Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are on the territories of the Nisenan and Miwok peoples, as well as potentially unrecognized tribes. We acknowledge that they are still here today, though nearly invisible through ongoing genocidal efforts.
We understand that we are on unceded land which has been in the hands of generations of indigenous custodians for thousands of years before us and will continue to be in their hands long after us. We understand that the original tribal families have yet to recover from the near genocide of their people.
We honor the ongoing resistance to present day genocide and colonization of all oppressed communities and commit to actions and spaces of solidarity and building in the name of abolition of all oppression.
Resources
While we are currently in the Sacramento area, some of our participants may not be in the same geographic area. Use this website to find whose land you currently reside on.
Thinking about writing your own land acknowledgement for your home, school, place of employment, etc.? Here are some very important things to think about while crafting one.
The Nevada City Rancheria was created from an executive order by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913 from a land allotment obtained by Chief Charlie Cully in 1887. Cully's land on Cement Hill became Federal Trust Land and the Tribal government became a federally recognized entity.
The Nevada City Rancheria was one of 48 Rancherias illegally terminated in the 1950s and 1960s by the California Rancheria Termination Acts. Most have been restored; the Nevada City Nisenan Rancheria has not—yet.
The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, a federally recognized Indian tribe, will protect and enhance the quality of life of its members by preserving, protecting and promoting its history, culture and traditions; promoting self-sufficiency and a strong work ethic; exercising the powers of self-government and sovereign immunity; while providing social, health, economic and educational resources, opportunities and services that contribute to the well-being of the tribal community.
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. Over the years, the organization has grown in focus and capacity to better serve the Tribe’s goals and needs. Because the Nevada City Rancheria is no longer recognized by the United States, Tribal members are denied access to the federal Indian programs created to support their health, education, housing and economic stability. 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.