Nez Perce Prayer


       During the early 1800's, the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions set up christian missions among the Nez Perce. Many Nez Perce responded to the missioners and converted to Christianity. In the 1850's this caused some inter-tribal conflict between the Christian members and the nativists. (Ruby:146) Some examples of this missionary period remain in Hymnals and Catechism books published in the Nez Perce language.


Nunim Píst ("Our Father")

       "Nunim Píst, kem Im ués éisnuespe taz He imené uaníkt pazúkuanaitág uag pahátauitág taz He imím moígatúit páinag: taz He imené nekt patuígnaitág kínne uétesps kamkús éisnuespe ituígneiténig. Táksáin hipt neézenim: nuna kapsísuit nas-uáun´nim kagkús nun auáunisig kekimém ines-kapsisuiútenig, ka uétmet néz-nikúkum kapsisuítg, metu kapsisuítkínig néz-nakéttim. Amen"*
("Prayers, Catechism, Hymns in the Nunipu language" St. Joseph Missions. September, 1909)

*this prayer has been quoted in its original form, and thus does not strictly conform with the currently accepted written format of the Nez Perce language.



This page was last updated on Friday, February 7, 1997 8:46:16 PM


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