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xi W hen the door opened for the telling of Southern Paiute history, it brought forth not only oral history, but the compelling truth of the tragic past, of what happened then and continues today. In the past, when asked the question “Who are you?” I didn’t always know how or where to begin. Today, I can tell you—not only based on my personal journey through this life, but also through these stories from my tribal elders, who tell it like it is. The telling is all based on life experiences of each individual. There are similarities, yes, but each has their own story to tell. That the Southern Paiute have a voice in the telling of their history is not only important, it sets in motion finally bringing facts together to bridge the gap of misunderstanding , mistrust, and general lack of acceptance of who we are. The ongoing lies held against us for one hundred and fifty years about the butchery at Mountain Meadows well represent this gap. Our Paiuteness shouldn’t create anxiety in White people, but it still does. Why? Is it guilt from past injustices, or is it because we seem so tarnished? The deep rootedness of our lifeways requires more than casual observance to really comprehend. One must exert effort to have a good understanding of culture, of different ways. These stories will help. Telling our own histories also communicates why we have continuously made our home here on the Colorado Plateau, in the Great Basin, and on the Mojave Desert—in the most beautiful, scenic, and sacred of lands. Our elders who have contributed to this book have also helped to bridge our lives from ancient times into the twenty-first century. To begin with, the Southern Paiute were placed, as were most tribal groups, communities , and nations, on this land as representatives of the Creator’s people, and we were instructed to protect the land and other living creatures within it. We know ourselves to be the Nungwuh, the People. From time immemorial, these lands and my people have been inseparable. To belong is to have a fulfilled life. To know you belong is to continuously speak to this reality of belonging, to be thankful for the Creator’s blessings, and to honor and respect all that is within your household, community, and tribe. Life for my people, as history has recorded, became more full of hardships as our lands were taken away from us and we were displaced. With losses of our hunting, fishing, and gathering sites, we became destitute. What could our tribal people do when we had rifles To live is to experience pain. The life you’ve been given isn’t always going to be smooth or easy. To die and become absent from this life is to become numb and pain free. I hope that you will continue to walk the spiritual path despite the pain and sorrow. —lucille jake Foreword xii aimed at us when all we wanted to do was to help ourselves to the water we had used forever ? Who had the advantage of bullying the other around, the one wielding a rifle or the one with the bow and arrow? Southern Paiutes were left with no choices. There really was no place for us to turn. We were removed from our home lands, herded and moved around like cattle to desolate areas where very little water could be found. A lot of us perished. How many times did this happen? Too many times! Think of fertile land; think of water; think of lakes, canyons, and rivers; imagine the beauty and bounty of our lands. Then try to rationalize why we continue to be on the losing end. Our tradition is that we seek our own spiritual condition before we pass judgment on another person, place, or thing. We are told that when we judge others, we are, in essence, judging the Lifegiver’s creation. Persons who are unfamiliar with the natural laws of our people and the land are far removed from becoming culturally aware and understanding what matters the most to us. We will probably continue to be beset with comments like, “Oh, you people are so into the natural world.” Returning to the past hasn’t been easy. Some tribal members were reluctant to bring up the past because it brought with it pain and sorrow. Elders were visited, interviewed, and photographed. Their stories have since helped guide younger tribal...

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