The Paiute are Native American peoples who have lived in the Great Basin region of the western United States for thousands of years. Their traditional homelands stretch across what is now Nevada, Utah, eastern California, and parts of Oregon, Idaho, and Arizona: a vast area of deserts, sagebrush valleys, and mountains.

The name Paiute actually refers to several related but distinct groups. The Northern Paiute lived around Pyramid Lake and other areas of Nevada and Oregon. The Southern Paiute made their homes in the Mojave Desert and near the Colorado River. The Owens Valley Paiute lived along the eastern slopes of California's Sierra Nevada. Though they shared similar languages and some cultural practices, each group developed ways of life suited to their specific environment.

The Great Basin where the Paiute lived is one of the most challenging environments in North America: hot and dry, with limited water and food sources. The Paiute became experts at finding and using hundreds of different desert plants for food, medicine, and materials. They harvested pine nuts, gathered wild seeds, hunted rabbits and other small game, and caught fish in lakes and rivers. They lived in small family groups that moved seasonally to follow food sources, showing remarkable knowledge of their land.

Today, Paiute people live throughout their traditional territories and beyond, maintaining their cultural traditions while also participating in modern American life. Several Paiute tribes have their own governments and lands.