RENO, Nev. — A long time ago, a giant serpent left the Walker River and burrowed into the land, according to the lore of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe. Today, the serpent still lies in the ground, creating what many call Sand Mountain.
"It's a place where our people rarely go, only the spiritual [leaders] and elders," said Rochanne Downs, cultural resources director for the tribe, explaining that the site has special meaning.
Yet riders on off-road vehicles continually race up and down the giant sand dune -- a sight that deeply disturbs many of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone.
The tribe once referred to the blowing sounds of the "singing sands," Downs said, but now a buzz of engines emanates from the dune.
Black specks, never before seen by tribal members or their ancestors, now streak the sand from carbon deposited by the vehicles' engines, Downs said.
"You can't do the spiritual things because you don't know if an [off-road vehicle] is going to come over the hill and run you over," Downs said. "You can't even hear yourself think."
In Nevada, the long-standing clash of values between American Indians and the descendants of settlers now plays out in a new way:
Often, those who say they love the outdoors are committing the equivalent of vandalizing another culture's church when they visit their favorite spots.
Many hikers, sandboarders and motorized vehicle riders don't know the story of Sand Mountain.
John Crowley, an off-roader and president of Friends of Sand Mountain, said he only recently heard from a Bureau of Land Management official that a tribal legend about the area existed.
Friends of Sand Mountain organizes cleanups, educates riders about environmental and safety issues, and has worked with the BLM to study a rare butterfly in the area.
"Obviously, we want to respect [Sand Mountain]," he said. "But right now it's owned by the federal government and managed by the BLM for motorized recreation, and that's what we're using it for.
"I'm not saying that I don't care. I just don't fully understand all their beliefs. I'd like to learn more."
When visitors come to the Pyramid Lake Cultural Center asking where the sacred spots are, Ben Aleck tells them, "They're all around you."
American Indians regard the whole world as sacred, so when non-Indians talk about "sacred sites," they reveal their lack of familiarity with tribal culture, said Aleck, cultural resources manager for the Pyramid Lake Paiute.
