My Story
The Mono
Nation Trade Route Hike
You
can hear rarely-shared insights and stories of the Mono Nation trade route
adventures in the audio interview with Lou Beihn, of the Mono People conducted by Cheryl
Frank of Ponderosa Telephone. Click the links in the player, turn up the volume
in your computer's control panel to hear Lou's story!
The Mono Nation Trade Route
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The Mono People have asked themselves:
How will our children learn to cherish their heritage and carry forth the ways
of our ancestors?
Over twenty years ago, the Mono People formed the Mono
Nation. The challenge was to inspire their youth to embrace the Mono tribal
culture and understand the significant role of the acorn to the daily diet of
their ancestors. To demonstrate the importance of the land and trading culture
of their people, volunteers Pat and Lou Beihn of North Fork have led summer
hikes across the spectacular Mono and Paiute high elevation passes for the past
nine years. These two people have been instrumental in enriching the cultural
lives of a multitude of Mono children, adults and elders with real trade route
experience and the spiritual memories of their ancestors.
Along this five day route, the Mono hikers
choose to fish, search out edible plants, weave baskets, participate in a
spiritual ceremony, grind acorns, share ancestral stories and songs and enjoy
each others’ company in the same manner as those who traveled this route before
them. Lou explains that “many kids, even adults, are very shy at first, but we
are patient and we allow them to participate in their own way, in their own
time. We often share remarkable wilderness adventures, and through those, we
form very close bonds for life. It is wonderful!”
Communications for Life
The Mono People understand the value of communication to
share their cultural heritage. At Ponderosa we also place a strong value on
communication and we are honored to deliver the Voice and Internet communication
technologies that enhance the lifestyles of the customers we serve.
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Photographs by Keith Sauer
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