Are the Paiute people related to any of the Arizona Tribes?
The Paiute language is a part of the Uto-Aztecan language family, so scholars think that there is a relationship between the Paiute and many other southwestern Native Americans. The Paiute were and are important trade partners with the people of the southwest, and Paiute basket makers weave Navajo ceremonial baskets today. The Paiute are culturally related to the Shoshone, since both people live in the Great Basin and utilize the resources. The Kaibab Paiute, one group of Paiute, are now located in northern Arizona. In the past, they were hunters and gatherers and moved over a very large area. Forced onto reservations, their traditional way of life has been threatened. This area was also attractive to Morman settlers who moved in and forced the Paiute to leave some of their lands.
