Lecture discusses the cultural legacy of Cave Rock

      On March 20, the staff of the Nevada Historical Society will host a public lecture on "The Cultural Legacy of Cave Rock" by Warren d'Azevedo, professor emeritus of anthropology, University of Nevada, Reno. The program is being staged in conjunction with the current exhibition in the Changing Gallery of the society's Reno museum: "The People: A History of the Native Americans of Nevada Through Photography."
      The lecture begins at 7 p.m. and is free to the public. The museum is at 1650 N. Virginia St. in Reno.
      The cultural legacy of Cave Rock, a scenic feature on the east shore of Lake Tahoe, is a current issue since officials of the U.S. Forest Service closed the formation to rock climbing a few weeks ago in deference to the cultural and religious sensibilities of the Washoe tribe, for whom this pyramid-shaped outcrop is a sacred site. Rock climbers, organized through The Access Fund, are planning legal action because they believe they have the right to make recreational use of Cave Rock since it is public property.
      Known in Washoe as "Wadapush De'ek" (Standing Rock), Cave Rock was one of the first features noted by Euro-American explorers in the 1840s. From the Washoes, according to Euro-American folklore, they learned of the ancient enemies of lake basin peoples once imprisoned in a cave there who died in a rising flood. Cave Rock, in Washoe mythology, is also believed to be inhabited by the Metsunge, "waterbabies," the guardians of all the streams, rivers and lakes of western Nevada. The wrath of Metsunge could bring on disease, death and natural disasters.
      People with special powers adopted the Metsunge as their guardian spirits, however, and visited the site from time to time to commune with them.
      Euro-Americans, never particularly respectful of American Indian traditions, have always found Cave Rock to be a communications and transportation impediment. In December 1862, the Nevada Territorial Legislature authorized the construction of the Lake Bigler toll road, which involved a 100-foot trestle bridge set upon hand-hewn granite buttresses taking wagon traffic around the western edge of Cave Rock.
      Shortly after the turn of the century, motorists began to use this route between California and Nevada and plans were formulated for the first tunnel, a bore 26 feet wide; 18 feet, 6 inches high; and 164 feet in length. Nevada Construction Company of Fallon won the contract and the first auto traffic passed through on Sept. 19, 1931. Twenty-five years later, July 1956, work on a second tunnel began. The new thoroughfare opened on October 16, 1957.
      Members of the Washoe tribe had serious misgivings about this desecration of Cave Rock, but were powerless to oppose the construction of the tunnels. Today, in an era of greater sensitivity to minority concerns, the Washoes hope to permanently protect this sacred symbol of their cultural heritage from further harm and misuse.
     
      Phillip I. Earl is curator of history for the Nevada Historical Society.