Oral History Project

Horses running through Owyhee, NV

Since 2005, the Great Basin Indian Archives has been collecting the stories from Shoshone elders from across the communities of northeastern Nevada, as well as select events throughout the region. Currently, almost 70 oral histories have been collected. These are available through the Great Basin College Library and in community centers and schools through the region.

In addition, the Virtual Humanities Center at Great Basin College (VHC) is working on digitizing the collection to make these items available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week anywhere. Supported in part by a major grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities and communiuty partners such as Barrick, this project will increase the usability of the collection to members of Shoshone community.

The digitization project will be in process through Summer 2017. As new oral histories are collected, they will be integrated into the collection as well to create a permanent and growing resource.

The available oral histories are listed below. Users have three options for access and viewing:

  • Complete Details: Link to complete archive record, including summaries of the main topics of the videos. Streaming videos and transcripts are also accessible from this page, if available for the oral history.
  • View Streaming Video: If a streaming video for the oral history is available, clicking on link will open the video in a new page. Some streaming videos are courtesy of the University of Utah.
  • Read Transcript: If transcript is available, clicking on link will open transcript as a pdf file. The pdf is searchable.

Shoshone language markerThis marker is used to indicate when an oral history has a significant Shoshoni language component. Community language teachers are invited to use these oral histories in their lessons, both to work with the language and to encourage student participation in the broader community.

Shoshone Community Language Initiative 2017  markerThis marker is used to indicate when an oral history was collected from Elders presenting at the 2017 Shoshone Community Langauge Initiative (SCLI) summer youth program. These videos include significant content on traditional crafts in addition to histories.

Number Item Name Options for Access and Viewing

GBIA 001

Te-Moak Pow-Wow

October 2005
Complete Details Pendng Video Pending no transcript

GBIA 002

Eleanor Little photo

Eleanor Little

Duck Valley
17 January 2006
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 003

Ellison Jackson 2006 photo

Ellison Jackson

Duck Valley
17 January 2006
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 003B

Ellison Jackson 2014 photo

Ellison Jackson

Duck Valley
27 August 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript Pending

GBIA 004

Earl and Beverly Crum photo

Earl and Beverly Crum

Duck Valley
01 February 2006
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 005

Clara Woodson and Gracie Begay photo

Clara Woodson and Gracie Begay

Elko and Wells
16 March 2006
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 006

Nevada Penoli photo

Nevada Penoli

Wells
26 April 2006
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 007A

Raymond Yowell photo

Raymond Yowell - IEN

South Fork Reservation
08 May 2006
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 007B

Raymond Yowell photo

Raymond Yowell

South Fork Reservation
16 August 2007
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 008

Andrea Woods photo

Andrea Woods

Wells
20 June 2006
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 009A

Evelyn Temoke-Roché 2006 photo

Evelyn Temoke-Roche

Ruby Valley
22 August 2006
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 009B

Evelyn Temoke-Roche photo

Evelyn Temoke-Roche

Ruby Valley
27 March 2012
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 009C

Evelyn Temoke-Roche photo

Evelyn Temoke-Roche

Ruby Valley
15 September 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 010

Beverly Brazzanovich and Harold Miller photo

Beverly Brazzanovich and Harold Miller

Reno
12 October 2006
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 012

Harold Miller and Raymond Hofer

Harold Miller and Raymond Hofer

Reno
November 12 2007
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 013

Elizabeth 'Liz' Brady photo

Elizabeth 'Liz' Brady

Elko
29 November 2006
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 014

Dave McKinney photo

Dave McKinney

Duck Valley
30 November 2006
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 015

Florence Steele and Lee Moon photo

Florence Steele and Lee Moon

Goshute
06 December 2006
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 016

Shoshone Indian Language Reunion photo

Shoshone Indian Language Reunion

Lemon Valley
14 August 2007
Complete Details Video Pending Transcript pending

GBIA 017

Delores Cummings photoShoshone language marker

Delores Cummings

Duck Valley
20 June 2008
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 018

Marge Hall Puella photo

Marge Hall Puella

Duck Valley
17 January 2006
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 019

Carrie Dann photo

Carrie Dann

South Fork Reservation
17 July 2008
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 020

Toby Hilman photo

Toby Hilman

Reno
11 August 2008
Complete Details Video Pending Transcript pending

GBIA 021

Native American Club Powwow photo

Native American Club Powwow

Elko
30 January 2009
Complete Details Video Pending Transcript pending

GBIA 022

Vivian Cinnabar photo

Vivian Cinnabar

Duck Valley
24 November 2009
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 023

Lorraine and Alvin Sims photo

Lorraine and Alvin Sims

Duck Valley
24 November 2009
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 024

Illaine Premo photo

Illaine Premo

Duck Valley
30 November 2009
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 025

Lyle Nutting and Eloy Thacker photo

Lyle Nutting and Eloy Thacker

Duck Valley
02 June 2010
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 026

Lois Whitney photo

Lois Whitney

Elko
30 May 2010
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 027

Dan Blossom photoShoshone language marker

Dan Blossom

Battle Mountain
27 March 2012
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 028

