The Western Shoshone Nation's Annual Walk/Run

The Western Shoshone Nation's Walk/Run is in its 19th year; a walk for the healing of our earth and peace and health for all the Western Shoshone Nation people, their land, their animals, flora... all sacred life. This year over 25 participants from around the country, including many indigenous people and Native Americans, took place in walking, running, planting willows, and praying for their earth to heal and calm. Chief Johnnie Bobb is in his 19th year of the Walk- this was the most potent and important. Because the Western Shoshone Nation's treaty land encompasses both Yucca Mountain and the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), the Walk ties directly into the status of the worldwide nuclear weapons complex. Special emphasis was put on the ongoing and looming reality of the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Project, which is up for potential re-licensing in 2018. Yucca Mountain sits in the middle of Western Shoshone Nation sacred land, burial grounds, and historic dwellings.

The powerful two weeks, May 1st through May 13th, 2018, consisted of much prayer work, sacred sweat lodges, running, walking, talking, laughing, sharing, healing, and the ultimate sharing of love through community among all peoples. The walk began at the Western Shoshone Nation Reservation north of Tonopah, NV and continued down to the Nevada National Security Site in Mercury, NV, with a Mother's Day early morning sunrise ceremony and celebration of 'all' mothers. The runners and walkers camped under the stars in the shadow of a mighty teepee and infinite shining light from the moon, and in the early morning, the sun. Ceremonies were held twice daily honoring the earth, the Western Shoshone Nation, and all people, all life. It was a sacred union of beautiful humanity and Mother Earth, full of prayers for healing from all nuclear weapons, waste, and the ultimate maiming of our planet.