The Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin are Native Americans of the northern

Great Basin The Great Basin () is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds, those with no outlets to the ocean, in North America. It spans nearly all of Nevada, much of Utah, and portions of California, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Baja Californi ...

, Snake River Plain, and upper

Colorado River The Colorado River () is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The river, the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), 5th longest in the United St ...

basin. The "Great Basin" is a cultural

classification of indigenous peoples of the Americas Historically, classification of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas is based upon cultural regions, geography, and linguistics. Anthropologists have named various cultural regions, with fluid boundaries, that are generally agreed upon with so ...

and a

cultural region In anthropology and geography, a cultural area, cultural region, cultural sphere, or culture area refers to a geography with one relatively homogeneous human activity or complex of activities (culture). Such activities are often associa ...

located between the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...

and the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada ( ) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...

, in what is now

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...

, and parts of

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...

, and

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

. The Great Basin region at the time of European contact was ~. There is very little precipitation in the Great Basin area which affects the lifestyles and cultures of the inhabitants.

Great Basin peoples

* Fremont culture (400 CE–1300 CE), Utah * Kawaiisu, southern inland California *

Timbisha The Timbisha ("rock paint", Timbisha language: Nümü Tümpisattsi) are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe federally recognized tribes, federally recognized as the Death Valley Timbisha Shoshone Band of California. The ...

or Panamint or Koso, southeastern California * Washo, Nevada and California ** Palagewan ** Pahkanapil

Northern Paiute

* Northern Paiute, eastern California, Nevada, Oregon, southwestern Idaho **Kucadikadi, Mono Lake Paiute, California * Bannock, IdahoD'Azevedo ix

Mono

* Mono, southeastern California **Eastern Mono (Owens Valley Paiute), southeastern California **Western Mono, southeastern California

Southern Paiute

* Southern Paiute, Arizona, Nevada, Utah ** Chemehuevi, southeastern California ** Kaibab, northwestern Arizona ** Kaiparowits, southwestern Utah ** Moapa, southern Nevada ** Panaca ** Panguitch, Utah ** Paranigets, southern Nevada ** Shivwits, southwestern Utah

Shoshone

* Eastern Shoshone people: :* Guchundeka', Kuccuntikka, Buffalo EatersLoether, Christopher
"Shoshones."
''Encyclopedia of the Great Plains.'' Retrieved 20 Oct 2013.Shimkin 335 :* Tukkutikka, Tukudeka, Mountain Sheep Eaters, joined the Northern Shoshone :*

Boho'inee' Eastern Shoshone are Shoshone who primarily live in Wyoming and in the northeast corner of the Great Basin where Utah, Idaho and Wyoming meet and are in the Indigenous people of the Great Basin , Great Basin classification of Indigenous People ...

, Pohoini, Pohogwe, Sage Grass people, Sagebrush Butte People * Northern Shoshone people: :* Agaideka, Salmon Eaters, Lemhi, Snake River and Lemhi River ValleyMurphy and Murphy 306 :* Doyahinee', Mountain people :* Kammedeka, Kammitikka, Jack Rabbit Eaters, Snake River, Great Salt Lake :* Hukundüka, Porcupine Grass Seed Eaters, Wild Wheat Eaters, possibly synonymous with Kammitikka :* Tukudeka, Dukundeka', Sheep Eaters ( Mountain Sheep Eaters), Sawtooth Range, Idaho :* Yahandeka, Yakandika, Groundhog Eaters, lower Boise, Payette, and Weiser RiversMurphy and Murphy 287 * Western Shoshone people: :* Kusiutta, Goshute ( Gosiute), Great Salt Desert and Great Salt Lake, Utah ::* Cedar Valley Goshute ::* Deep Creek Goshute ::* Rush Valley Goshute ::* Skull Valley Goshute, Wipayutta, Weber Ute ::* Tooele Valley Goshute ::* Trout Creek Goshute :* Kuyatikka, Kuyudikka, Bitterroot Eaters, Halleck, Mary's River, Clover Valley, Smith Creek Valley, Nevada :* Mahaguadüka,

Mentzelia Seed Eaters Western Shoshone comprise several Shoshone tribes that are Native Americans in the United States, indigenous to the Great Basin and have lands identified in the Treaty of Ruby Valley 1863. They resided in Idaho, Nevada, California, and Utah. The ...

Ruby Valley Ruby Valley is a large basin located in south-central Elko County, Nevada, Elko and northern White Pine County, Nevada, White Pine counties in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. From Secret Pass it runs ...

