We have entered a new and exciting relationship with our Indigenous neighbor, the Niimíipuu, also called the Nez Perce, who are the ancestorial Peoples of the land on which our church is built. Formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), it seeks to improve communications and collaboration between our two communities.  Begun in February of 2025, a draft of the MOU was reviewed and modified by various key UUCP and Nez Perce committees and governing bodies. A final MOU was reviewed, approved and signed by the UUCP Board and its minister on May 28, 2025, and by the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee  (NPTEC) on June 24, 2025. Besides providing a more appropriate and accurate “territorial acknowledgement” read at the beginning of each church service, the resulting collaborative relationship is predicated on a framework of Indigenous conceptualizations, including inherent tribal sovereignty, a structure of inclusive and expansive kinship, and a dynamic of an ethic of sharing, that will put action behind these words.

NPTEC Resolution (PDF)

MOU text (PDF)

Informational and Q&A sessions on the MOU will be held in the church sanctuary immediately following the church services on September 7^th and again on September 14^th.

To get to better know the Niimíipuu, an extended class on their history and culture, from a Niimíipuu perspective, will be offered later this year at the church.  It will extensively include Niimíipuu voices, guest speakers, and field trips to critical sites on the reservation, the curriculum approved by the Nez Perce Tribe.  It will review the unique history and culture of the Niimíipuu, as well as consider fundamental cultural attributes we all share-in-common.  The class is free and open to all.

For more information, please send email to: moucommittee@palouseuu.org