Shoshone

The Shoshone, also spelled Shoshoni, are a Native American people of the Great Basin in the western United States. They are divided into several groups—the Northern Shoshone, Eastern Shoshone, and Western Shoshone—who historically inhabited areas that now lie in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and parts of California. The Shoshone speak Shoshonean languages, part of the larger Uto-Aztecan language family.

Traditionally, Shoshone communities were organized into bands and kinship networks; they were mostly hunter-gatherers, with seasonal movements to exploit wild foods, seeds, roots, and small game. Some groups later adopted horse-based travel and more extensive trade networks with neighbors, including other Great Basin peoples and, later, European traders. Crafts such as basketry and beadwork are notable in Shoshone material culture.

The arrival of European-American settlers in the 19th century brought military conflicts, treaty-making, and pressure on traditional lands. Treaties and government policies affected land use and sovereignty, with Western Shoshone land rights continuing to be a modern issue. The Shoshone participated in wider regional events and allied with neighboring tribes during periods of conflict and collaboration.

Today, several Shoshone governments are federally recognized. The Eastern Shoshone Tribe is based on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, while the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes inhabit the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho. Western Shoshone communities live in Nevada and surrounding areas, including reservations such as Duckwater and other bands. Contemporary Shoshone communities engage in governance, education, language preservation, and cultural revitalization efforts.