Nevada City, CA — April 6, 2026
California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, protection, and perpetuation of Nisenan Cultural and Ancestral Homelands, is proud to announce a new public-facing name: HUṠWEJ (pronounced HOOSH-way).
HUṠWEJ is a Nisenan word meaning “wish.” The name reflects a shared vision for healing, Cultural restoration, and the continued revitalization of Nisenan knowledge, language, and relationship to Land. While the organization’s public name is changing, CHIRP’s legal name, mission, leadership and programs remain the same.
“This name represents more than a rebrand – it is an act of Cultural visibility and intention,” said Shelly Covert, Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribal Spokesperson and HUṠWEJ Executive Director. “HUṠWEJ carries our collective wish for Cultural continuity, healing, and responsibility to past and future generations.”
CHIRP will continue to operate legally as California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project, with HUṠWEJ serving as its public-facing identity. The organization’s work – including land rematriation efforts, Cultural revitalization, Tribal youth and community wellness programs, community education, and visibility through art – remains unchanged.
As part of this transition, the organization has launched a new website at www.huswej.org, where visitors can learn more about the meaning of the name, hear its pronunciation, and explore the Tribally-guided nonprofit’s ongoing programs and initiatives. The former website, www.chirpca.org, will redirect visitors to this new website at www.huswej.org.
The name change reflects a broader movement toward language reclamation and Indigenous self-determination, centering Nisenan Culture and worldview in both practice and public presence. For more information, visit www.huswej.org