One thing I might mention is the importance of names in Nez Perce culture because that was something that guided a person through their life and how to live and the things they were going to live and learn about. My name is Tipyeléhne Cimuux Cimux That vaguely translates into Black Eagle. Cimuux cimux is the color black but it comes from the word símux which is charcoal that comes from a fire. Tipyeléhne is an eagle that comes from the stories that our people tell, what is commonly referred to as myths or legends. We simply just call them stories. This character would go around in the different stories and would offer advice or wisdom to help people solve a certain predicament that they were in or overcome a certain challenge that they were encountering. Children often times were named in a ceremony where they would have to, I remember the ceremony I was in when I received my name Tipyeléhne Cimuux Cimux. My grandmother was facilitating it and she put out a large blanket on the floor during a powwow. I was just a little boy and she started to pile blankets over me. I was standing there and it was the middle of August. It was right during the powwow at Kamiah and they had it in the weey ‘ees gymnasium. I remember that it was so hot to be standing there in the regalia that was worn by the Black Eagle that came before me. I was standing there and it was wool leggings and a wool shirt and then there were blankets, shawls and different things that were put over me. I was sitting there just sweating like crazy. I remember constantly having to wipe the sweat from my forehead. Each time a person would come up they would whisper that name in my ear and then they would take something off from me. So by hearing my name my burden became lighter. It was a symbolism that said this name is going to carry you through the tough times in your life or else it is going to guide you to help you make your life easier, make you family’s life easier, and make your people’s life easier because often a times a person would follow that name and learn things about the world that would come back to the people and help them to survive. For example, if somebody had a fish name they were really good at fishing and they knew how to easily go to the streams and harvest fish and bring it back to the people to use. That often times went for names that had to do with game animals like elk and the animals from the air like birds. There are all kinds of different names for our people that we use. This is one necklace that my grandmother gave me when I received my name. I wore this during the ceremony.