August 1977 Chief Joseph Ceremony

Chief Joseph Battlefield, Bear Paw Mountains

8-1-77 Gordon and Edith’s

I told Edith that we were going to the ceremony at Chief Joseph’s battlefield on August 12^th. She said that she would like to come along with us and we said that was fine. “It might sound strange to you but I’ve never been there.”

8-12-77 Chief Joseph Battlefield

Susie and I went to the Chief Joseph Battlefield south of Chinook. There were festivities put on by the Chinook community to commemorate the surrender of Chief Joseph. An Appaloosa Horse Society was involved. They rode into the arena at 11:00 this morning. They have ridden the past 13 years, tracing Chief Joseph’s ride to the battlegrounds. This year they rode from James Kipp Park in the Breaks to the battlefield, tracing the last part of the trip. There were about 350 riders, all on Appaloosa horses that the Nez Perce developed. There were a few Nez Perce and one of them was supposed to be a direct descendent of Chief Joseph. Most of the people in attendance were white. There were only two people from Ft. Belknap that we saw, Tootsie and her husband.

There were very few Indians at the ceremony. It was mostly whites from Chinook and surrounding areas. There were speakers from the Appaloosa Society and two historians who wrote books about the Chief Joseph and Nez Perce escape, battle and surrender. Mrs. Rice, Montana’s superintendent of schools represented the Governor. There was a reenactment of the surrender ceremony. The Indians in the ceremony playing the Nez Perce were Russell Plainfeather, Merle Grey and a few others from Lodge Pole. They were contracted by the people from Chinook to be involved in the ceremony. They were dressed in typical plains outfits and had their faces painted. Kathleen said that Jenny Grey and Dora Helgeson made the outfits for the boys. There were whites from Chinook who played the generals, Howard and Miles, and a few other soldiers. The man who played Chief Joseph in the movie, Ned Romero, “I Will Fight No More Forever,” was also there. He’s half Blackfeet.

It was covered by reporters from the Great Falls Tribune, KRTV Great Falls and KOJM radio from Havre.

8-15-77 Gordon and Edith’s

I asked Edith if she heard anything about the Chief Joseph ceremony that took place on Friday. She said no. Gordon asked what we were talking about. Edith said, “You know, that white thing they put on in Chinook.”