Moapa Band of Paiutes
Presenting a history and brushing the surface of the Moapa People.
Moapa Band of Paiutes
The Moapa people reside on the Moapa River
Reservation
 58 miles North from the Greater Las Vegas
Area
 Recognized Indian tribe on April 17, 1942
 1874 the tribal lands consisted of 2 million
acres

1876 they were reduced to a
15 hundred acres

1980, an additional 70,000 acres
were provided Total: 71,954
Governed by Tribal Council
325 current enrolled members
Tribal Council Members:
William Anderson – Chairman
Eric Lee – Vice Chairman
Anthony Frank- Tribal Secretary
Aletha Tom- Tribal Council Member
Deloras Simmons-Tribal Council Member
Richard Fisher– Tribal Council Member
Moapa’s Business
Enterprise
Moapa Band of Paiutes Business Administration Building & Tribal Store

Moapa Band of
Paiutes Travel Plaza
• K-Road Solar Project
(process of construction)
• Moapa Farm
Moapa’s Departments
Moapa Social Services
Moapa Vocational Rehabilitation
Environmental Department (includes air/water quality & waste)
Education Specialist Department
Moapa Education Center (MESC)
Moapa Police Department
Moapa Tribal Courts
Senior Center
Olivia Tom Headstart Program
Irene Benn Medical Center
Olivia Tom Headstart Program
Senior Center
Moapa Police Department
Moapa Education Center (MESC)
Also houses: Tribal Courts
Social Services
& Education Specialists
Irene Benn Medical Center
Moapa Vocational
Rehabilitation Offices
Moapa Location
Las Vegas Location
Successful Consumer
Businesses on the Reservation
Styles By Stephanie
Owner: Stephanie Osborne
Wash My Pony
Owner: Ural Begay
History of the
Moapa people
• Referred as Moapats (moepats) & the Nuwuvi (nuwovie)
• Adapted by: farming,
hunting, and gathering.
• Strong with traditional
beliefs and funeral sings
• Highly devoted to
bloodline and family ties
• Slowly deteriorating native
language
Historical Life of Moapa
 Basketry
 Cradle boards
 Cooking stones
 Seed beaters
 Made gourdes (rattles)
 Use in animal skins &
medicinal uses for plants
Living Quarters of the
Moapa People: A Wikiup
Pronounced: Wik-i-up
Traditionally made with willow and
young cottonwood which form into
a hut.
Photo of a wikiup*
Real Time photo of their wikiup shack like homes
Meaning of
Moapa
Pronounced:
Moe-Ah-Pa
Pa: Meaning water
Some dispute over the initial
meaning being “spinning
water” or “bitter water” by
current elders.
Pictured: Topsy Swain
Hope Lies Behind These
Bars
A True success Story
My Name is
Kevin Norton
• Born in California
• Raised on 2 Reservations
• Hopi/Sho-Pqai
• Hopi Tribal Member
• 15 years incarceration
First Arrival at the VR
Office
First impressions of VR: What is this place? I arrived
with the clothes on my back. Ex-felons have gone
through a variety of programs supposedly “rehabing
them.” I thought this was another hoop for me to jump
with no result, boy was I wrong.
Process of VR: If I want freedom I can have it, informed
choice. My VR counselor reemed my mind with that.
It’s on you now I will provide the tools to get you where
you want to be, if you want that. Well I did and still do.
This is not an easy program and it took a lot of work,
research, planning and commitment to get me to where I
was supposed to be. But she (my counselor) would not
take no for an answer and never gave in to me even
when I wanted too. But after all that I made it, thanks
Moapa VR.
Personal Struggle
Disability: I have been a
substance/alcohol abuser for most
of my life. This is what
contributed to my many years
behind bars. I am not the same
person under the influence.
Feelings of fear and anxiety
plagued me upon my release,
which I now know was PTSD.
Bottom line is I do not and di not
want to die in prison. I have
things to do here in this world. A
chance is all I needed.
Redtail Tree
Service
Kevin Norton continues to
thrive and offers a great
example to many Native’s
interested in becoming self
employed.
Through Kevin’s business he
has the capability to help and
inspire people who are now
facing the obstacles he once
faced.
Kevin is no longer a labeled a
ex-felon in the eyes of his peers,
he is now a successful man with
his own business living in
