Chief Joseph

By Deward E. Walker. 4 January 1995

Dear Rose,

The Joseph surrender speech is heavily edited, badly/variously translated, and not well regarded by many Nez Perce who fail to regard Joseph as a war leader in the Nez Perce War of 1877. You would be wise to consult the recorded observations of Yellow Wolf taken down by Lucullus McWhorter, as well as my own writing on the genesis of the internal Tribal struggles of the Nez Perce that led to the War of 1877. Joseph's role has been exaggerated and distorted to a point where the contributions of the principal warriors have been erased by writers captivated by the myth of Joseph. Further, they have ignored most of the complex antecedents and subsequent impacts of this war on the Nez Perce people. Prominent among such writers are Haines, Chalmers, Beal, Howard and McGrath, and Josephy, who continue to repeat one another.

Thank you.

Deward E. Walker, Jr.>
walkerde@spot.colorado.edu
Professor of Anthropology
Anthro-Lib list owner