Northern Paiute people facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Northern Paiute

Numu/Numa
Traditional lands of the Northern Paiute
Regions with significant populations
United States ( California,  Nevada and  Oregon)
Languages
Northern Paiute language
Religion
Traditional, Christianity

The Northern Paiute people are a Native American tribe. They have traditionally lived in the Great Basin region of the United States. This area is now eastern California, western Nevada, and southeast Oregon. Their way of life before Europeans arrived was well-suited to the tough desert environment. Each group, or band, lived in a specific area. These areas were usually near a lake or wetland that provided fish and birds.

Chief Winnemucca, a famous Paiute leader.

Northern Paiutes used to be nomads. This means they moved from place to place. They followed animal migrations and found seasonal foods. They lived in small, independent groups, often just a few families. When new settlers came to western Nevada, the Northern Paiutes started to settle down. This helped them protect themselves and talk with the new settlers. Because they changed from moving around to staying in one place, women became even more important. They worked both inside and outside the home. Today, some Northern Paiute men work in seasonal jobs like on ranches or in mines. Women often work in places like laundries, bakeries, or as housekeepers.

They gathered Pinyon nuts from the mountains in the fall. These nuts were a very important food for winter. Women also gathered grass seeds and roots. The name of each band often came from a special food they ate. For example, the people at Pyramid Lake were called Cui Ui Ticutta. This means "Cui-ui eaters," or trout eaters. The people from the Lovelock area were called Koop Ticutta, meaning "ground-squirrel eaters." Those from the Carson Sink were the Toi Ticutta, meaning "tule eaters." The Kucadikadi from Mono County, California are known as "brine fly eaters."

Relations with Other Tribes and Newcomers

Sarah Winnemucca, a Paiute writer and speaker.

The Northern Paiute usually got along well with their Shoshone neighbors. It's hard to tell the difference between Northern Paiute and Western Shoshone people. However, their relationship with the Washoe people was not as peaceful. The Washoe had very different customs and language. These differences might be because Northern Paiutes moved to the Nevada/California area from southern regions. They might have also taken over lands from other tribes. For example, the Paiutes were often at war with the Klamath tribe to their south and west. The Achomawi tribe, south of the Klamath, were also enemies of the Northern Paiute. Their oldest stories tell of wars with the Northern Paiute.

Europeans started having regular contact with the Northern Paiute in the early 1840s. Some contact might have happened as early as the 1820s. The Paiute had learned to use horses from other tribes. But their culture was mostly unchanged by European ways at first. As more Europeans settled in the area, there was less land and food for everyone. This led to several fights.

Conflicts and Changes

Some of these conflicts included the Pyramid Lake War of 1860, the Owens Valley Indian War from 1861-1864, the Snake War from 1864-1868, and the Bannock War of 1878. These fights often started with a disagreement over property. Then one group would get revenge, and the other would fight back. This often led to the U.S. Army getting involved. Many more Paiute people died because of new diseases like smallpox. Europeans had some protection from these diseases, but Native Americans did not. Sarah Winnemucca wrote a book called Life Among the Piutes (1883). It tells about this time from her own experience.

The U.S. government first created the Malheur Reservation in eastern Oregon for the Northern Paiute. The government wanted to gather all Northern Paiute people there. But this plan did not work well. The reservation was far from where most bands traditionally lived. Also, the land was not good for living. Many Northern Paiute people refused to go there. Those who did, soon left. They tried to keep their traditional way of life as long as they could. When their lands were too damaged to live on, they looked for jobs on farms, ranches, or in cities. They created small Indian colonies. Many Shoshone and Washoe people joined them there.

Later, the government made bigger reservations at Pyramid Lake and Duck Valley in Nevada. By then, many small, unofficial reservations had formed near cities or farms. These often had both Northern Paiute and Shoshone people. In the early 1900s, the government started giving land to these colonies. Under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, several colonies became federally recognized as independent tribes.

Northern Paiute Stories and Beliefs

People have lived in the western United States for over 11,000 years. The Northern Paiute have many stories about how they came to be.

The Sagehen Story

One story tells that only a bird called the Sagehen survived a huge flood. The Sagehen made a fire and kept it going until it grew very big. The floodwaters dried up, and a man "happened." This man was named Nűműzóho, and he was a cannibal. The Cannibals killed almost all the Native people, but one woman escaped. This woman traveled around, meeting different characters. She found a man living in the mountains and married him. They had four children: two Paiutes (a brother and sister) and two Pit Rivers (a brother and sister). The two sets of children often fought because they were from different tribes. Their father (some say he was a Wolf) threw them into different waters. This made them go their separate ways. They continued to fight whenever they met again. This is how the Paiutes were created and settled in Nevada, California, and Oregon.

