face, “dimaš.” For the fourth year, under the watchful eyes of elders from the Woodfords community, youth congregated this past Au-


gust in the pine nut groves and used “bi·heɁ” (long poles) to knock down the trees’ cones. They gathered dead sagebrush to burn in pits so they could cook the cones underground and later shelled the pine nuts and pounded them into fl our for soup. The group sang traditional Wašiw songs and danced through the night. One Wašiw mother observed that her youngest son has not known a year of life


without the ťagɨm Gumsabayʔ. Another widely attended cultural event


for the tribe today is its Washeshu ‘Itdeh Arts Festival. With the support of many tribal members, Wašiw basket weavers Teresa Smokey Jackson and Joanne Smokey Marti- nez founded the festival in 1990 to showcase the tribe’s exceptional basket-making skill. Originally, participants would bring in old family baskets along with new weavings to display. Eventually a committee was estab- lished to judge the baskets, and this became a popular annual competition. Weavers would work through the year to design a basket that they hoped would earn them the grand prize. The festival was also an opportunity to bring


state politicians and dignitaries together with tribal leaders to help strengthen political ties between sovereign nations. Over time, the festival has grown to include other traditional activities, such as dancing, singing, games, sports and a display of the myriad Native crafts that celebrate the community’s unique history and culture at the lake. It is also a way of sharing the teachings of the tribe with the non-Native public. Now part of the Valhalla Art, Music and Theatre celebration, the festi- val is held during the last weekend in July on Lake Tahoe’s southwest shore.


A DIFFICULT COURSE


Preserving the elders’ knowledge for the next generation is what will keep the Wašiw lan- guage and culture alive. With so few fl uent speakers, infusing this knowledge into the lives of youth without an immersion school is diffi cult, and when the elders are gone, so is the wisdom they carry. The language team is now studying a successful Mohawk language program and other language initiatives in the United States and abroad as possible models for reviving the language immersion school. The teachers also face the challenge of teaching an ancient language in a modern


world. When teachers come across gaps in vocabulary or grammatical rules, they have to be particularly creative and resourceful. For instance, Herman Fillmore explains, because no word in Wašiw exists for say the number “9,” people will use the phrase “8+1” or “5+4” instead. These linguistic puzzles are challeng- ing, and tribal members have an ongoing de- bate about how much they should adapt their unique worldview to fi t the paradigms of the Western world. Yet the Washoe Tribe is resolute, anchored


in the belief that reclaiming its language and revitalizing its cultural heritage can empower its people, rekindle connections with a rich past and form crucial bonds between old and young. Herman says each iteration of the lan- guage program has been a building block for the next generation. “We have a great vision and hope for our communities,” he says. “While we may not be where we want to be yet . . . every day we work with our kids brings us closer to the reality that we want . . . for our homeland and all those within our homeland.” X


Christine Gordon is a freelance writer and editor based in Washington, D.C., and has worked with NMAI since the Museum opened. She grew up in Northern California and returns as often as possible to the High Sierra.


Sam Gordon is a photographer in New York City.


TAHOE WASHOE


EXPERIENCE WITH THE


7941 Emerald Bay Road Meeks Bay, CA 96142


877 326 3357 530 525 6946


Operated on National Forest Service Land by the Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California under a special use permit administered by the USDA Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.


SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 27


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