society.
The Man In Action
Work & Finished
Product
No Fear
 As a woman counselor FEAR
was a factor I had to
overcome in dealing with an
ex-felon, men might feel the
same. It’s an unknown for a
lot of people, prison life
and/or dealing with people
released from the prison
system. Trust Grandfather
will guide you through and
if it is meant to be it will BE!
Leave the stigma’s you have
learned behind and give the
person a chance.
Fear
feeling of anxiety: an unpleasant
feeling of anxiety or apprehension
caused by the presence or anticipation
of danger
frightening thought: an idea, thought,
or other entity that causes feelings of
fear
reverence: respect or awe for
somebody or something
Synonyms: terror, dread, anxiety,
horror, distress, fright, panic, alarm,
trepidation, apprehension
Acceptance
 Remember to remind these men and women that
they are important and not just a number to us
 Incorporate traditional practices ej: smuding,
attending Pow wow’s, sweats and talking to an
Elder an hour a week! (this works they come back in
amazement with what of some our elders tell them, I make
it a requirement to receive services)
 Be strong and staight forward, set the guidelines
before even meeting, know your client.
Partnerships
You know the saying, “
It’s not what you know but
who you know.” This is
true, and we do not want
to sacrafice anymore to
the government, but we
must conform for just
that moment to fully help
our consumer’s in this
position.
Urban or Reservation offices ,
here are some resources I try
to utilize in both offices:
 Chamber of Commerces
 Prominment businesses or
business owners
 Other non profit agencies
 Other Tribes
 Consumer’s suggestions on
who’s hiring
Just to name a few……………
PTSD
On personal expierence I don’t think I have dealt with
one ex-felon that does not suffer from this.
Famaliarize yourself with this disability if you have
not when helping ex felons coping with Freedom.
 Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of
anxiety disorder. It can occur after you have gone
through an extreme emotional trauma that involved
the threat of injury or death.
PTSD can occur at any age. It can occur after events
such as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Assault
Car accidents
Domestic abuse
Natural disasters
Prison stay
Rape
Terrorism
War
There are three types of
PTSD symptoms:
1. Reliving the event,
which disturbs day-to-day
activity
Flashback episodes in
which the event seems to be
happening again and again
Repeated upsetting
memories of the event
Repeated nightmares of the
event
Strong, uncomfortable
reactions to situations that
remind you of the event
2. Avoidance
3. Hyperarousal
Emotional numbing or
feeling as though you do
not care about anything
Feeling detached
Always scanning your
surroundings for signs
of danger
(hypervigilance)
Not able to remember
important parts of the event
Not able to
concentrate
Not interested in normal
activities
Startling easily
Showing less of your
moods
Feeling irritable or
having outbursts of
anger
Avoiding places, people, or
thoughts that remind you
of the event
Trouble falling or
staying asleep
Feeling like you have no
future
You may feel guilt
about the event,
including survivor
guilt
Sources:
Moapa Band of Paiutes. "Moapa Paiutes, Moapa Travel Plaza, Fireworks, Las
Vegas." Moapa Paiutes, Moapa Travel Plaza, Fireworks, Las Vegas. MRG Design & Aztec
Communication, 2007. Web. 11 June 2013.
Historical information about the Moapa Band of Paiutes was shared by an elder of
the Moapa Band Community, Olivia Tom.
All current photographs taken by Ashly Osborne.
Antique photographs provided by Moapa Band of Paiutes
Photograph of the Tribal Chairman William Anderson provided by the Sierra Club
Image of the single wikiup was provided by Nathan Cowlishaw’s blog http://talkingtree.org/images/20070911100924_wikiup.jpg
All Redtail photographs are provided by Kevin Norton
Ram provided by Clipart. Bing Dictionary. U.S. National Library of Medicine - The
World's Largest Medical Library
Slide Show written/created by Kena Adams and Ashly Osborne, Moapa Band of
Paiutes Vocational Rehabilitation.