, Nevada :* Painkwitikka, Penkwitikka, Fish Eaters, Cache Valley, Idaho and Utah :* Pasiatikka, Redtop Grass Eaters, Deep Creek Gosiute, Deep Creek Valley, Antelope Valley :* Tipatikka, Pinenut Eaters, northernmost band :* Tsaiduka, Tule Eaters, Railroad Valley, Nevada :* Tsogwiyuyugi, Elko, Nevada :* Waitikka, Ricegrass Eaters, Ione Valley, Nevada :* Watatikka, Ryegrass Seed Eaters,

, Nevada :* Wiyimpihtikka, Buffalo Berry EatersThomas, Pendleton, and Cappannari 280–283

Ute

* Northern Ute ** San Pitch, central Utah ** Seuvarits, Moah Utah area ** Timpanogos, north central Utah ** Uncompahgre (Tabeguache), central and northern Colorado ** Uintah ** White River Utes, Colorado and eastern Utah *** Parianuche, along Colorado River valley in central and western Colorado **** Sabuagana, along Colorado River valley in central and western Colorado *** Yampa * Southern Ute ** Capote, southeastern Colorado and New Mexico ** Muache, south and central Colorado *

Ute Mountain Ute Mountain, also known as Ute Peak or Sleeping Ute Mountain (; Ute: ''Wisuv Káruv'', Navajo: ''Dził Naajiní''), is a peak within the Ute Mountains, a small mountain range in the southwestern corner of Colorado. It is on the northern edge o ...

** Weeminuche, western Colorado, eastern Utah, northwestern New Mexico * Absorbed by the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah ** Moanunts, Salina, Utah ** Pahvant, western Utah

History

The oldest known

petroglyph A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...

s in North America are in the Great Basin. Near the banks of Winnemucca Lake in Nevada, this rock art dates between 10,500 and 14,800 years ago. Archaeologists called the local period 9,000 BCE to 400 CE the Great Basin Desert Archaic Period. This was followed by the time of the Fremont culture, who were

hunter-gatherer A hunter-gatherer or forager is a human living in a community, or according to an ancestrally derived Lifestyle, lifestyle, in which most or all food is obtained by foraging, that is, by gathering food from local naturally occurring sources, esp ...

s and agriculturalists. Numic language-speakers, ancestors of today's Western Shoshone and both

Northern Paiute people Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, ...

and Southern Paiute people entered the region around the 14th century CE."History Timeline of Great Basin National Heritage Area."
''Great Basin National Heritage Area.'' Retrieved 24 June 2013. The first Europeans to document their encounters with Native groups in the Great Basin was Juan María Antonio de Rivera's expedition in 1765. Rivera led two expeditions from Santa Fe that year, the first departing sometime in June. Rivera's party camped with Paiutes on the Dolores River in July, and returned to Santa Fe for supplies. His second expedition departed Santa Fe in late September and went considerably farther, crossing the Colorado just south of present-day

Moab, Utah Moab () is the largest city in and the county seat of Grand County in eastern Utah in the western United States, known for its dramatic scenery. The population was 5,366 at the 2020 census. Moab attracts many tourists annually, mostly visitor ...

. Rivera's diaries greatly influenced the Domínguez–Escalante expedition, which set off 11 years later in 1776 and passed far from present day

Delta, Utah Delta is the largest city in Millard County, Utah, Millard County, Utah, United States. It is located in the northeastern area of Millard County along the Sevier River and is surrounded by farmland. The population was 3,622 at the 2020 United St ...

. Great Basin settlement was relatively free of non-Native settlers until the first

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

settlers arrived in 1847. Within ten years, the first

Indian reservation An American Indian reservation is an area of land land tenure, held and governed by a List of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States#Description, U.S. federal government-recognized Native American tribal nation, whose gov ...

was established, in order to assimilate the native population. The Goshute Reservation was created in 1863. The attempted acculturation process included sending children to Indian schools and limiting the landbases and resources of the reservations. Because their contact with European-Americans and African-Americans occurred comparatively late, Great Basin tribes maintain their religion and culture and were leading proponents of 19th century cultural and religious renewals. Two Paiute

prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...

s, Wodziwob and Wovoka, introduced the Ghost Dance in a ceremony to commune with departed loved ones and bring renewal of buffalo herds and precontact lifeways. The

Ute Ute or UTE may refer to: * Ute people, a Native American people of the Great Basin * Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Utah * Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah * Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern ...

