Ceremonies, Rituals and Music

War Dance Ceremony - Photo Source: www.sirismm.si.edu

The Nez Perce practice many different kinds of ceremonies and rituals for many different reasons. These ceremonies have been part of their culture for many years. Generation after generation certain ceremonial traditions are passed down. Some reasons the Nez Perce have a ceremony include the changing of seasons, births, deaths, puberty, marriage, and harvests. During these ceremonies the Nez Perce sing, dance and play music.

Some traditional rituals practiced by the Nez Perce may seem odd to us now. For instance, they would avoid tying knots because whatever they are trying represents the umbilical cord and prevents it from knotting up in the womb. Also, when the baby is born they will take their umbilical cord, sew it into a pouch and attach that to the baby’s cradle. Large ceremonies of gifts, singing, dancing, music, and food are held for births and for the naming of the baby. When a baby is born they are given many gifts and the Nez Perce believe that if they name the baby after a well known member of their tribe, the baby will gain the same traits.

The most important ceremony practiced by the Nez Perce was the Winter Spirit Dance. Young boys and girls who found their weyekin in the mountain will come back to the tribe and take part in this dance. They will sing in hopes of merging with their weyekin and becoming one. These youth often sing their weyekin’s song, which is usually all improvised, in the hopes to establish good health, safety, strength and skill.

The Nez Perce also practiced death rituals. As soon as an individual passed away close female relatives would begin wailing and sobbing. This is customary. The dead individual’s face will be painted red and the body will be washed and clothed in a new outfit before being buried the following day. The deceased will most likely be buried with most of their valuables and even if the deceased had a favorite horse that horse can be killed and buried nearby. The spouse of the deceased would cut their hair very short and refuse to smile while they were mourning. This mourning process would last a rather long time. When the process ended they would be given a new outfit to wear and could eventually remarry.

Nez Perce Flute - Photo Source: www.wildhorsemtnflutes.com

Along with gift giving, dancing and food, music was a very important part of Nez Perce ceremonies. Their music was most often improvised and impromptu. The singing was also improvised and usually consisted of sighs, moans, yelling and even animal noises. Flutes and percussion instruments are mostly used in Nez Perce music. Flutes with six finger holes were made out of elderberry stems and other whistles were made from Eagle bones. They also used a wooden rod to tap out a rhythmic beat. An instrument called a Rasp consisted of a bone scrapping against a serrated stick. Eventually, in the 19^th century, hand drums replaced the Rasp. Over time, the hand drums grew in size and by 1890 the Nez Perce used a drum that was played by 8 people. Also used during ceremonies, mostly by shamans, were rattles made of deer hooves, which were eventually replaced by beers traded to them from the white man.

Nez Perce Rattle - Photo Source: www.liveauctioneers.com

Other important ceremonies include the Prophet Dance, the Gathering Camas Root Ceremony, the Salmon Harvest Ceremony, the First Hunt Ceremony, and the First Harvest Ceremony.