Toohoolhoolzote (born c. 1820s, died 1877) was a
Nez Perce
The Nez Percé (; autonym in Nez Perce language: , meaning "we, the people") are an Indigenous people of the Plateau who are presumed to have lived on the Columbia River Plateau in the Pacific Northwest region for at least 11,500 years.Ames, K ...
leader who fought in the
Nez Perce War
The Nez Perce War was an armed conflict in 1877 in the Western United States that pitted several bands of the Nez Perce tribe of Native Americans and their allies, a small band of the ''Palouse'' tribe led by Red Echo (''Hahtalekin'') and ...
, after first advocating peace, and died at the
Battle of Bear Paw
The Battle of Bear Paw (also sometimes called Battle of the Bears Paw or Battle of the Bears Paw Mountains) was the final engagement of the Nez Perce War of 1877. Following a running fight from north central Idaho Territory over the previous f ...
.
Representative leader
At a winter meeting in 1876, Toohoolhoolzote had been appointed the head speaker for the Nez Perce bands of
Joseph
Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...
,
Looking Glass,
White Bird and his own for the coming meeting with
U.S. Army General Oliver O. Howard.
The leaders allowed him to speak for them, and to deny or allow the military's demands.
[
]
Numbers by band
In the upcoming conflict his following of 50 people was fourth in size after Joseph's (about 300 people), White Bird (about 250 people), and Looking Glass (about 70 people). These Nez Perce bands totaled about 660 men, women and children. Of those fewer than 200 were men. About half that number were considered in prime warrior age. As the conflict progressed, more bands would join, with a maximum fighting strength of 250 or less. This includes about 25 Palus
Palus may refer to:
* Palus, Maharashtra, a place in India
* 24194 Paľuš, a main belt asteroid, named for Pavel Paľuš (born 1936), Slovak astronomer
* Palus tribe, or Palouse people
* ''Palus'', a grade of gladiator
See also
* Palu (dis ...
men under the chief Hahtalekin (also known as ''Taktsoukt Jlppilp'' - "Echo" or "Red Echo") and Husishusis Kute (''Husis Husis Kute'', ''Hush-hush-cute'' - "Bald Head", "Naked Head").
Native Americans' concerns
One of the major concerns of the leaders was that they have sufficient time to prepare to leave and to move their livestock.[ They wanted to wait until autumn as a minimum, or ideally, a year.][ Toohoolhoolzote also expressed the natives' reluctance to sell their land, which went against their religious beliefs.][
]
Conflict
The military, on the other hand, demanded that they be moved in 30 days, or the soldiers would use force. General Oliver O. Howard put this to them strongly, after Toohoolhoolzote began to speak on the sacredness of the Earth to his people:
Toohoolhoolzote stood up to General Howard, and told him he would not obey. Yellow Wolf reported the final words:
This arrest was one of the events which ultimately led to the war.[
]
Simiakia
Toohoolhoolzote's use of the Nez Perce word ''simiakia'' is not clearly defined anywhere online. The following quotations illustrate some of its meaning. The quotes are from contemporary times, long after Toohoolhoolzote uttered the word.
Faith
As a follower of the Dreamer Faith, he tried to be a pacifist
Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...
.[ The Dreamer religion called for throwing off white culture peacefully, by rejecting it and not participating in it.] Yellow Wolf said of him:
Although he advocated for peace, when pushed he became a strong fighter, labeled "fighter from hell" by writers of the era.[
]
Name
According to the Nez Perce dictionary, ''Toohoolhoolzote'' was a transliteration of ''tukulkulcúᐧt'', which meant antelope
The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia.
Antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammals ...
.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Page with a picture of Toohoolhoolzote, drawn by General Howard's son, who was there
1820s births
1877 deaths
Native American leaders
Native American people of the Indian Wars
Nez Perce people
Nez Perce War