The Bottle Story

Another creation story tells of a man and a woman who heard a voice from inside a bottle. They poured out the bottle's contents, and four beings appeared: two boys and two girls. These four people were divided into good and evil. The woman was to protect and care for the two good people (Paiutes). The man was in charge of the two bad people. Both pairs left the man and woman. Each pair made a fire. The two good people made a fire with little smoke. The two bad people made a fire with thick smoke. This made them enemies, even before outsiders tried to turn them against each other. War and conflict have existed ever since.

Many versions of these stories exist, but they share similar parts. They often include Nűműzóho the Cannibal, who kills most people but not the woman. Coyote is often mentioned as "the one who fixed things." A man and woman meet and have four children. These children are paired into different tribes and often argue.

Storytelling Traditions

The way these stories were told was very creative. These epic tales were first shared long ago with large groups around a fire. The best time for storytelling in the American West was during the winter. Older tribe members would tell the stories from memory. They made them lively and funny, just as they had heard them from their elders. Storytelling was a way to share tribal ideas about animals and humans. It taught about their origins, values, spiritual beliefs, nature, culture, and daily lives.

The stories were often like poems, performed with music. They were called "song-poems." Tribe members would chant and act out the stories to the beat of a drum, with people dancing. The Northern Paiute origin story, along with other important legends, was passed down orally. Elders told them to younger tribe members, and grandparents told them to grandchildren. Many of their stories and much of their history are still passed down orally today.

Gender Roles and Daily Life

Gender roles among the Northern Paiute were not very strict. Men and women divided the work in traditional ways. Women made tools for the home, gathered fruits and seeds, cooked, cleaned, cared for children, and made clothing. Men hunted and protected their families. Men also taught their sons how to hunt and fish, passing on important survival skills. Both men and women took part in storytelling, artwork, and traditional medicine.

Changing Roles

As the Northern Paiute entered the 1900s, gender roles began to change. Men often worked in seasonal jobs. This meant they didn't have work all year. Women mainly worked in laundry and medicine, which often provided steady work. This made women a main provider for their families. Another change happened in politics. While some women spoke up in tribe meetings, Sarah Winnemucca became a public figure. She claimed to be a princess and used this attention to speak up for her people.

Medicine and Healing

Shamanism is common among many Native American tribes, including the Northern Paiute. A shaman is a medicine person called a puhagim by the Northern Paiute. They believe in a force called puha. This force gives life to the physical world. It is the power that moves elements, plants, and animals. Humans are seen as a part of this world, not better or worse, just another part. The Northern Paiute believe that "matter and places are full of meaning and connected to nature and humans." This belief made shamans very important then, and they still are today.

Sacred Places and Healing Practices

To use the powers of nature and the universe, shamans often visited sacred sites. These sites are found throughout the Great Basin and the American West. They include "mountains, caves, waterways, and special rock formations." One such site is the Parowan Gap, which is sacred to the Paiutes. Shamans performed many duties at these sacred sites. These included healing, rainmaking, and helping in conflicts. Shamans were, and still are, a key part of the Northern Paiute community.

The Northern Paiute believe that shamans can bring back the souls of those who have done wrong. They help these souls rejoin Native American society. Shamans act as a link between the sick and the healthy tribe. Because of this, Northern Paiutes do not believe that white doctors can fully heal people. They think white doctors might heal the body, but the spirit might still be lost. A shaman, however, would use power from the universe to heal a sick person, whether physically or spiritually ill. Shamans often use things like rattles, smoke, and songs to call upon the power of the universe.

Historic Northern Paiute Bands

The Northern Paiute people were made up of many different bands. Each band often had a name that came from their main food source or where they lived. Here are some of the historic Northern Paiute bands:

