The Owens Valley Paiute - A Cultural History

Living as long as five thousand years in the arid Great Basin, the Owens Valley Paiute and other Native groups survived to create a rich oral and ceremonial tradition, subsisting on what the earth provided. A peaceable and social culture they were overwhelmed by the ever advancing flow of American settlers, explorers and profit seekers. This is the story of the Paiute Nation, their social structure, mythology, religion, art, folklore and enduring spirit. It is also the story of their great leaders Sarah Winnemucca and Wovoka and the creation of the Ghost Dance religion which ultimately resulted in the massacre of the powerful Sioux at Wounded Knee. Illustrated with 28 pages of photographs.