Bear Dance emerged on the Great Basin. The

Sun Dance The Sun Dance is a ceremony practiced by some Native Americans in the United States and Indigenous peoples in Canada, primarily those of the Plains Indians, Plains cultures, as well as a new movement within Native American religions. Members of ...

and

Peyote The peyote (; ''Lophophora williamsii'' ) is a small, spineless cactus which contains psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline. is a Spanish word derived from the Nahuatl (), meaning "caterpillar cocoon", from a root , "to glisten". p. ...

religion Religion is a range of social system, social-cultural systems, including designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics in religion, ethics, or ...

flourished in the Great Basin, as well. In 1930, the Ely Shoshone Reservation was established, followed by the Duckwater Indian Reservation in 1940. Conditions for the Native American population of the Great Basin were erratic throughout the 20th century. Economic improvement emerged as a result of President

Franklin Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

's Indian New Deal in the 1930s, while activism and legal victories in the 1970s have improved conditions significantly. Nevertheless, the communities continue to struggle against chronic poverty and all of the resulting problems:

unemployment Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is the proportion of people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work du ...

;

substance abuse Substance misuse, also known as drug misuse or, in older vernacular, substance abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder, differing definition ...

; and high suicide rates. Today

self-determination Self-determination refers to a people's right to form its own political entity, and internal self-determination is the right to representative government with full suffrage. Self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international la ...

, beginning with the 1975 passage of the Indian Self-determination and Education Assistance Act, has enabled Great Basin tribes to develop economic opportunities for their members.

Cultures

Different ethnic groups of Great Basin tribes share certain common cultural elements that distinguish them from surrounding groups. All but the Washoe traditionally speak

Numic languages Numic is the northernmost branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family. It includes seven languages spoken by Native American peoples traditionally living in the Great Basin, Colorado River basin, Snake River basin, and southern Great Plains. ...

, and tribal groups, who historically lived peacefully and often shared common territories, have intermingled considerably. Prior to the 20th century, Great Basin peoples were predominantly hunters and gatherers. "Desert Archaic" or more simply "The Desert Culture" refers to the culture of the Great Basin tribes. This culture is characterized by the need for mobility to take advantage of seasonally available food supplies. The use of

pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other raw materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. The place where such wares are made by a ''potter'' is al ...

was rare due to its weight, but intricate

basket A basket is a container that is traditionally constructed from stiff Fiber, fibers, and can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, Stolon, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials ...

s were woven for containing water, cooking food, winnowing grass seeds and storage—including the storage of pine nuts, a Paiute-Shoshone staple. Heavy items such as

metate A metate (or mealing stone) is a type or variety of quern, a ground stone tool used for processing grain and seeds. In traditional Mesoamerican cultures, metates are typically used by women who would grind nixtamalized maize and other organi ...

s would be cached rather than carried from foraging area to foraging area.

Agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

was not practiced within the Great Basin itself, although it was practiced in adjacent areas (modern agriculture in the Great Basin requires either large mountain

reservoirs A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of water, interrup ...

or deep artesian wells). Likewise, the Great Basin tribes had no permanent settlements, although winter villages might be revisited winter after winter by the same group of families. In the summer, the largest group was usually the

nuclear family A nuclear family (also known as an elementary family, atomic family, or conjugal family) is a term for a family group consisting of parents and their children (one or more), typically living in one home residence. It is in contrast to a single ...

due to the low density of food supplies. In the early historical period the Great Basin tribes were actively expanding to the north and east, where they developed a

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...

-riding

bison A bison (: bison) is a large bovine in the genus ''Bison'' (from Greek, meaning 'wild ox') within the tribe Bovini. Two extant taxon, extant and numerous extinction, extinct species are recognised. Of the two surviving species, the American ...

-hunting culture. These people, including the Bannock and Eastern

Shoshone The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ), also known by the endonym Newe, are an Native Americans in the United States, Indigenous people of the United States with four large cultural/linguistic divisions: * Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming * Northern Shoshon ...

share traits with

Plains Indians Plains Indians or Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies are the Native American tribes and First Nations peoples who have historically lived on the Interior Plains (the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies) of North ...

. Today, the Great Basin Native Artists, which was cofounded by Melissa Melero-Moose represents Indigenous visual artists from the region and curates groups exhibitions.

Notes

External links

Great Basin Native Artists
a collective of indigenous artists from the Great Basin

in ''Infinity of Nations,'' National Museum of the American Indian {{DEFAULTSORT:Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin

Indigenous peoples of California Native American tribes in Idaho Native American tribes in Nevada Native American tribes in Oregon Native American tribes in Utah Native American tribes in Wyoming Great Basin Western United States

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