The First People III – Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain
14ft Mix media mural – Acrylic, emulsion. ink, spray paint & 24K gold leaf.
One of the most noble Indian chiefs in the West was Chief Joseph of the Nez Percé tribe. This official name comes from the French “nez percé,” which means pierced nose, a reference to these peoples’ custom of wearing a piercing in the nose. The Nez Percé lived between the states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, a very fertile place that the North Americans soon started to covet. Although Chief Joseph was peaceful and tried to avoid war, the government violently forced them to move to reservations.
Chief Joseph and his tribe had no other option than to rebel in 1877, which led to a bloody conflict in which few more than 400 Nez Percé survived. Although they won some battles, they did not win the war. After, they were taken to a reservation where many died of hunger and thirst. He never stopped writing letters the US government, demanding the right, like all other United States citizens, to live where they wanted to live. Finally, in 1880, the fewer than 300 surviving members of the tribe were allowed to return to the Northwest.
One off Canvas Available on request