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  • Title
  • Subject
  • Description
  • Collection
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  • Splinter bone awl
  • Awls; Tools; Sewing; Stitches (sewing); Leatherwork; Handicraft; Nimíipuu; Nez Perce
  • An awl is a tool regularly used for stitching, creating holes for sewing, or sewing thick materials, including leather and canvas. While many awls have a bone base with a sharpened point, such as a steel needle, attached to the end, these two awls...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Comb or berry picker/stripper
  • Combs; Berries--Harvesting; Tools; Nimíipuu; Nez Perce
  • This item is either a personal hair comb or berry picker/stripper. Many Native American peoples, including Nimíipuu (Nez Perce), used berry strippers to more easily and quickly pick/strip berries from plants or vines. Though the specific person...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Wampum beads
  • Beads; Ceremonial objects; Jewelry; Nimíipuu; Nez Perce
  • Wampum beads are shell beads that were originally associated with indigenous groups from the eastern United States. These beads have served various purposes, including being used for record keeping purposes of important or historical events, as...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • ‘ickum’kiléelixpe (Big Hole) hinmatóoyalahtq’it (Chief Joseph) Monument
  • Monument; Nez Perce
  • ‘ickum’kiléelixpe (Big Hole) hinmatóoyalahtq’it (Chief Joseph) Monument with stone head on top of the monument.
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • wal'áwa (Wallowa Lake, Oregon)
  • Lake; Nez Perce
  • Site of wal'áwa (Wallowa Lake, Oregon). Where Tiwi-teqis (Old Chief Joseph) was buried. "The beautiful valley in which this lake sets was occupied through a broken treaty with the Nez Perces. It was the ancestral home, and burial place of Old...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Wetatonmi wife of ’álok’at (Alokat)
  • Ollokot, Nez Percé Chief, 1844?-1877; Wetatonmi; Nez Perce
  • Wetatonmi was married to ’álok’at (Alokat), a warrior in the Nez Perce war of 1877 and brother of hinmatóoyalahtq’it (Chief Joseph). Wetatonmi delivered a horse to ’álok’at (Alokat) in the midst of battle when she heard from a warrior that her...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Comb bag
  • Combs; Pouches (Containers); Bead embroidery; Embroidery; Handicraft; Nimíipuu; Nez Perce
  • This bag is considered a comb bag that Native American peoples, including the Nimíipuu (Nez Perce), would use to carry hair combs and other personal items. This particular bag is made from pink cloth that is most likely commercial, trade cloth. ...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Stone sinkers
  • Fishing; Rocks; Nimíipuu; Nez Perce
  • These six small rocks are called "stone sinkers." Native American peoples who engaged in fishing, including the Nimíipuu (Nez Perce), would often used stone sinkers to weigh down and hold fishing nets in place. The stone sinkers are identifiable...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • hinmatóowyalahtq̓it' (Chief Joseph's) ceremonial pipe bag
  • Ceremonial objects; Handicraft; Tobacco pipes; Pouches (Containers); Nimíipuu; Nez Perce
  • This pipe bag belonged to Nimíipuu (Nez Perce) chief hinmatóowyalahtq̓it (Joseph). The unique aspect of this particular pipe bag is that it was used to carry the tobacco pipe's stem as opposed to most traditional pipe bags that were used to carry...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Gravestone of Bernard A. Brooks at qém’es (Camas) Meadows Battlefield
  • Campaigns, Military; Battlefields across America; Historic sites; Camas Prairie (Idaho); Sepulchral monuments--West (U.S.); Nez Perce
  • Photograph of Bernard A. Brooks gravestone at the scene where the qém’es (Camas) Meadows Battle, also known as the Battle of qém’es (Camas) Creek, took place. The grave is in the center of the battlefield with no other graves around it. The battle...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • yéey’e (Bear grass)
  • Xerophyllum tenax; Weaving; Basket making; Handicraft; Nimíipuu; Nez Perce
  • yéey’e (Bear grass or Xerophyllum tenax) is a type of plant belonging to the corn lily family that primarily grows in the western U.S. and Canada. Among many Native American peoples, including Nimíipuu (Nez Perce), yéey’e (bear grass) was woven...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • hinmatóoyalahtq’it (Chief Joseph)
  • Joseph, Nez Perce Chief, 1840-1904; Tribal chiefs; Costume & clothes; Portrait photograph; Nez Perce
  • Studio portrait of hinmatóoyalahtq’it (Chief Joseph). Owned by ‘ilewselikéecet (John Pinkham), Nez Perce. This photograph was likely taken between 1880 and 1904.
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Embroidered Plateau-style moccasins
  • Moccasins: Embroidery; Beadwork embroidery; Quillwork; Nimíipuu; Nez Perce
  • This pair of moccasins was made from buckskin, such as deer skin. Each individual moccasin is decorated on the front of the with either quillwork or beadwork in a floral pattern using white, blue, green, and red beads or dyed porcupine quills. ...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Cylindrical or cannon bone awl
  • Awls; Tools; Sewing; Stitches (sewing); Leatherwork; Handicraft; Nimíipuu; Nez Perce
  • An awl is a tool regularly used for stitching, creating holes for sewing, or sewing thick materials, including leather and canvas. While many awls have a bone base with a sharpened point, such as a steel needle, attached to the end, these two awls...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • lepít híisemtuks (Two Moons)
  • Warriors; Nez Perce--Wars, 1877; Two Moons; Nez Perce
  • Photograph of lepít híisemtuks (Two Moons), a Nez Perce Warrior, who fought in the Nez Perce Wars of 1877. "Two Moons," or " lepít híisemtuks," described many of his stories about tribal warfare to McWhorter. Although he had a small stature, lepít...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Yiyi Wasumwah; hímiin maqsmáqs' (Yellow Wolf's) mother
  • Yiyi Wasumwah; Yellow Wolf, 1855-1935; Nez Perce
  • Photograph of Yiyi Wasumwah, taken subsequent to her exile in Native American territory. Sitting Nez Perce woman; This woman played an important role in the Nez Perce War of 1877. At the beginning of hostilities, hímiin maqsmáqs (Yellow Wolf) did...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Bannock engraved quirt
  • Riding whips; Handicraft; Leather goods
  • This quirt or horse whip is made from elk horn and decorated with the images of a deer and other animals. On both ends, the quirt is engraved with various patterns. The lash portion of the quirt is made from leather, with an additional rawhide...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Bannock warrior's necklace
  • Shamans; Necklaces; Beaded jewelry
  • Evidence suggests this necklace was made and owned by a Bannock warrior, but the specific time period it was originally created is unknown. This specific necklace is made from a buckskin strap attached with beads and five bear claws. This...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • Bannock brown slate pipe
  • Pipe smoking; Tobacco pipes
  • This pipe is made from brown colored slate with a metal band around the bottom of the pipe. There isn't an associated pipe stem with this pipe. Though the exact time period the pipe was created or who created it is unknown, it was most likely...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection
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  • wal'áwa (Wallowa Lake)
  • Lakes; Nez Perce
  • wal'áwa (Wallowa Lake, Oregon), sits in a valley in the Blue Mountains in northeast Oregon. It is the ancestral home of the Nez Perce and from the note with the picture, burial place of Tiwi-teqis (Old Chief Joseph). This photograph was likely...
  • McWhorter, L.V. Collection

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