I'm half Nez Perce, my father whole. The genocide didn't stop when Chief Joseph surrendered. My father and half of hus siblings were torn from a root cellar where they were hiding, and forcefully adopted into Morman homes. This happened all over. Native children stolen from their families. My father was very lucky because the woman who adopted him and his twin sister was a one of the greatest women I have had the pleasure of having in my life. From an original pioneer family that settled in Pocatello Idaho. She took them back to their family and made sure they stayed connected to their home and my father did move back to Lapwaii. The scars are so deep and ugly. Suicide, alcoholism, addiction, poverty, rape, murder... that's what assimilation left us. Almost extinct? We shall remain. Those of us that were fortunate to escape and plunge into our education, are going back to our tribes. Innovation, ingenuity and determination are keeping us alive and coming back twice as strong. Even after they continually try to strike us all down with broken promises, empty words, and propagandized racism. Hidden realities of all indigenous tribes. You can't hide the truth. "It doesn't take many words to speak the truth."- Chief Joseph

I am a native descended from a people of central Mexico(the purepecha indians) My parents named me Joseph. I know it wasn't because of Chief Joseph, but over the years I've learned so much about him, his wisdom, his loyalty, the love he had for his family, and his warrior spirit. He is my hero and I lead my life by the lessons in his words.

"The trauma of leading has been passed from generation to generation, and the elders still weep as they think of Chief Joseph..." The trauma of leading. This story is immensely powerful.

The great American irony. The United States has spent more than 200 years trying to built a society based on the freedom of the individual...freedom to roam, to speak and think, to live without the controls of others, to life at peace with the world around him. In the process of seeking this ideal the United States virtually destroyed the indigenous culture of the land that was in essence the ultimate word of that which they seek.

They had a marvelous way of life before the arrival of the foreigners. The way a man was supposed to live.

thanks for posting Jewie....good explanation of our history.

Man I hope they can keep their langauge. I don't want their langauge and culture to die out like, what happend to my people.

You have to start recording and filming them ALLOT!

Thu my family geneology I have just recently found out that we are decendants of Chief Joseph. I would love to get some information and possibly contacting someone about learning the language so I could pass it down to my children. If any one has a suggestion on who I can write to about this I would be forever greatful...

A certain fringe science ( The Heartmath Institute and quantum physics) is beginning to define the reality that we experience in terms of vibration. I tend to wonder if a given people's language is the result of where they came into being in terms of the vibration of that place. Speech or language is after all simple vibration, but, there is more than simple power in the word.

its important other peoples know youre ordeal. watch>>"EL BAHDJA MARRAKECH 2010.AMAZIGH WOMEN.OULED AND BNAT BLADI.MOORISH LAND "................tell the Amazigh people everything !