See Hawk
A Nimi’ipuu guy poses for the camera in this photograph. There is little known about the photo’s subject, See Hawk. French explorers mistook his tribe, the Nimi’ipuu, for the “Nez Perce” in an error of identity. The expression “nez perce” translates to “pierced nose” in English, referring to the facial decoration used by several Native American tribes. After learning how to domesticate horses, the Nimi’ipuu rose to prominence. They were able to repel 5,000 American soldiers during a six-month war known as the Nez Percé War.
See Hawk
Flathead Encampment
The name of these people, the Flathead, is deceptive because there is no evidence that they engaged in the ancient technique of skull flattening. Instead, the country was better known as “Salish” (the people). The Salish were denied access to numerous natural resources because the bigger Blackfoot tribe forbade them from hunting bison and buffalo. At the same time, European colonists launched massive trapping efforts, leaving the Salish outnumbered. Today, the Salish live largely on a one-and-a-half million-acre reserve in Montana and engage in a range of activities such as fishing, hunting, gathering, arts and crafts, cultural events, and advocating for indigenous rights and environmental care.
Flathead Encampment
