GBWTI AT A GLANCE

At the Great Basin Water & Tribes Initiative (GBWTI), cultural survival and prosperity are at the heart of what we do. And that begins with our connection to water, just as it has since time immemorial. As indigenous Newe people, our survival and our future remain a constant fight to protect what we have and to work diligently toward a better, brighter future.

GBWTI comprises four Tribes: Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, Ely Shoshone Tribe, and the Indian Peaks Band of the Paiute Tribes of Utah. Many of our Tribes signed treaties with the United States in 1863, but we never ceded our lands, waters, and other resources to the United States. Instead, the treaties called for “peace and friendship,” allowed for safe passage of travelers, and allowed for limited use of specific resources.

Since that time, our Tribes have lost nearly all of our ancestral homelands to the United States. Almost a half-century later, the US forced the consolidation of our Tribes and Bands onto small reservations. It was not until 1914 when the US established a reservation for the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute. Between 1915-1924, the US established the Indian Peaks Reservation, consisting of less than 10,000 acres. In 1930-1934, the 10-acre reservation for the Ely Shoshone was acquired by purchase. In 1940, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe acquired land through a purchase, which later became its reservation. In 1954, the US terminated the Indian Peaks Reservation, and Indian Peaks Paiute people were forced to relocate to a few acres near Cedar City, Utah.

To survive, our Four Tribes have had to buy back, win back, or otherwise pursue with great diligence and fortitude the rights and resources necessary to exist. This road has been met with extreme hardship and challenges, including a lack of funding that is needed to protect and enhance our tribal rights, sovereignty, culture, and land and water resources.

Our decades-long gains are at risk, especially due to increasing demands of our resources by outside entities and the severe lack of funding to take action on high-priority initiatives. Our collective voice has the power to avert this increasing risk. Indeed, our Tribes came together on previous occasions to protect our sacred lands and waters. In part, this created the impetus to form the GBWTI. And in 2024, we conducted a Tribal Needs Assessment focused on water-related needs of each of our Tribes. That assessment clearly demonstrated that funding was the root challenge to build tribal capacity in all areas of water-related management, including for protecting Tribal Rights and providing water for residential, commercial, and agricultural uses. The assessment also underscored funding needs for ensuring safe drinking water supplies and delivering technical water management needs. Equipped with this important baseline information, we aim to utilize our united front to harness power that makes real, lasting change.

How do we create this kind of change?GBWTI is building tribal capacity to help our culture survive and prosper, to restore and enhance basic water-related needs of our Tribes, and to give our people a brighter future. We engage in a holistic approach to solve our ongoing crises of water and cultural survival, bringing forward new opportunities and advancements in education, tribal rights, landback, and health, safety and infrastructure.

WHY DOES GBWTI EXIST?

Our Four Tribes may go by different names, but we are all family. When we look back in our history, our hearts are filled with gratitude for the sacrifices our ancestors made so that we could be here today. So much has been taken away from our people in the past. Yet, over the years, we have made enormous strides to reverse that pattern for our current and future generations. We seek to help our people and culture grow and prosper in this new era. It is our mission to give the next generation more opportunities and leave our children with a brighter future.

Great Basin Water & Tribes Initiative (GBWTI) is creating one of those critical opportunities. It embraces foundational parts of our existence—from basic water needs, to tribal rights, culture, education, and health and safety. Our Tribes continue to come together on critical issues that affect all of us, aiming to solve major problems in a positive, uplifting, and collaborative way. With GBWTI, we have come together once again to bring a new vision to life. As we’ve seen throughout our history, big changes start with big visions.

GBWTI is a big vision that, if funded properly, will propel our Tribes into an exciting new chapter for our people. We could see our waters permanently protected, infrastructure built or repaired, new lands obtained and managed by the Tribes, and new educational systems created that help people learn about our people.

It is also a vision that could bring new economic opportunities to our Tribes, attracting a host of new skilled positions to help us execute our capacity development initiatives. But that’s not all. Long-term jobs for tribal members help families and communities grow, while also bringing expertise and resources to our Tribes to build even more tribal capacity for others. We too need a thriving economy that will put us on a path to a sustainable future.

We have made significant gains in just a few short years, coming together to create GBWTI and demonstrating its potential. Now, looking forward, the heart of our work is yet to come. Our initiatives will benefit not just our Four Tribes but stakeholders and the public as well. We thank you for your interest and support in our Tribes’ GBWTI.

CELEBRATING HISTORY AND CULTURE

The silos of daily life are no match for the power of “togetherness.”  

During May 4-6, Western Shoshone and Goshute leaders gathered to honor their relatives and celebrate their years of collaboration on efforts to protect, preserve and commemorate their heritage. At a time of political and social divides, tribal leaders were uplifting the sanctity of the region’s native communities while urging the next generation of tribal leaders to continue the partnerships that have led to nationwide recognition of indigenous culture in the Great Basin at places like Bahsahwahbee.

“There was no bitterness,” said Delaine Spilsbury, an Ely Shoshone tribal elder.

The event brought together relatives and old friends in the places that matter most throughout the traditional lands of Shoshone and Goshute people, whose ancestors were known as Newe.

During the days together, the sounds of laughter reverberated like springtime bird songs in the pinyon-juniper. The smells of good food wafted from the camp stoves. Stories shaped the past and future. Able-bodied youngsters served elders their meals. Leaders shared prayers and wisdom. Memories of the departed mixed with the promise of the future.  Rain, snow and wind did not dampen the water tours, talking circles and outdoor dining. Those elements warmed the hearts of participants as they braced for the heat and aridity of the summer months and the long-term future.  The gratitude. The kindness. The humanity: A trifecta not often seen in public life these days. Grace and compassion were the crux of the messages coming from tribal leaders.  

To join a space of love and unity was welcome for GBWTI. The opportunity to celebrate indigenous cultural and history was inspiring for Delaine and her son Rick, who attended the multi-day event with about 50 other elected leaders, elders, and youth from the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Ely Shoshone and Duckwater Shoshone.

When asked about the event, the Spilsburys had this to offer about the importance of coming together.

“We shared a lot of information and history that you won’t easily find in books or records,” Delaine Spilsbury said. “It builds and confirms the work that we’ve been doing.”

“We recognize that we all care,” Rick Spilsbury, Delsaine’s son, said. “I was afraid for so long that our history would be lost to memory. Getting together prioritizes the importance of who we are and recognizes the people who will help to save the memory of our culture and our experiences. The rest of the world isn’t going to remember for us.”

GBWTI is grateful for the tribal leaders, elders and youth who helped make the event possible. Many folks took off work, traveled great distances, and shared deeply felt stories. Everyone left with full hearts and minds.