PARADOXES OF CONSULTATION IN NEWE SOGOBIA: POLITICS OF HERITAGE MANAGEMENT ON THE DUCKWATER SHOSHONE RESERVATION AND THE ELY SHOSHONE RESERVATION, NEVADA By RYAN SAMUEL MORINI A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2014 © 2014 Ryan Samuel Morini To the future generations, and the legacy we leave them ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In Ely, Sally Marques told me that her mother described Shoshone ceremonies as always being long, because the elders would have to thank and bless every single thing that made up their world, from the largest to the smallest, leaving nothing out. I have had to force myself to resist the same temptation here. This dissertation was only made possible by the help of a great many people. I will begin by thanking my family: my parents, Ralph and Diane; my sister, Valerie; and the extended grouping of the Morinis, the Schobers, and the Macklins. They have not always understood me, but they have always supported whatever directions I have taken my life. I cannot reasonably recapitulate all of the people who were instrumental in my education before I arrived at UF, but I should name at least a few. If it were not for Craig Norris’s teaching at Exeter High in Reading, PA, I’m not sure where I would have ended up, but it probably would not have been here. I thank him foremost among the several teachers who helped me rediscover some sense of purpose in an education system that I found generally stultifying and disillusioning. Occasionally cutting class with Justin Brown at Conestoga High so we could debate political philosophy in the cafeteria also seems, in retrospect, somehow foundational to my growth and development. From my time at Penn State, I must first thank Sandy Feinstein, who helped reforge a completely naïve wayward intellectual into a profoundly transformed wayward intellectual. As with the best teachers, much of what she taught continues to gradually sink in over time. If not for Sydney Aboul-Hosn, my thesis advisor, I might never have left Penn State with a Master’s. And excellent seminars with Pius Adesanmi, Sophia McClennen, Ralph Rodriguez, Robert Burkholder, and others prepared me for anthropology in ways that I did not understand at the 4 time. Last but foremost, Stephen Beckerman was both teacher and mentor. It was through his unfailing support and mentorship that I chose to pursue anthropology, and to do so at UF. I thank my doctoral committee, as well as several other UF faculty who were instrumental in my development as a scholar. Peter Schmidt has been my unwavering advocate and unparalleled mentor; as a committee chair, he never impinged on my freedom to find my way, though he was always there to help me renew my direction or find my bearings. Faye Harrison helped me to visualize anthropology’s potential role in social justice, and many long discussions in her office helped me to navigate both graduate school and the exigencies, ethical quandaries, and existential dilemmas that can accompany ‘fieldwork.’ I owe much of my approach in this dissertation to her guidance. Paul Ortiz has been a tremendous mentor, as well as a supervisor at the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, and he has led by example as a public intellectual and as an outstanding scholar. Jack Kugelmass always reminded me to let people speak for themselves, and to think carefully about how to craft each story to let its meaning shine through as clearly as possible. And Juliana Barr was always willing to make time to discuss the progress of the project as it developed, always asking inspired and incisive questions that I hadn’t thought to consider. I must also thank Susan Gillespie, Richard Kernaghan, George Abungu, Maria Stoilkova, Ken Sassaman, and Mike Heckenberger. In particular, Dr. Gillespie’s influence was genuinely transformative on my understanding and approach to anthropology, both in terms of practicing it and teaching it. In graduate school, one often learns the most from one’s peers. I cannot name them all, but I will at least thank Ed González-Tennant, Jean Dennison, Scott Catey, Lizzie Hare, Elyse Anderson, Justin Dunnavant, and Justin Hosbey for invaluable intellectual discussions in 5 addition to being excellent friends. Coffee, debate, and cathartic venting are staple activities of graduate school, and they rightly serve their purpose only in the best of company. In thanking folks from Newe Sogobia and wider Nevada, I have to begin with Johnnie Bobb. Johnnie has been a good friend and teacher, always patient with this taibo even at my clumsiest and most uncomprehending. I cannot imagine completing this dissertation without Johnnie’s support