Chapter IX 

 WOVOKA THE MESSIAH 



When the sun died, I went up to heaven and saw God and all the people who had 

 died a long time ago. God told rue to come back and toll my people they must be 

 good and love one another, and not tight, or steal, or lie. lie gave me this dance to 

 give to my people. — Wovoka. 



When Tiivibo, the prophet of Mason valley, died, about 1870, he left 

 a son named Wovoka, " The Cutter," about 14 years of age. The 

 prophetic claims and teachings of the father, the reverence with which 



Fia. 69— "Wovoka. 



he was regarded by the people, and the mysterious ceremonies which 

 were doubtless of frequent performance in the little title wikiup at 

 home must have made early and deep impression on the mind of the 

 boy, who seems to have been by nature of a solitary and contemplative 

 disposition, one of those born to see visions and hear still voices. 



The physical environment was favorable to the development of such 

 a character. His native valley, from which he has never wandered, 

 764 



