By Mike Donahue
Norm Tom and his wife Nita are back open selling beef jerky and dispensing wisdom and opinion from their small trailer out by the Moapa Tribal Enterprises store on I-15.
Norm generally takes July and August off to regroup, do some writing, get his head and his business straightened out and occasionally do some fishing. He writes some interesting and off-beat pieces including one he calls “Great Eagle.”
There’s a huge natural eagle shape that can be seen on the mountains west of I-15 between Las Vegas and the tribal store. The enormous raptor overlooks Arrow Canyon which is accessible from Highway 168 through Moapa.
Legend has it that Arrow Canyon was named when two Southern Paiute tribes met there to go to war and decided instead to make peace. To demonstrate their sincerity, members of the tribes shot all their arrows into the rocks above the canyon floor.
Here’s Norm’s piece:
“Great Eagle”
Oh, Great Eagle, sitting on the Arrow Mountains for everyone to see, your wings spread out giving strength to those who live to fulfill their dreams.
Through greatness in life you bring courage to a race of people,
As they fill their hearts with happiness and joy.
Oh, Great Eagle, looking after the Nuwevi People, from the point of the Arrow Mountains, a spring rises that flows east to give everlasting life, the Moapa River is what they call it.
Great Eagle, land marker of this rugged mountain range. It is told of how the mountain got its name. Long ago a battle was to begin in this narrow canyon with steep walls and crevices, remains there a peace treaty left behind that marks its place. With arrows shot from canyon floor, to bring peace and harmony to these my people.
Let us not forget the event that happened in Arrow Canyon, as they danced the circle dance of friendship.
Great Eagle, the symbol for truth and life given us by our Creator, hears our all-night singing, to carry one through their journey to the spirit world.
The long-awaited tome of early settlement life in Moapa Valley put together, written and illustrated by Beezy Tobiasson and Georgia Hall is finally in print, beautifully bound and compelling to peruse. It is quite marvelous.
The eight years it has taken Beezy and Georgia to get “Muddy Valley Reflections, 145 Years of Settlement” into the hands of the local residents who quickly bought out nearly all the first printing of 500 books, has been time well spent. Like a pirate’s treasure chest it is ponderously heavy (about 5.2 pounds). Like the contents of that chest it is rich with precious baubles, bangles and jewels in the form of stories, recollections and images.
Although historical, the book is not strictly academic history but a rich remembrance of the not-so-distant past by those who played a major role in that past. The fantastic collection of personal stories, photos, maps and illustrations throughout the book makes for some captivating browsing.
The authors obviously spent considerable time and effort to identify and name as many people in the photos as possible. Many of those named in the pictures will be familiar to those of us who live here because they, or their descendants, are still in the neighborhood.
“Reflections” is a must read for anyone who wants to know something about the early people and communities of Moapa Valley and the surrounding area.
With almost 700 pages and more than 1,100 illustrations, “Reflections” makes for some delightfully interesting light reading, despite its weight.
Congratulations on the new book, ladies. I can hardly wait to see the next installment.
“Rural Rants” is a column about rural living and the people who live here. It appears the first and third Wednesday of the month. Your comments and input are appreciated. Contact me via email at mouse@mvdsl.com