Edith and Adele Fisk photo

Edith and Adele Fisk

Battle Mountain
27 March 2012
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 029A

Katherine Blossom photo

Katherine Blossom

Elko
27 March 2012
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 029B

Katherine Blossom photo

Katherine Blossom

Elko
28 August 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 030A

Virginia Mae Jones photo

Virginia Mae Jones

Duck Valley
27 February 2012
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 030B

Virginia Mae Jones photo

Virginia Mae Jones

Duck Valley
June 2012
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 031

Rosie Hall Jones photoShoshone language marker

Rosie Hall Jones

Duck Valley
14 April 2014
Complete Details Video Pending Transcript pending

GBIA 032

Dennis F. Pete Sr. photo

Dennis F. Pete Sr.

Duck Valley
15 April 2014
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 033

Loyd Hanks photo

Loyd Hanks

Duck Valley
16 April 2014
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 034

Naomi Mason photo

Naomi Mason

Duck Valley
23 April 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 035

Laura Stark Rainey photo

Laura Stark Rainey

Ely
28 May 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 036

Delaine Stark Spilsbury photo

Delaine Stark Spilsbury

Ely
28 May 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 037

Delaine Stark Spilsbury and Rainey Stark Spilsbury photo

Delaine Stark Spilsbury and Laura Stark Rainey

Ely
28 May 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 038

Shoshone language markerBoyd Graham 2014 photo photo

Boyd Graham

Duckwater
29 May 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript Pending

GBIA 039

Anthony Lee Tom photo

Anthony Lee Tom

South Fork Reservation
05 June 2014
Complete Details Video Pending Read Transcript

GBIA 040

Gracie Begay photo

Gracie Begay

Wells
27 June 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 041

Barbara Ridley 2014 photoShoshone language marker

Barbara Ridley

Crescent Valley
30 June 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 042

Johnny Bobb photoShoshone language marker

Johnny Bobb

Yomba
20 November 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 043

Ronnie Dixon photo

Ronnie Dixon

Battle Mountain
05 November 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 044

Georgianna Price photo

Georgianna Price

Battle Mountain
19 December 2014
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 045

Judy Moon Glasson photo

Judy Moon Glasson

Duck Valley
14 June 2015
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 046

Darlene Hooper Dewey photo

Darlene Hooper Dewey

Yomba
10 April 2015
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 047

Madeline S. Bill photo

Madeline S. Bill

South Fork
26 April 2015
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 048

Delaine George photo

Delaine George

Duckwater
2 June 2016
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 049

Doris Millet Allison photo

Doris Millet Allison

Duckwater
22 April 2016
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 050

Floyd Collins photo

Floyd Collins

Duckwater
2 June 2016
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 051

Helen Walker photoShoshone language marker

Helen Walker

Duckwater
18 March 2016
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 052

Lester Shaw, Jr. photo

Lester Shaw, Jr.

Duck Valley
1 June 2016
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 053

Ruby Sam photoShoshone language marker

Ruby Sam

Duckwater
22 April 2016
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 054

Theresa Sam photoShoshone language marker

Theresa Sam

Duckwater
18 March 2016
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 055

Antoinette Cavanaugh photo

Antoinette Cavanaugh

Duck Valley
14 June 2016
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 056

Keith Honaker photo

Keith Honaker

Duckwater
9 March 2016
Complete Details View Streaming Video Read Transcript

GBIA 057

Image of scene from Twelve playShoshone language marker

Semahte Wahatte man To'ainkanna (Twelve)

Traditional Shoshone Story
Performed by SYLAP 2014 Students
Complete Details View Streaming Video no transcript

GBIA 058

Maurice Churchill photo

Maurice Churchill

Yomba
01 August 2016
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 059

Alfred Jackson photoShoshone language markerSCLI 2017 marker

Alfred Jackson

Elko
07 July 2017
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 060

Katherine Blossom photoSCLI 2017 marker

Katherine Blossom

Elko
10 July 2017
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 061

Shawn L. Collins photoSCLI 2017 marker

Shawn L. Collins

South Fork
12 July 2017
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 062

Boyd Graham photoShoshone language markerSCLI 2017 marker

Boyd Graham

Ely
13 July 2017
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 063

Elizabeth 'Liz' Dann photoShoshone language markerSCLI 2017 marker

Elizabeth 'Liz' Dann

Crescent Valley
18 July 2017
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 064

Antoinette Cavanaugh 2017 photoSCLI 2017 marker

Antoinette Cavanaugh

Duck Valley
27 July 2017
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 065

Janey Blackeye-Bryan and Shasta Blackeye-Adair 2017 photoSCLI 2017 marker

Janey Blackeye-Bryan and Shasta Blackeye-Adair

Duckwater
31 July 2017
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending

GBIA 066

Janey Blackeye-Bryan and Shasta Blackeye-Adair August 2017 photoSCLI 2017 marker

Janey Blackeye-Bryan and Shasta Blackeye-Adair

Duckwater
1 August 2017
Complete Details View Streaming Video Transcript pending