Each house could be
up to 100 feet long.
Clothing
1. buckskin leggings, shirts, or breach cloths (summer) made from animal skins
2. jewelry from animal bones and teeth
Tools
1. arrows and hunting tools out of rocks, antlers, and wood
2. bowls and digging tools from big horn sheep horns
3. knives out of hard stone
Baskets
Nez Perce wove baskets and mats out of prairie grass.
Transportation
Water Travel
The Nez Perce carved canoes out of logs. They would use the canoes to travel the
many rivers in the region.
Horses
In the 1700s, the Nez Perce acquired horses. They raised horses on the prairies
of the plateau, and had one of the largest herds in North America.
Horses allowed the Nez Perce to
 travel farther distances when hunting (even traveled to the Great Plains and
hunted bison)
 travel to neighboring tribes in order to trade
 breed and raise horses that they could trade for other goods
Ceremonies/Beliefs
The Nez Perce believe that all things in nature, such as rocks, animals, rivers,
plants, etc. had at one time had the characteristics of people. They believed that
they could still communicate with the human side of nature.
When children reached a certain age, they would go into the forest for a
visionquest and seek supernatural guidance from things in nature. This guidance
would determine their future success within the tribe.