To understand the Nez Perce people you must first understand their landscape. Legends of their cultural ties to land run as deep as the canyons of the nearby Clearwater River. It’s a land defined by weather, etched by rivers and freed from time. The land holds the answers; provides the sustenance. Even the traditional Nez Perce calendar is interwoven with the surrounding landscape. Ah-Pah-Ahl, the time for digging khouse roots, is known to us as May. Wa-Wa-Mai-Khal, the season when the Chinook salmon migrate to the headwaters to spawn, is the month known to us as August. Ha-Oo-Khoy, when new life begins in cow elk, is familiar to us as December. Whatever season it is, the Nez Perce respect the landscape and all living things.

The stir of animals in the forest and the glint of fish signal the beginning of harvest or herald the coming of significant events. Forests, rivers, and mountains remain the great cathedrals, the holy places of worship and growth. Spend some time in the shadows of Nez Perce land and you will experience the same sacredness.

Several times of year the Nez Perce hold celebrations to honor their rich Native American culture. Dressed in their colorful regalia, Native Americans from across the Northwest gather either in nearby Lapwai or up the river in Kamiah for several days to celebrate. Drums can be heard throughout the region during the celebrations and the voices of the singers mix in the air with the delicious smells of traditional foods. Many of the feasts mark the arrival of edible plants and the run of salmon along the big rivers.

Everyone is welcome at the celebrations to share in the beautiful majesty of the Nez Perce ceremonies. But don’t wait for an invitation! Come with your mind open and your heart at ease. Experience Native American culture at its finest.

The Nez Perce nation of north central Idaho is as diverse a culture as you will find in North America. Do not look for stereotypes or Hollywood images. If you look carefully you will find a people of two cultures, with feet firmly planted in both worlds and an eye toward the future.

At one time, there were more than fifty bands of Nez Perce utilizing an estimated 17 million acres of land in northeastern Oregon, southeastern Washington, and north central Idaho.

The ways of the ancestors provide the bridge to the new world of modern America. Older members of the tribe pass along traditional language, religion, diet, and dance of the Nez Perce through the time-honored art of story telling. Traditional dances are sometimes passed down from generation to generation with everyone participating in teaching and performing.

During the summer months, many Nez Perce children attend summer camps where they learn the importance of holding on to their culture through tribal elders.

Do not look for tipis and headdresses. In the modern world, the Nez Perce tribe is involved in Idaho’s economy from logging and fishing to education and commerce. The Nez Perce are a vital force in north central Idaho's business community.

The Nez Perce utilize the land and its resources today in the tradition of their past. Berries, fish, wild game, roots, and bulbs still provide an important part of the Nez Perce diet.

Water was of particular importance to the tribe. Before and after each feast the Nez Perce drank water to give thanks for the food. Water was believed to be the blood vein of the earth. The Nez Perce believe in the importance of clean water.

While many Nez Perce practice Euro-American religions, the Dreamer religion plays an important role to the Nez Perce. Over the years, prophets accurately dreamt of the coming of significant events such as the arrival of Lewis and Clark from the east, an earthquake near the present-day town of Whitebird, and the coming of a book that would teach them differently from the manner in which they worshipped the Creator. The physical and spiritual aspects of life are not separated in the Nez Perce religion.

Dreams and legends of nature are part of an ongoing Nez Perce faith. Stories tell of good and evil, and how to act in the world. If you stop and listen, you can hear the same stories and feel the same magic.