Nez Perce Tribe

The Nez Perce Tribe in Lapwai, Idaho, is working to highlight the meaningful return of a significant collection of treasured artifacts to the Tribe and the recent renaming ceremony honoring those items. The Wetxuuwíitin' Collection of sacred Nez Perce clothing and related items is one of the few remaining and most complete collections of Native American clothing artifacts dating from pre-1840. They plan to establish a reading/research library on Tribe-owned property adjacent to the national Nez Perce interpretive center to encourage visitors to learn more about Nez Perce culture. At the same time, they will recruit a qualified curator or historian to develop a signature project related to the Wetxuuwíitin' Collection. Finally, they plan to organize four community workshops showcasing skills evidenced in the collection artifacts. This project will help the Nez Perce recover from the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, using the connection to Tribal heritage as a means of community empowerment, recovery, and resiliency.