WASHOE INDIAN LEGEND OF CREATION
An old woman, mother of all Indians, first of all people, put tule, sagebrush and secret
herbs into a gay-ah-tep (a water jug) and undertook to journey South from Pyramid Lake.
At what is now Reno she heard a humming as of bees in the gay-ah-tep. At Washoe Lake
(Franktown) she heard small voices crying, "Let us out--Let us out". She paid no heed.
At Eagle Valley (Carson City) the center of the earth, the voices grew stronger and insistent.
Here she paused and removed the stopper of desert grass-out flew an Indian, Southeast. He
was the Shoshone. The next flew East, he was the Piute. The next flew West he was the Dig-
ger. Last, strongest and finest of them all, came the Washoe and he flew to Double Springs.
PANEL BY ROBERT CAPLES, WASHOE COUNTY
BUILDING,
COURT
HOUSE
RENO,
NEVADA
