Toohoolhoolzote
| Toohoolhoolzote | |
|---|---|
| Toohoolhoozote (Sound made when striking any vibrant timber or metal with a hard substance) | |
| Nez Perce Pikunan band leader | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1820s |
| Died | September 30, 1877 Bear Paw Mountains, Montana |
| Cause of death | died in Battle of Bear Paw |
| Known for | Nez Perce War |
| Religion | Dreamer Faith |
Toohoolhoolzote (born c. 1820s, died 1877) was a Nez Perce leader who fought in the Nez Perce War, after first advocating peace, and died at the Battle of Bear Paw.
At a winter meeting in 1876, Toohoolhoolzote had been appointed the head speaker for the Nez Perce bands of Joseph, 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.
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 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").
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.
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:
"I do not want to hear you say anything more like that. I am telling you! Thirty days you have to get on the reservation."
"You ask me to talk, then tell me to say no more, Toohoolhoolzote replied. "I am chief! I ask no man to come and tell me anything what I must do. I am chief here!"
General Howard answered sharp. "Yes, you are chief. I am telling you! Thirty days you have to move in... I am the man to tell you what you must do! You will come on the reservation within time I tell you. If not, soldiers will put you there or shoot you down!"
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Wikipedia