Telling the story of her people

Oct. 16—People who visit Buffalo Eddy on trips offered by Nez Perce Tourism are encouraged to spend a moment in self reflection when they look at its ancient petroglyphs carved on rock.

The Nez Perce guides invite the groups to understand the importance of connection to place, said Stacia Morfin, CEO, owner and founder of Nez Perce Tourism.

"The old people told us to never try to explain what the petroglyphs depict; instead allow for individuals to seek their own personal understanding of the messages that are meant specifically for them," she said.

The approach is part of an effort to encourage those who see Buffalo Eddy to help the Nez Perce to preserve the respected area.

The Nez Perce, who go by nimiipuu, call Buffalo Eddy ʔilaʔqatp'áatpa (ill-ah-cut-pot-pah), the place where the sun touches the earth, Morfin said.

"What I have been told by my elders is that it is a sacred place, historically where people passing through our rivers would visit," she said. "Through education, we can continue to protect our ancient places."

About 15 miles south of Asotin, it was once a destination for adolescent nimiipuu who would take journeys as part of maturing into adults.

"What our young people would do when they arrived here is carve or leave messages depicting the things they encountered on their journey," Morfin said.

Operating Nez Perce Tourism has involved making hundreds of important decisions about how to present Buffalo Eddy and other sites, which are steeped in tribal history.

"When you look at the connection to the land and the knowledge that is in our DNA as nimiipuu, it goes back (further) than the human memory can even remember," she said.

Her business provides excursions such as jet boat tours, Appaloosa horse riding sessions and rafting, all with interpreters and guides who are nimiipuu or tribal descendants.

One of its most popular offerings is called "An Evening with the Nez Perce" that features songs, dances and drumming with tribal members. Its customers are from the region, the rest of the United States and other countries.

It has a nonprofit arm that organizes experiences strictly for Nez Perce tribal members that encourage them to learn about, protect and preserve their sacred places, traditions and culture.

Behind the scenes, Morfin's ventures have contracts with government agencies such as the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest, Nez Perce National Historical Trail and Nez Perce Tribe that help them provide accurate interpretive signs and other educational materials about areas significant to tribal members.

"We have our own language," she said. "We have our own spirituality. We have our own legends. We have our own historical sites and villages."

She opened Nez Perce Tourism following two years of research that involved an assessment within the Nez Perce tribal community.

She asked them questions. One was, "What are the sacred and secret areas of information ... we would like to keep within our own people?"

Another was, "What is the commonly known and widely shared information in history of the Nez Perce that we would like to share through education?"

Traditions Gift Shop at Newberry Square in downtown Lewiston, where most items are made by local and tribal artisans, grew from demand of Nez Perce Tourism customers.

"While we were doing cultural presentations, many people requested to buy our earrings, necklaces, bracelets, the items we were wearing, anything they possibly could to help memorialize the trip they just experienced," Morfin said.

The direction her career is taking now is a calling she discovered during two weeks in Hells Canyon, part of the nimiipuu homeland.

"I was really just praying and asking what is the purpose of my life?" Morfin said.

She learned very quickly she was supposed to start a company that focused on cultural preservation.

"When you're given directives, whether it's from your elders or your ancestors, it's something that you act on," she said.

Nez Perce Tourism has grown rapidly. It has seven employees as well as close to 50 contracted historians, drummers, singers, dancers and guides. This year it purchased its own jet boat for excursions.

It has a van it rents with or without a driver. If passengers opt for it, the driver will do cultural interpretation of the Nez Perce sites.

"The demand for authentic and cultural education is at an all-time high," Morfin said. "All we're going to do is continue to grow and expand. This is just the beginning."

Often van passengers and other customers of Nez Perce Tourism are surprised at how common and widespread Nez Perce sites are.

They mistakenly believe they are limited to the present-day boundaries of the Nez Perce Reservation, when in reality, they include a much larger section of Idaho as well as portions of Washington, Oregon, Montana and Wyoming.

Among them are places familiar to Lewiston-Clarkston Valley residents, such as the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers.

The nimiipuu name for the confluence and all of Lewiston is tsceminicum, or place where the waters meet.

"It is a very important historical place for our people, a very ancient village site, a place of trade, a place of love, a place of laughter for many, many years, until we were forced off it to go to the reservation," Morfin said.

Her familiarity with the diversity of cultures in the area began in her childhood.

She lived with her mother, who is nontribal, when she was growing up and attended school in Lewiston. But she spent lots of time with her father, who is Nez Perce and lived in Lapwai.

He taught her many cultural values such as the importance of the sweathouse for cleansing, singing and praying.

"I always cherish moments around the sweathouse as a child, playing in the creeks, catching trout, crawdads, snakes, being a Native kid," Morfin said.

Her upbringing left her with a gift to navigate the tribal and nontribal worlds in a respectful way.

It also gave her an ability to help both worlds understand "the relationships, similarities and connection we all have," she said. "Building bridges is something I have been called to do. There is no end in the near future."

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.