Chief Joseph, whose Nez Perce name was Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, was a leader of the Wallowa band of the Nez Perce. He became internationally known during the Nez Perce War of 1877 and the long retreat toward Canada.
After surrendering, Joseph spent years petitioning for his people to return to their homeland in the Pacific Northwest. His speeches and public image made him a symbol of Indigenous resistance, forced removal and the broken promises of United States policy.
In William T. Vollmann’s The Dying Grass, When the crisis becomes war, families and fighters led by figures including Chief Joseph and Looking Glass begin a long retreat from northeast Oregon through Idaho, Yellowstone and Montana, hoping eventually to reach safety across the Canadian border.