A 270 mile walk to protest the proposed Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) groundwater “theft” from Nevada’s Great Basin, traditional homelands of the Great Basin Shoshone (Newe), was completed Saturday May 11, one day ahead of schedule.
Nevada Indian Tribal members, children through elders, made the 270 mile trek across the Great Basin from Wells NV to Caliente NV through all kinds of inclement spring weather. They camped out in tepee and tent to both run and walk the route through sleet, rain, wind, cold and even a nice day. They were joined by others, both tribal and non-tribal, along the way.
Participating walkers and support crew were mainly from the sponsoring Confederate Tribe of Goshute Indians from Ibapah, UT. (This part of the Newe tribe are erroneously named Ute because their home in the Deep Creek Mountain Range lays East of the Nevada state line.)
The tired, but successful participants (listed below), celebrated their accomplishments at Caliente Summit.
From Ibapah: Tarina, Curtis, Noralene and Maxine Bishop, Christopher Bullcreek, Sarae Greyeyes, Milton and Rod Hooper, Larae and Larry Moon, Christine Steele, Katie Tsinnie, and Julie Yupe.
From Battle Mountain: Carlene Burton.
From Ely: Melissa and Sheena Cook, Bennie and Geraldine Reilly, Delaine and Rick Spilsbury
From Yomba: Johnnie Bob
A question heard many times along the way was “Why doesn’t SNWA desalinate the big water instead of destroying our sacred waters? It would be cheaper, and there would be more water for everyone.”
