Religious Interactions at Nespelem

This exhibit focuses on the religious interactions between the Jesuit missionaries and native people living in Nespelem. Nespelem is located on the Colville Indian Reservation in Northeastern Washington state. This part of the reservation was home to about 500 natives who had all for the most part been baptized by previous Catholic missionaires. When Jesuit missionary Father Edward Griva arrived at Nespelem in 1915, most of the native people were indifferent towards the Catholic religion and Fr. Griva felt destined by God to fix their "pagan" ways.