Yellow Wolf (warrior)
Yellow Wolf, also known as Him-mim-mox-mox, was a prominent warrior of the Nez Perce tribe born in the Wallowa Valley, Oregon. He was closely related to Chief Joseph the Younger through his mother, Yikjik Wasumwah, and came from a prosperous family. His warrior name, Yellow Wolf, was derived from a significant dream, reflecting his spiritual calling and connection to the power of the wolf. Yellow Wolf played a crucial role during the Nez Perce War of 1877, a conflict driven by the tribe's refusal to cede their ancestral lands to the United States. Throughout the war, he demonstrated exceptional bravery, resourcefulness, and leadership, which earned him the trust of his fellow warriors. After the conflict, Yellow Wolf faced a series of displacements, including a journey to Canada and a return to the now hostile Wallowa Valley. Ultimately, he settled on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington, where he lived until his death in 1935. His life reflects the complexities and challenges faced by Indigenous peoples during this tumultuous period in American history.
Yellow Wolf (warrior)
- Born: 1856
- Birthplace: Wallowa Valley, Oregon
- Died: August 21, 1935
- Place of death: Colville Indian Reservation, Washington
Category: Warrior
Tribal affiliation: Nez Perce
Significance: Yellow Wolf was an important warrior in the Nez Perce tribe; he exhibited loyalty, courage, and skill during the Nez Perce War of 1877
Yellow Wolf was born in the ancestral Wallowa Valley, Oregon. His mother, Yikjik Wasumwah, was a first cousin of Chief Joseph the Younger, so Yellow Wolf belonged to Young Joseph’s band. Yellow Wolf’s father, Seekumses Kunnin, was apparently a prosperous tribal member with many horses and cattle. Yellow Wolf remained with his parents until well into adulthood.
Yellow Wolf was not his chosen name, and he always considered it to be a nickname. He was named after the spirit which gave him a promise of its power as a warrior: Heinmot Hikkih (White Thunder). He received the name Yellow Wolf from a dream in which a yellow wolflike form stood in the air in front of him and called itself Hermene Moxmox (Yellow Wolf). Yellow Wolf’s calling was as a warrior. The kopluts, or war club, he made as a boy, by direction of his spirit, gave him promise of war power because it had the same killing strength as thunder.
This prosperous and contented tribal life ended with the Nez Perce War in 1877, the result of the Wallowa Valley Nez Perce refusing to sign treaties to cede their land to the United States. The war was distinguished by the Nez Perce’s masterful march to reach the safety of Canada. The Nez Perce outfought and outmaneuvered the army but were caught within two days of their objective. Yellow Wolf proved to be a loyal, resourceful, and courageous warrior. In September, 1877, Yellow Wolf was moved from a rear guard position to advance guard in order to deal with straggling soldiers before them. This change was recognition from his fellow warriors of their confidence in Yellow Wolf’s ability to take care of the enemy singlehandedly.
Yellow Wolf did not attend or participate in the peace negotiations because, according to tribal practice, he had not been a warrior long enough. Yellow Wolf refused to surrender. He and some other warriors escaped and made their way to Sitting Bull and his Sioux camp in Canada in October, 1877. Yellow Wolf and other warriors left in June, 1878, to return to Wallowa Valley under the erroneous assumption that the area was now safe. While riding through land that brought back memories of happier times, Yellow Wolf realized that he had no place to go where he was not encircled by his enemies. He returned to the Nez Perce Agency in August, 1878. He was sent to Oklahoma, but the ravages of disease and weather led Yellow Wolf to be resettled at the Colville Indian Reservation in northeast Washington. The reservation provided ample subsistence and Yellow Wolf remained there until his death in 1935.