Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian Colony facts for kids
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 71 (in 1992) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( Nevada) |
|
| Languages | |
| English, Southern Paiute | |
| Religion | |
| Traditional tribal religion, previously Ghost Dance | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Southern Paiute tribes, Chemehuevi |
The Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians is a Native American tribe. They are part of the Southern Paiute group. This tribe lives in Southern Nevada. They are a federally recognized tribe, which means the United States government officially recognizes them as a sovereign nation. In their language, Southern Paiute, they are called Nuvagantucimi. This means "people of where snow sits," referring to Charleston Peak.
The Las Vegas Indian Colony
The Las Vegas Paiute Tribe has its own special land called a reservation. It is known as the Las Vegas Indian Colony. This land is in Clark County, right next to the northwest part of Las Vegas.
The reservation was first set up in 1911. Today, it is about 3,850 acres big. In 1992, 52 tribal members lived on the reservation. A total of 71 people were officially part of the tribe at that time.
A Look at Their History
The Las Vegas Paiute Tribe comes from the Tudinu people. This name means "Desert People." They are the ancestors of most Southern Paiute tribes. Their traditional lands were in the lower Colorado River valley. They also lived in the mountains and dry riverbeds of the Mojave Desert. This area includes parts of Nevada, California, and Utah.
In the early 1800s, new settlers who were not Native American moved into the area. This caused the Paiute tribe to lose their land. They were pushed out of their winter camps, which had lots of water. They also lost their summer camps in the mountains, which had many trees.
More permanent settlers arrived after 1855. This was when the area became part of the United States. In that same year, a group from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) built a fort at the Las Vegas Springs. They wanted to teach the Paiutes about their religion. The fort also served as a stop on a shipping route from Salt Lake City to the sea.
The mission did not last long. But it was the start of permanent American settlement there. Ten years later, the fort was rebuilt and renamed the Las Vegas Rancho.
More settlers came when William A. Clark bought much of the tribe's land. He built the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad through it. He also started the town of Las Vegas, Nevada near the area's main water source.
Seeing how the tribe was losing their land, Helen J. Stewart helped them. She owned the Las Vegas Rancho before the railroad came. On December 30, 1911, she gave 10 acres of land in downtown Las Vegas to the Paiutes. This land had springs for water. This is how the Las Vegas Indian Colony began. Until 1983, this was the tribe's only shared land. It was like a small "town within a town" in downtown Las Vegas.
The tribe officially approved their own rules and government on July 22, 1970. They became a federally recognized tribe under the Indian Reorganization Act. This law helps Native American tribes manage their own affairs. In 1983, the U.S. Congress gave the tribe back 3,800 acres of land. This land is between Mount Charleston and the Sheep Range. It is now called the Snow Mountain Reservation.
The Tribe Today
The Las Vegas Paiute Tribe hosts the Annual Snow Mountain Pow Wow. This special event happens every Memorial Day weekend. It is a time for celebration and cultural sharing.
The tribe's main office is in Las Vegas. A group of seven people, called the tribal council, governs the tribe.
