PAIUTE

also spelled Piute, either of two distinct American Indian groups that speak languages of the Numic (formerly called Plateau Shoshonean) group of the Uto-Aztecan family. The Southern Paiute, who speak Ute, at one time occupied southern Utah, northwestern Arizona, southern Nevada, and southeastern California, the last group being known as the Chemehuevi. Although encroached upon and directed into reservations by the U.S. government in the 19th century, the Southern Paiute had comparatively little friction with whites; and many stayed scattered in the territories, working on the ranches of whites or remaining on the fringes of white settlements. The Northern Paiute (called Paviotso in Nevada) are related to the Mono (q.v.) of California; they have been known derogatorily as Diggers and occupied east-central California, western Nevada, and eastern Oregon. An offshoot, the Bannock (q.v.), lived with the Shoshoni in southern Idaho, where they were buffalo hunters. After 1840, with the rush of European prospectors and farmers and the consequent despoiling of their already meagre supply of food plants, the Northern Paiute acquired guns and horses and fought at intervals with the whites until 1874, when the last Paiute lands were appropriated by the U.S. government. The Northern and Southern Paiute were traditionally food collectors who subsisted primarily on seed, pine nuts, and small game, although many Southern Paiute planted small gardens. They occupied temporary brush shelters, wore little or no clothing except rabbitskin blankets, and made a variety of baskets for gathering and cooking food. Families were affiliated through intermarriage; but there were no formal bands or territorial organizations, except in the more fertile areas such as the Owens River valley in California. Little of the old customs survive, except for shamanism. In the late 20th century the Northern and Southern Paiute numbered about 4,000, living largely near or on reservations.