Nisenan facts for kids

The Nisenan are a group of Native Americans who are native to California. They traditionally lived near the Yuba River and American River in Northern California. Their lands also included parts of the California Central Valley.

The Nisenan people are often grouped with the larger Maidu Native American group. However, some people disagree with this grouping. Because they lived in different areas, the Nisenan are sometimes called Valley Nisenan, Hill Nisenan, and Mountain Nisenan. Each of these groups had unique customs due to their different environments.

Even though the Nisenan have lived in these areas for a very long time, the United States government does not officially recognize them as a tribe. They used to have federal recognition through the Nevada City Rancheria. Today, some Nisenan people are part of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, which is a federally recognized tribe.

What's in a Name?

The name Nisenan comes from their own language. It means "among us" or "of us."

Sometimes, the Nisenan have been called Southern Maidu or Valley Maidu. While the name Maidu is still common, it's a very simple way to describe many different Native American groups. The Nisenan are a distinct group with their own history and culture.

Where the Nisenan Lived

The Nisenan lived in Northern California. Their territory stretched from the Sacramento River in the west to the Sierra Mountains in the east. To the south, their land reached near the Cosumnes River. To the north, it was between the northern fork of the Yuba River and the southern fork of the Feather River.

Other Native American tribes lived nearby. These included the Valley and North Sierra Miwok to the south. The Washoe lived to the east. To the north were the Konkow and other Maidu groups. The Patwin lived to the west.

Nisenan History and Challenges

Gold mining in California

Hydraulic mining changed the land.

At first, European-Americans did not greatly affect the Nisenan. Their first meetings with Spanish and U.S. explorers in the early 1800s were peaceful.

Impact of the Gold Rush

In 1833, a serious malaria sickness spread, killing many Nisenan and other nearby tribes. The California Gold Rush in 1849 brought huge changes. Their land was taken, their resources were destroyed, and more diseases spread. There was also violence and mass killings.

Many new people came because of the Gold Rush. Their heavy use of the land caused problems for the environment. This led to a drought, and people began to starve. The Nisenan population dropped from about 9,000 to just 2,500 by 1895. The few Nisenan who survived moved to the Sierra Nevada foothills and took low-paying jobs.

Nisenan Customs and Traditions

Early records about Nisenan customs can sometimes be confusing. This is because researchers often studied many areas at once. They also did their research long after tribes had faced major changes from European contact.

Birth Customs

According to some stories, if twins were born, they and their mother were sometimes killed. However, Richard B. Johnson, the current Tribal Chairman for the Nevada City Nisenan, says this is not true. He states that twins were seen as lucky if both survived.

Cradleboards were always made after a baby was born, because many babies did not survive birth. A pregnant mother nearing birth would avoid cold air, salt, meat, and cold water. After birth, the new mother and baby stayed in a special hut for 16 days. The husband kept a fire burning day and night. The mother slept sitting up for these 16 days. A warm flat stone was placed on her belly to help with recovery.

After 16 days, a big celebration and feast took place. The child was celebrated with family, and a name was chosen. It was common to name a child after an elder or ancestor. If no names were left in their family line, a close friend might let the parents use a name from their family.

The umbilical cord was cut with a special obsidian knife. The end of the cord was covered with charcoal. Mothers started breastfeeding two days after birth. Children were usually weaned, or stopped breastfeeding, at two or three years old.

Marriage Customs

In older Nisenan customs, parents arranged marriages. Once both sets of parents agreed, the couple was officially engaged. Shells and beads were given as gifts between the two families. A celebration was held for their union. Before the marriage was completed, the couple learned about their duties as a married pair. The man showed he could care for his wife by giving gifts to her parents.

Couples moved from the woman's home to their own place near the man's family. For several nights, the couple slept apart. Each night, the man was allowed to move a little closer to the woman. The marriage was complete when they were "within touching distance."

Widows, widowers, and divorced people often remarried without an engagement period. They no longer needed guidance from elders. Women who were widows could remarry after a mourning period of six months to three years. Men could remarry sooner. Many women chose to return to their own families rather than remarry. Marrying the deceased husband's brother was also an option. Before remarrying, it was important to get permission from the deceased spouse's relatives as a sign of respect.

Death Customs

Funeral burning rituals were very important in the Nisenan community. This included burning the body and all of the deceased person's belongings. Cremation was practical, especially for tribes who moved often. It made transportation easier and helped prevent grave robberies.

