Memory of Joseph Whitebird

by Cass Michaeli

I had a very hard crush on Mr. Whitebird, in the short time that I knew him. I was a typical teenage girl with no real boyfriend. I daydreamed about almost every good looking guy around, no matter of the age or race. Joseph was a very special person to me, though we never knew each other very well.

Joseph was a very new 'born again Christian'. He lived in Lapwaii with his mother and two sisters. They were all Christians and attended church and camp meetings a lot. Joseph traveled with a Nez Perce evangelist named Raymond Black Eagle when he got saved. He was a standing testimony of what the drug world was like. Joseph had testified many times of how low he got when he was on drugs. He talked about the things that he did and now was ashamed of. He was so grateful for the blood of Jesus to wash away his sins.

I remember watching him get up and speak the several times that he came to visit our tribal church or at Indian camp meeting. He seem to be a very quiet and gentle sort of person. When he stood up to speak, whether from the congregation or at the pulpit, he always closed his eyes and looked toward heaven. I don't know if it was that he was afraid to look at the people or he was trying to show reverence to God.

It has been said that the Nez Perce people have the most fierce looking facial expressions of the Native American tribes. Today, it is still very common for all Nez Perce people to have very long hair. There are a few that follow the ways of the white man in fashion. Joseph was about twenty two years old when I knew him. He was around six foot tall with short black hair. His face was kind and gentle for a Nez Perce man. When he shook my hand it was a very soft touch. I remember thinking that 'some how, we have to show you how to shake hands like the Pentecost'. I was always praying for him to stay close to God. I knew that he had a hard road to go. The area that he lived in was covered heavily with drugs, alcohol and violent people.

I was very inspired by his testimony or that he was able to get up and testify at all. A lot of new Christians wouldn't have. There was one testimony that I'll specifically remember about Joseph Whitebird. "Me and Raymond were going to Canada for revival," Joseph stated with his eyes closed and face turned toward the ceiling. "Raymond's car was broke down and we only had enough money for gas to get to Canada," Joseph said in his tribal accent. "My tires were bald and the roads were icy with the snow. The only thing we could do was pray. We prayed that God would keep us safe and get us there to witness for him. We let Jesus get us home". Joseph raised his hands to the ceiling, "Thank you Jesus for watching over us and gettin' Raymond and me home," he praised.

From the moment that Joseph was born again, he lived his life on fire for God. Sadly, Joseph's life came to a very tragic end. Joseph's brother was heavily on drugs and Joseph had tried to help his brother to salvation. The brother ended up slashing Joseph's throat and he died. It was one of the saddest moments of my life. We, the people that knew him, had lost a radiant beam of light. Even today, he is terribly missed.

 This is a true story but the names of all parties have been changed out of the respect for living family members.  Raymond died in his 40's of cancer and Joseph  was murdered in his early 20's.  Both men died with in a couple of years of each other, Joseph being first.

Graphics copyright of C J Tempest