Nez Perce, also spelled Nez Percé or called nimipuutímt, is a Sahaptian language related to the several dialects of Sahaptin. Nez Perce comes from the French phrase nez percé, "pierced nose"; however, Nez Perce, who call themselves nimiipuu, meaning "the people", did not pierce their noses. This misnomer may have occurred as a result of confusion on the part of the French, as it was surrounding tribes who did so.
Nez Perce chiefs
The Nez Perce are an Indigenous people of the Plateau who still live on a fraction of the lands on the southeastern Columbia River Plateau in the Pacific Northwest. This region has been occupied for at least 11,500 years.
No Horn on His Head, a Nez Perce man painted in 1832 by George Catlin
Nez Perce baby in cradleboard, 1911
A traditional Nez Perce beaded shirt
Nez Perce encampment, Lapwai, Idaho, ca. 1899