It was believed that the dead stayed in the area for a while before going to a land of the dead. This land did not judge people as good or bad. The deceased could take the form of animals or weather patterns. However, they were not welcome among the living. There was a clear line between the living and the dead. Even saying a deceased person's name was strongly discouraged.

Nisenan Language

The Nisenan language has many different dialects. It was spoken in the Sierra Nevada mountains, between the Cosumnes River and Yuba River. It was also spoken in the Sacramento Valley, between the American River and Feather River.

There were as many as 13 specific Nisenan dialects, with 8 of them well-documented. Previously, only 4 dialects were officially recorded:

• Valley Nisenan
• Northern Hill Nisenan
• Central Hill Nisenan
• Southern Hill Nisenan

Spanish Influence

The Spanish first came to California in the late 1700s. They built missions to settle the area, spread the Roman Catholic religion, take resources, and enslave native people. The Nisenan people had less contact with Spanish settlers from the coast compared to other tribes. Spanish missionaries did not disturb them much. However, Spanish and Mexican soldiers sometimes entered Nisenan land. They would capture enslaved native people who had escaped, find lost livestock, or travel through the area.

Nisenan Social Life

The Nisenan, like many tribes in central California, were not one big political group. Instead, they were many small, independent communities that shared a similar language. Each community spoke a slightly different version of the Nisenan language. This is why there are some differences in the language records.

Early writings about the Nisenan often focused only on men's roles. This made it seem like the Nisenan were a patriarchal society, where men held most of the power. It also suggested that new couples lived near the man's family and that leaders were chosen through the father's side of the family. Property customs also seemed to follow this male-focused system.

However, Nisenan tribal elders remember a society where women also held leadership roles through family ties. They recall a society that was equally matriarchal or focused on the mother's side of the family.

Daily Life of the Nisenan

Housing

The Nisenan built two main types of homes: Hu and K’um. The Hu was the common house where villagers lived. These were dome-shaped homes made from reeds (tule), earth, and wooden poles. The floors were covered with plants, and a fire burned in the center. Smoke escaped through a hole in the roof. Earth was piled on the outside of the Hu for extra warmth.

The K’um was a special building, partly dug into the ground. It was used for ceremonies and dances. These larger structures were found in bigger villages. The K’um also provided lodging for visitors. Its door faced east, and drums were placed opposite the door. The K’um had 2 to 4 large posts for support, depending on its size. It was considered bad luck to place a post in front of where the drums would go.

Food

Acorns were a very important food source. In the fall, villagers gathered acorns using long poles. The acorns were stored in a granary. Then, they were made into mush, thick soups, or cakes. Pine nuts, berries, and other plants were also gathered. Tule plants were eaten after being boiled or roasted over a fire.

Men typically hunted for animals. In small groups, they hunted deer, elk, and rabbits. Bears were hunted during the winter when they were hibernating. Fishing was also popular in areas near rivers. Freshwater fish like salmon, sturgeon, and trout were commonly caught. Besides plants and animals, the Nisenan also ate insects. Grubs, earthworms, and yellow jackets were smoked out of their nests and collected.

Currency and Trade

Shell beads were used to show wealth and as a form of money. The Nisenan did not make these beads themselves. They got them from coastal communities. Once the shell beads were worn down, holes were made in them so they could be strung together. This type of money was not always used with outside tribes.

The Valley Nisenan and Hill Nisenan often traded with each other. The Nisenan who lived in the valley traded fish, roots, shells, beads, salt, and feathers to the Hill Nisenan. In return, the Hill Nisenan traded black acorns, pine nuts, berries, animal skins, and wood needed to make bows.

Current Challenges and Hopes

As of 2020, about 147 Nisenan people lived in Nevada City, California. Their tribe is not officially recognized by the government. This means they cannot get federal protection or financial help.

In 1958, Congress passed the Rancheria Act. This law aimed to end the Rancheria System in California, which was a way for the government to manage Native American lands. While many tribes have had their recognition restored, the Nisenan were denied restoration of their Rancheria in 2015.

This denial means they miss out on federal health and housing services, education programs, and job help. Today, 87 percent of the tribe lives at or below California's poverty line. They face high rates of low education, unemployment, and poor health.

The main goal of the Nisenan people is to get their identity back and regain official recognition for their tribe. Nisenan Heritage Day is held every year. It showcases traditional dances and lets people learn about and join in practices like basket weaving. They also work hard to teach their language, which they see as their "connection to the land itself."