Return Gypsum Cave to the Southern Paiutes(Nuwuvi)

For far too long the Southern Paiute peoples of the Moapa band of Paiutes and the Las Vegas band of Paiutes have been pushing for expansion of their reservation lands. Currently there is an effort to designate an area of Southern Nevada as a National Monument and call it the East Las Vegas National Monument. While this is a nice idea, the reality is that is an affront to the indigenous peoples who have been here and have had that area as part of their traditional ancestral religiously significant lands since time immemorial. It is high time that we return one of the most sacred sites of the Southern Paiutes back to them as part of restitution for the genocide the United States committed under manifest destiny against not only the Nuwu or Southern Paiutes people, but all indigenous peoples. 

The proposed East Las Vegas National Monument includes Gypsum Cave which is among the most culturally and religiously significant sites of the Nuwuvi and their Salt Song Trail. A literal trail encompassing parts of Southern and Western Nevada, Eastern and Southern Utah and North Western Arizona and Southeastern California. It is a collection of songs that tell of the resources and sacred sites along the Salt trail. The Salt Songs are traditional sung during the funeral rites of the Southern Paiute peoples and is among the most religiously significant traditions to the Southern Paiute Peoples. 

Gypsum Cave is among the central sites of this trail. As the Southern Paiutes or Nuwuvi people are integral to the Landscape, the landscape is inseparable from the Southern Paiute Peoples and their ancesty culture and religion. As such the only right thing to do is to give Gypsum Cave and the surrounding lands back to the Southern Paiute peoples of the Moapa and Las Vegas Band of Paiutes for them to steward the land into perpetuity.