NEVADA CITY, CA – Grass Valley City Council took firm steps forward during November’s Native American Heritage Month and adopted Resolution Number 2022-81 codifying support for the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe’s petition for Federal Recognition.
The Nevada City Rancheria Tribal Council is especially thankful to City Manager Tim Kiser and Council Member Bob Branstrom as well as the entire City Council of Grass Valley for this motion.
Shelly Covert, Tribal Spokesperson for the Nevada City Rancheria and Executive Director of the Tribally guided non-profit California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP), shared the the significance of this announcement made in agreement from all people involved,
“Restoring Federal Recognition to the Nevada City Rancheria is at the top of our priority list. The resolution from Grass Valley leadership is one more vote in a growing chorus of voices who are stepping up to restore some semblance of what was taken from the Tribe. Originally recognized by Executive Order in 1913, the Tribe held 76 acres of Federal Trust land as the ‘Nevada City Rancheria’. Unfortunately, the Tribe was terminated in 1964 and the land was sold at auction. Without Federal Recognition, the ability to self-govern and provide for our people is extremely limited. Our people have always been here and we have survived a pretty horrific past.”
City Manager Tim Kiser recognized the need for solidarity in support of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe,
“The Grass Valley community acknowledges the continuous existence of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe and supports the restoration of its Federal recognition. The Nevada City Nisenan Tribe has not been able to benefit from Federal Indian Programs — but over the last few years and with support from the Nevada County Board of Supervisors, Nevada County Historical Society, City Council of the City of Nevada City and now The City Council of City of Grass Valley, steps have been made by community leaders to support the Tribe into the future.”
The Grass Valley City Council meets at 7:00 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month and is open to the public. To follow the Council and learn more, please visit www.cityofgrassvalley.com.
To learn more about the Tribe and ways you can support: www.chirpca.org.
California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP) is a 501c3 charitable organization originally founded to research, document and preserve the history and culture of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe. This non-profit is guided by the Nevada City Rancheria Tribal Council. With financial and community support, CHIRP seeks to “creatively mimic” programs that will support the preservation, protection and perpetuation of the Nisenan people and their culture into the future, while advocating for the restoration of the Nevada City Rancheria’s Federal Recognition. For more information, contact CHIRP at info@chirpca.org, or find them on Facebook at: facebook.com/NevadaCityNisenan.