• Hunipuitöka or Walpapi: Known as "Hunipui-Root-Eaters" or "Mountain People." They lived along the Deschutes, Crooked, and John Day River in Central Oregon. They are part of the Burns Paiute Tribe today.
• Goyatöka or Yahuskin: Meaning "Crayfish Eaters." They lived in the Oregon High Desert near Goose, Silver, Harney, and Warner Lakes. They are part of the Klamath Tribes.
  • Dühütayohikadü: "Deer Eaters," likely a Yahuskin group near Silver and Summer lakes.
  • Paavituviwarai: "White Flint Dwellers," another Yahuskin group near Lake Abert and Summer Lake.
• Wadadökadö or Wadatika: "Wada Root and Grass-seed Eaters." They lived in the Harney Valley of Oregon. They are part of the Burns Paiute Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
• Tsösö'ödö tuviwarai or Tsitsiadi: "Those who live in the cold." They lived in the desert around Steens Mountain in Oregon. They are part of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes.
• Koa'aga'itöka: "Salmon Caught in Traps Eaters." They lived along the Snake River in Idaho. They are part of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.
• Kidütökadö or Gidu Ticutta: "Yellow-bellied marmot Eaters" or "Groundhog Eaters." Also called "Northern California Paiute." They lived around Goose Lake and Surprise Valley in California and Oregon. They are the Fort Bidwell Indian Community.
• Kamodökadö or Kamu Ticutta: "Hare-Eaters." They lived north of Pyramid Lake in the Smoke Creek area. They are part of the Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony and Campbell Ranch.
• Moadökadö or Agaipaninadökadö: "Wild onion Eaters" or "Lake-fish Eaters." They lived around Summit Lake in Nevada and Idaho. They are the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe of Nevada.
• Atsakudökwa tuviwarai: "Those who live in the Red Mesas." They lived in northwest Nevada, near the Oregon border in the Santa Rosa Range. They are part of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe.
• Sawawaktödö or Sawakudökwa tuviwarai: "Sagebrush Eaters." They lived in the Winnemucca area. They are part of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes and the Winnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada.
• Yamosöpö tuviwarai: "Those who live in Crescent Valley." They lived in Paradise Valley, Nevada. They are part of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes.
• Makuhadökadö or Pauida tuviwarai: They lived around Battle Mountain and Unionville in Nevada. They are the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony.
• Tabussi Dükadü or Taboose-ddukaka: "Pine nut Eaters." They lived in the mountain foothills of Nevada. They are part of the Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony and Campbell Ranch.
• Pogai Dükadü or Padutse-ddukaka: "[Wild] Onion Eaters" or "Grass seed Eaters." They are part of the Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony and Campbell Ranch and Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of California.
• Tasiget tuviwarai: "Those who live amidst the mountains." They lived in Winnemucca Valley. They are part of the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation.
• Kuyui Dükadü or Cui-ui Dicutta: "Cui-ui-Fish-Eaters." They lived along Pyramid Lake and the lower Truckee River. They are part of the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation.
• Küpadökadö or Koop Ticutta: "Ground squirrel Eaters." They lived along Lake Humboldt. They are the Lovelock Paiute Tribe of the Lovelock Indian Colony.
• Toi Dükadü or Toi Dicutta: "Tule Eaters" or "Cattail Eaters." They lived in the Carson Sink. They are part of the Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony.
• Aga'idökadö or Agai Ticutta: "Cutthroat trout Eaters." They live on the Walker River Indian Reservation.

Captain John, a leader of the Yosemite-Mono Lake Paiutes.

• Kudza Düka'a or Kucadikadi: "Brine fly Larvae Eaters." Also known as "Mono Lake Paiute." The name "Mono" comes from a word meaning "Fly larvae Eaters." They are part of the Big Sandy Rancheria, Cold Springs Rancheria of Mono Indians of California, Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California, Table Mountain Rancheria and Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation.
• Pakwidökadö or Pugwi Ticutta: "Chub carp Eaters." They live on the Walker River Indian Reservation.
• Ona Dükadü or Ozav Dika: "Salt-Eaters" or "Alkali Eaters." They lived in the California-Nevada region from Coleville, California to the Monte Cristo Range. They are part of the Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of California.
• Tagötöka or Taga Ticutta: "Lomatium dissectum Root Tuber Eaters." They lived along the Jordan River and Owyhee River in Oregon and Idaho. They are part of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation.
• Qui na taue Pha Numa: "People of the Big Smoky Valley." They lived between the Toiyabe Range and Toquima Range in Nevada. They are part of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes.
• A'waggu Dükadü: "Sucker Fish (Catostomus tahoensis) Eaters." They lived in the Bridgeport Valley, California. They are part of the Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of California.
• We Dükadü: "Rye grass Eaters." They lived in the Bridgeport Valley, California. They are part of the Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of California.
• Wia Dükadü or Ahwahnechee: "Acorn Eaters" or "Yosemite Valley People." They lived in Yosemite Valley. Their leader was Chief Tenaya. After many diseases and wars, the remaining "Ahwahnechee" joined the Kucadikadi (Mono Lake Paiute).

Population Numbers

It's hard to know exactly how many Native Americans lived in California before Europeans arrived. Alfred L. Kroeber thought there were about 500 Northern Paiute people in California in 1770. He estimated their population was 300 in 1910. Other experts believe the total Northern Paiute population in 1859 was around 6,000 people.