Finisia, Kim, Jon, Forest, and Lauren hosted a "Rewilding Camp" on the Paiute Reservation at Schurz Nevada from March 30 - April 12, 2008.   Local residents were invited on "auto tour" excursions into the reservation countryside to discover and learn "hands on" about the native plants that sustained their tribal ancestors before the invasion of European "civilization".   

On this day we took an older married couple,  John and Vernadine Smith, and a rancher named Doug Quintero out on the auto tour and we watched them transform from old grandparents into young children as they enthusiastically learned about the breadroot, onions, sego lilies, and their habitats.  They talked to us of their Grandmothers taking them out, or going out and doing that very same life-giving interaction with the Earth.  Re-introducing them to some of their native tribal food plants was such a meaningful experience for all of us. These three people were all quite aged in years, and had missed out on some of these teachings for whatever reason.  It seemed that spirit had devised for them to have that experience in life even still.   Here are some photos of our shared adventure, discoveries, and joy!!

Click Images to Enlarge

Finisia gifts a root digger to Vernadine Smith

John Smith digs his first roots at 87

Forest and Lauren demonstrate for Vernadine the use of the root digger.  Forest & Vernadine were happy to learn that they also share the same birthday.

Doug Quintero, Verandine Smith, John Smith, Kim Slayton and Forest Patrio discover, dig and discuss the native edible root plants on the Walker River Reservation

Our Friend Melvin Brown from Schurz
joins us in our Reservation Rewilding Tours

Vernadine proudly says "I have dinner"

Richard and Joan, a white couple from Yerington join us to learn "hands on" about the traditional Paiute culture of gathering native plants as food

L-R  Calochortus nuttallii (sego lily), Lewisia rediviva (bitterroot), Lomatium nevadense (cousch), Cymopterus deserticola,  Cymopterus acaulis, single round leaved onion, and bunch of bigfoot onions.

Lewisia rediviva - Bitterroot

Jon, the bicyclist, has been traveling, replanting and learning with Finisia since early March 2008

Cymopterus deserticola
Paiute name: Kanu Magotni
Translated: Rabbit Woman

Cymopterus nivalis
Paiute name: Kanu Tsee
Translated: Rabbit Pee

Cymopterus acaulis
Paiute name: Kanu Kwiedup
Translated: Rabbit Poop

Lomatium nevadense - Coush

Medicine Root

Bigfoot Onions

Bigfoot Onions

Thanks to Kim for her Support for Finisia, traveling back and forth from Southern California to join in the hard work of Rewilding the Great Basin

Campsite enroute to Schurz Rewilding Camp

Coyote Camp at Schurz, Nevada

• Walker River Paiute Tribe

• Recap: Walker River Reservation Rewilding Camp - 13 Apr 08

• Passerby emails a photo of Coyote Camp - 10 April 2008

• Lauren and Forrest's Hoop Experience - 10 April 2008

• Hoop Lesson Shared by Jon -  7 April 2008

• Update from Walker River Paiute Reservation - 30 Mar 08

• Update - Meeting with Walker River Paiute Tribe

• Address to the Walker River Paiute Tribal Council