over the years, and his willingness to show me things in exchange for fence mending or wood gathering labor. And I would not have met Johnnie without the help of his wife Bonnie Bobb, whose support in my first forays into Newe Sogobia were also of tremendous help. Many long phone conversations gave me perspective on the various materials that I was reading as I tried to wrap my head around the issues of Shoshone country. José Corleto was one of the first Shoshones I ever met, and even in tough times he was unfailingly good-natured and kind; may he rest in peace. I also thank everyone I’ve met on the Walk-and-Run over the years; some I am still in touch with, and some I have not seen since, but I have never forgotten any of you. I cannot say enough about the kindness, generosity, and welcoming spirit with which Virginia Sanchez greeted me in Duckwater. She gave me a place to stay on the reservation on more than one occasion, she offered her personal guidance and professional expertise on my work, and in many respects she made the entire project possible. I thank her, Jack, and Cora for helping and putting up with me, and only hope I can repay them in kind in the years to come. Cheryl Gumm also gave me a place to stay, and endless support—at least, once it turned out I wasn’t a BIA spy after all. I am eternally grateful to her, and to Matt, Crystal, Devona, Aaron, and everyone else who helped Cheryl to help me stretch a meagre budget over most of a summer, and who helped make sure that I learned things I might not have otherwise. 6 Maurice Frank-Churchill has been a patient teacher and a good friend. Without his help, my grasp of heritage management would have been infinitely more feeble, and I would never have learned invaluable things such as how to cook yaha, and how delicious it is when cooked in the old way. Maurice also kept me grounded, always thinking critically about taibo scholarly traditions, but also keeping me from falling off the opposing brink and focusing on the alterity of native peoples instead of the situated intricacies of their humanity. Kathy Adams-Blackeye has always been supportive of me and my work, and a patient and dedicated language teacher. I am indebted to both her and Kim Townsend for their readiness to discuss historical and cultural issues. Tim Thompson shared his collection of audio recordings, as well as a lot of time at his kitchen table; his enthusiasm for any work on Shoshone culture and history buoyed my spirits whenever they lagged. Floyd Collins was always happy to share his wisdom and experiences, invariably laced with wry wit. I would also like to mention Jerry Millett, Lisa George, Alissa Thompson, Helen Walker, Edna Mike, Florence Millett, Boyd Graham, Nye Penoli and Rosie, Pat Knight, Christine Stones, John Mays, Janey Blackeye-Bryan, and Jeff Bryan. If I keep going, I would list almost everyone in or working in Duckwater, so I will just thank the entire community there for being so welcoming and wonderful. From Ely, I have to thank Delaine Spilsbury, Rick Spilsbury, and Laura Rainey for being kind, welcoming, and hospitable friends. Dwight Adams was a pleasure to talk to, and a great help in gaining perspective about the history of Ely itself. Sally Marques was kind enough to share some wonderful memories, and I appreciated her strong support. I must also recognize Benny and Geraldine Reilley, Kenny Mike, Michael Dixon, Sandra Barela, Helen Eben, and others besides. 7 In other parts of Nevada, I especially thank Barbara Ridley for her unfailing hospitality, and for sharing her wealth of knowledge with me. I also thank Mike Miller, not only for being a great host, but for always being genuinely up for debate or serious discussion, and for always helping me learn. I also thank Jeremiah Jones and Trevor Sneed for their friendship and their assistance in learning. Katherine Blossom and Ross have always been warm and supportive, even in difficult times for both of them. Thanks to Mel Brewster for being an intellectual compeer who could speak to all levels of this project. And I would like to thank all of the Newe elders who shared their time and knowledge with me, especially: Lilly Sanchez, Betty Robison, Nancy Stewart, Gayle Miles, and too many more to name. Without naming them, I would like to thank all of the Basinist anthropologists, heritage managers, and current or former state and federal officials who took time out of often busy schedules to sit down with me. Though I am at times critical of the federal system in this dissertation, I hope they feel at the least that their perspectives have been fairly and clearly represented, and I learned a lot from our conversations.