| Nimiipuu Homeland - Nez Perce Country Long before Meriwether Lewis and William Clark ventured west; before the English established a colony at Jamestown; before Christopher Columbus stumbled upon the 'new world'; the Nez Perce who call themselves the Nimiipuu, lived in the prairies and river valleys of north central Idaho, Montana, northeastern Oregon, and southeastern Washington, an area of approximately seventeen million acres. In 1805, when Lewis and Clark met the Nez Perce, they encountered a people well integrated into their environment. Nimiipuu traditions and knowledge of the surroundings were well-honed over thousands of years. The Nimiipuu homeland’s abundant resources sustained their economy, lifestyle, and culture. |
