Home of the Agai Dicutta Numa
Welcome To
The Walker River
Paiute Tribe
History
The land that the Walker River Paiute Tribe, more respectively and traditionally called the Agai Dicutta (Trout Eaters), travelled, cared for, and survived off of for thousands of years is located in the heart of the Great Basin, centralized in a town now known as Schurz, NV. North of the contemporary towns Hawthorne, NV and south of Fallon, NV on a reservation comprised of approximately 325,000 square acres that encompass portions of Mineral, Lyon and Churchill counties.
One of the major water sources for us is the Agai Pahnunadu (Agai Lake referred today as Walker Lake). Historian Edward Johnson in his tribal history wrote on how the Paiutes had inhabited the land, “They knew the earth’s secrets: when and where the edible plants grew, the habits and cunning ways of the desert and mountain animals.” We had, and still continue to have, intimate knowledge of our environment and land because we are the original inhabitants. Thus, how we are culturally and spiritually tied to this place. Since time immemorial we have always been the occupants of the northern end of the Great Basin.
Agai Dicutta territory stretches all the way into the southern end of Oregon. We used nomadic seasonal living quarters to survive harsh winters and hot summers. In 1859, the area around Agai Pahnunadu (Walker Lake) was set aside for “Indian purposes” but it was not until March 19, 1874, 15 years later, that President Ulysses Grant signed the executive order to formally establish the Walker River Indian Reservation. These confined boundaries that we, as the Agai Dicutta Numu, were restricted to were defined in a successful attempt to open the rest of our territorial boundaries to settlement.
Creation Story:
In our own history, the Agai Dicutta creation story tells how they came to this world and this land was:
Long ago, before the arrival of the People, the world was entirely covered with water. Suddenly a mountain called Kurangwa began to emerge from the water. There were flames blazing mysteriously from its peak. The mountain is safe and is known today as Mt. Grant. Strong, cold winds blew out across the surrounding water and threatened to put out the fire on Kurangwa. Luckily, the Sagehen flew to the rescue. She settled over the fire and fanned the water away from the flames with her wings. But she nestled so close to the fire that her feathers were singed by the fire, and today the feathers on the breast of the Sagehen are still black from being scorched by the fire on Kurangwa. She fanned the water back from the fire until the mountain Kurangwa had lifted itself high above the reach of the great body of water that was left, Agai Pahnunadu (Trout Lake) or Walker Lake as it is called today.
Contemporary Lifeways:
Contemporarily, the Walker River Paiute Reservation encompasses three counties: Churchill, Mineral and Lyon county. Our land mass is approximately 325,000 sq acres with 8,000 sq acres of off reservation land that is in the process of being added into trust land. The population is roughly 830 community members, most of which are citizens of the Walker River Paiute Tribe.
The Agai Dicutta Numu, Walker River Paiute Tribe, still fosters the traditional teachings of the past for the future generations. We are still resourceful in use of the land and reciprocity of responsibility to the land. We are land stewards, educators, doctors, attorneys, professional athletes, activists, and so much more.
The teachings that we are one with the land are evidenced in all that is done in every capacity. We continue our ceremonies and beliefs and understand that balance amongst life is necessary. We continue to protect our homelands and support the efforts of co-management and co-stewardship with our surrounding partners, agencies and the Federal Government.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Walker River Paiute Tribe is to maintain our Agai Dicutta heritage while carrying it into the future. The Tribe is dedicated and committed to advocating and protecting Tribal sovereignty. The Walker River Tribe shall foster the ideal of community self-determination and self-sufficiency. We will strive to promote, preserve, and protect the quality of life for our Tribal members.
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