Washiw Zulshish Goom Tahn Nu (Washoe Warrior Society) is a grassroots non-profit organization consisting of Wašiw community members–mostly elders who have endeavored to construct Wašiw Tahn Nu Ungal (the Washoe Peoples House) since 2009; a spiritual/cultural gathering house dedicated to ceremony, prayer, and the cultural teachings of Wašišiw (the people from here).

Wàšiw [Washoe] are the original people of the Tahoe Basin. Da’aw [Lake Tahoe] is the center of the universe for Wàšiw; and the center of Wàšišiw ‘Itde’ [Washoe Lands]. Our people cared the land; tending its natural abundance, and; thriving from what nature provides. There are names for every mountain, valley, forest, stream, lake and geographical structure on the land. Our language speaks of balance and harmony with all living things; it reminds us that we came from the stars; that we have always been a small tribe; but we are strong and “good looking”.

Our traditional life ways were ended with the onset of colonization. Our lands and waterways have been polluted and our people suffer high rates of physical, mental and psychological dis-ease. Wà;šiw wehi’gi’get [Washoe Wisdom] teaches us that the land and the people are one; the health of the people, and the health of the land are interconnected, and interdependent.

Washiw Zulshish Goom Tahn Nu believes that the time to come together to heal the land, the water and the people is NOW!

A traditional ceremonial structure solely dedicated to ceremony and the spiritual teachings of Wà;šiw will bring the people together to build it, maintain it, and remind everyone that Wašišiw are still present on the land as the original stewards. Returning ceremony to the land is not simply ritual, for us, it is conservation at its best; prayers to remind us and the larger surrounding community, that we are still here, and we remember how to live in balance and harmony with the earth and all living things, and with each other as human beings.

Two such “round” ceremonial semi subterranean dance/doctoring houses were present in Wašiw homelands after the turn of the century, but both were destroyed. Today there are no Wašiw gathering places in the Tahoe basin specifically designated for Wašiw spirituality and cultural teachings that are not linked to monetary gain and tourism. Wašiw are in an urgent situation, with very few original language speakers left and little access to our orignal homelands and our traditional foods and medicines. Before contact, our ancestors visited the shores of Da’aw aga [edge of the lake] each spring and summer to hunt, fish and gather plants. A return to the lake in a spiritual and ceremonial way has been missing for many years.

Dit de’huya lada’êšip hulew–All our lands make it right with our hands together!