BEN RUPERT (DUCK VALLEY SHOSONE-PAIUTE,WASHOE DESCENT)
Treasurer of the Nevada Indian Territory
Carson City, Nevada
Nevada’s Indian Territory represents all 28 tribes across the state, and our mission is to change the world through eco-cultural tourism. We want visitors to travel the Great Basin in a meaningful and respectful way, learning our languages, stories and traditions while understanding that this land holds deep Indigenous roots. I believe tourism should move beyond merely sustaining culture to regenerating it, connecting people to the environment and to one another. Through our “Explore Native Nevada” app, travelers can visit our homelands, attend powwows and experience places through their original names and histories. My art, my dancing and even projects like our upcoming Togugunde Observatory are all about honoring the land and the heavens above us, and ensuring that when people come here, they walk away changed, with a sense of respect and belonging.
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This article appeared in the November 2025 print edition of the magazine with the headline “#IATW.”
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