This carved emu egg features Yellow Bull, a Nez Percé shaman warrior and friend of the Nez Percé Chief known as Chief Joseph.  Another version of this egg, with two wolf portraits on it as well, is on our home page.  For more information about it, click here.   Yellow Bull is referred to as a second chief, or sub chief in what few references we have been able to find.  We do not have any info on his birth date or date of death, if anyone has this info or any other info and would like to share, we would appreciate it.   

When the Nez Percé surrendered in 1877 (for more info see Chief Joseph's page) not only was the promise to return them to their homeland broken, but the tribe was divided and sent to different reservations.  Yellow Bull, who did not speak English, traveled with Chief Joseph to Washington, D. C. many times over an eight year period lobbying for the return of their people to Idaho.  During this time many of the Nez Percé died.  In 1885 118 were returned to Idaho, the remaining 150 were sent to Washington State to the Colville Reservation.  Yellow Bull went to Idaho, Chief Joseph went to Washington.  

We know little else about Yellow Bull except that in 1892 when the Indian Commissioners started dividing the reservation up into allotments Yellow Bull and some family members decided to accept the land allotments.  Much to the concern of the agent, Yellow Bull chose land which the agent did not feel had any value.  Knowing Yellow Bull's history and having admiration for him, the agent spent a great deal of time showing him other pieces of land, all to no avail.  After being told that the land he chose was "a miserable place" and that he could never farm even a foot of it, Yellow Bull said, "I want that spring. When I was a little boy I used to go there with my father. When I was a young man I always went out of my way to take a drink from that spring, and that was where I went whenever I was hunting. And all the years I was in the Indian Territory I was hearing the water of that spring; and I want that spring."  Yellow Bull got the spring, but the agent arranged for his son and relatives to have some good land near his, in the hopes that he would prosper.

Each of these carved eggs comes with a hand turned wood egg stand and can become a personalized gift with an inscription on the back.

Because of the variations of color and texture inherent in the emu egg itself, each carved egg will be unique and make a distinctive addition to any decor or collection.  If you are looking for a "different" housewarming gift, birthday present or other special occasion gift for an Native American history buff, either of these carved eggs will delight them.