BURNS PAIUTE INDIANS

NINE THOUSAND YEARS AGO THE NORTHERN GREAT BASIN IN OREGON WHICH IS NOW DESERT WAS A LARGE LAKE . THEIR ANCESTORS LIVED IN CAVES NEAR THE SHORES. CAMELS, MAMMOTHS, BISON, ELK, AND DEER ROAMED THE HILLS. THEY COLLECTED HEMP, WILLOW, TULE, AND SAGEBRUSH BARK FOR SANDALS AND BASKETS AND ROPE. A BEAUTIFUL BLANKET WOVEN FROM RABBIT FUR WAS PRESERVED IN THE CAVE FOR 10,000 YEARS! ARCHAEOLOGISTS ALSO FOUND CLOTHING FROM DEER. THEY DETERMINED THAT THEY ATE FISH, SALMON, SMALL ANIMALS, PLANTS, AND AND SEEDS. DURING THE NEXT 2000 YEARS THE CLIMATE BEGAN TO DRY UP. BY 7500 CAMELS, LARGE MAMMALS BECAME EXTINCT. HERE. PEOPLE DECIDED TO SEASONAL MIGRATION.

SMALL FAMILY GROUPS TRAVELED SEPARATELY TO COLLECT SEEDS AND ROOTS AND HUNT FISH. THESE SMALLER GROUPS CAME TOGETHER TO HARVEST, SOCIALIZE AND INTERMARRY WITH OTHER PAIUTES. SPRING WAS A TIME TO FISH FOR SALMON IN RIVERS AND GATHERED ROOT CROPS. SUMMER WAS FOR BERRIES AND FRUIT WAS FOR STORING AND DRYING FOR WINTER. FAMILIES COMMUNALLY HUNTED DEER AND ANTELOPE BY DRIVING THEM INTO NETS. LATE FALL THEY MADE ARTISTIC ITEMS. AND COLLECTED SOME PLANT MATERIAL. IN LATE FALL THEY BUILT HOUSES BY THE SPRINGS TO LIVE DURING THE WINTER - THIS SEASONAL STRATEGY LASTED FOR 1000'S OF YEARS.

THE BURNS PAUITE TRIBE COLLECTED WADA SEEDS FOR FOOD. BANDS OF INDIANS WERE NAMED AFTER AN IMPORTANT FOOD IN THE AREA. ANOTHER BAND HAD OVER 52,000 SQUARE MILES.

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