Native American Civilizations of Southern Utah & Southern Nevada

The Indians of the Southern Utah and Southern Nevada desert learned to use all the resources of their country. They wandered over it in small family groups, gathering seeds and nuts, digging roots, and snaring rabbits and other small animals. They made their clothing from the desert plants, weaving strings of sagebrush or desert willow into a sort of mat to serve as a scanty garment and weaving a winter wrap from strings of rabbit fur. Their dwellings were temporary, made of branches covered with bunches of grass or desert bushes, and in winter they covered the flimsy roof with dirt. Their basketry excelled other Indian tribes. They were a sociable people gathering for ceremonials, dances, and communal rabbit drives, but they had no organized tribal government. 

     The Paiutes creation story traces to Tabuts, the wise wolf who decided to carve many different people out of sticks. His plan was to scatter them evenly around the earth so that everyone would have a good place to live, but Tabuts had a mischievous younger brother, Shinangsay, the Coyote. Shinangway cut open the sack and people fell out in bunches all over the world. The people were very angry at this treatment and that is why other people always fight. The people left in the sack were the Southern Paiutes. Tabuts blessed them and put them in the very best place.

     In Southern Utah and Southern Nevada there are several tribes; The Las Vegas Band of Southern Paiute people, ancestors of the Tudinu (Desert People); Pahrump Band of Paiutes; Kaibab Band of Paiutes; Moapa Band of Paiutes; Shivwit Band of Paiutes; and the Cedar City Band of Paiutes.

   The Las Vegas Band call themselves Nuvagantucimi, (people of where snow sits). The Moapa Band have been known in the past as Muappa or Moapat and the Nuwuvi. The name Paiute comes from the native name “Paa”ute,” which means “water ute” and refers to their preference for living near water sources.

     Historically, the largest population of Paiutes were along the Virgin River, Santa Clara Creek and the Muddy River. Their farming was practiced close to these water sources, and they raised corn, squash, melons, gourds, sunflowers, and later, winter wheat. These people were mainly foragers; hunting rabbits, deer, and mountain sheep, and gathering seeds, roots, tubers, berries and pinenuts.

     Regarding the Virgin Valley, there was little connection to the Las Vegas Band of Paiutes except for expeditions through their lands and the settling of the Las Vegas valley. The first white settlers in the Moapa Valley were the first permanent settlers to have direct connection to the Moapa Band of Paiutes. Their arrival caused strain in the relationship of the two groups that arose from farming land being taken by the white settlers and water use becoming controlled by the white settlers. While it is true that this Band of Paiutes had farmed small patches of land earlier in their history, the white settlers’ farms were much larger and were irrigated from canals and sub ditches from the Muddy River.  The Moapa Band of Paiutes had regular trade and wars with the Pahranagat Band of Paiutes who lived around Alamo and Hiko, Nevada. They also traded regularly with the Shivwits Band of Paiutes in Southern Utah. People from both Bands traveled often through the Virgin Valley on their trading expeditions back and forth.

     The Shivwits Band and the Cedar City Band of Paiutes also traded back and forth with each other but there was little connection between the Cedar City Band with the Moapa and Las Vegas Band of Paiutes.

    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints desired to establish settlements between Salt Lake City and the Pacific Ocean. These settlements were placed at 50-mile intervals so that travel would be safer and supplies easier to obtain. The settlers were charged with making peaceful relations with the local Indians. Each settlement went through the culture shock process of two cultures coming together. One, angry and upset over land and water loss, the other seeking peaceful relations so farming and mercantile growth could be obtained. The settlers and the Indians made their own treaties regarding rules and safety. Usually, the settlers were responsible for the actions of the white man and the Indian Band was responsible for the actions of the Indians. If a white man acted wrongly towards the Indians, their leaders would come to the white leader and ask for justice. The same process would transpire if the Indian acted wrongly towards the white settlers.

     In the Virgin Valley the Indians were given free passage through the valley. Also, the settlers would provide them with food and flour and sometimes meat. In Bunkerville there are records showing three Indians who desired to live with the settlers and join the United Order. This was allowed and each man was given a field of about 10 acres and the settlers helped them dig a canal to irrigate their land. The settlers also helped them clear their land, plant and irrigate. The men remained in the United Order for about a year and then returned to their people. There were no bad feelings recorded.