Native American Heritage Month

 

Three Tribes, One Nation

The people that lived in the Great Basin before Europeans moved in were the Numa or Numu (Northern Paiute), the Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute), the Washeshu (Washoe), and the Newe (Shoshone).

In each language, the names mean "The People" and they were referred to based on where they lived or what they ate.

Agai Ticutta referred to trout eaters along the Walker River.

Toi Ticutta referred to tule eaters near the Stillwater Marshes.

In 1940, remains were found near Grimes Point in Fallon.  In 1994, scientists were able to carbon date and determine "Spirit Cave Man" had lived over 9,400 years ago.

Petroglyphs at Grimes Point

Around 1830, the Spanish Trail trade route opened in Southern Nevada.  While there was curiosity, the Natives found it difficult to adapt to the disruption, and the Spaniards did not understand their lifestyle.  They thought they wandered aimlessly when in reality they simply followed seasonal and migratory patterns, enjoying the abundant resources where the settlers only saw an arid desert.

More settlers arrived with the discovery of gold in 1848.  A Treaty with the Western Shoshoni* was ratified in 1866, an agreement of "Peace and Friendship."  But by this time, there were so many new settlers that the Natives struggled to find food.

Shortly after Nevada became a state in 1864, the Moapa River Paiute and Walker River Paiute reservations were established by executive order.  The Pyramid Lake Reservation was ordered in 1874 with the legal year of establishment being 1859.

The Allotment and Assimilation plans had an ultimate goal of pushing the Natives into white society, but it became evident that the Native social system would not work with the conditions forced onto them.  In 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act encouraged tribes to form their own governments.

This allowed tribal members who had moved into town to establish a formal council.  Their constitution was approved December 16, 1935. 

First Chairman of the Council, Harry Sampson.

President Eisenhower (1953-1961) wanted to completely eliminate federal benefits to the tribes.  During the "Termination Era" more than 109 tribal governments were ended, but none in Nevada were effected.  In 1970, President Nixon initiated Tribal Self-Determination, which still allows the tribes to be independent from federal oversight without being cut off from federal support.

Today, RSIC has 15,292 acres with 1,157 members.  

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