NISENAN
TRIBAL COUNCIL
The Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribal Council serves as the elected leadership and governing body of the Tribe. The Council carries responsibility for upholding Tribal sovereignty, guiding long-term vision, and ensuring that decisions reflect the values, needs, and wellbeing of the Nisenan People.
Rooted in accountability to the Tribal community, the Council provides directions on Cultural priorities, land stewardship, community care, and the Tribe’s ongoing efforts towards justice, recognition, and continuity on their Ancestral Homelands.
Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan TRibal COuncil
Current sitting Tribal Chairman of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe Richard Johnson was the last male child to be born on the Nevada City Rancheria reservation land. When he was two years old, he and his brother, along with the other Tribal children, were forcibly removed from the Tribal reservation, their families and Culture, and put into foster care. Though Richard was raised away from his Tribal family, he was able to spend time during the summers at the Rancheria with his grandparents, Pete and Margaret Johnson.
Richard is an author of the book History of Us, that details the legacy of injustices perpetrated against his family and the rest of the Tribal membership. Richard came back to the Culture later in life, but embraces the privilege to stand in this leadership position as Tribal Chairman.
RICHARD JOHNSON, Tribal Chairman
Virginia “Ginger” Covert is the first female Tribal Chairperson of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe. Virginia comes from a long line of leadership and her ancestry stretches back countless generations before the gold rush. Born in1945, Ginger’s generation was devastatingly affected by the boarding school experiences of her parents’ generation: a generation that was terrified to pass on cultural knowledge to their children for fear of persecution, racism and bigotry. Regardless of these fears instilled at the hands of Indian boarding schools, Native people of this generation became pivotal activists in the resurgence of pride in Native Culture and advocacy for the environment, animals and people.
Ginger currently serves as Vice Chairperson on the Nevada City Rancheria Tribal Council and holds a position on CHIRP’s Board of Directors, solely to be occupied by a Tribal Council member of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe.
VIRGINIA COVERT, Vice Chairperson
Shelly Covert is the Spokesperson for the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe. She sits on the Tribal Council and is Community Outreach Liaison. She is also the Executive Director of the non-profit, CHIRP (the California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project), whose mission is to preserve, protect and perpetuate Nisenan Culture. Nisenan Ancestral Homelands are located in the foothills of Northern California. Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribal members are direct, lineal descendants of the original Nisenan families who were here before gold was "discovered" in their waterways, bringing on the gold rush. All Tribal members remain in their Ancestral Homelands today. The Nevada City Rancheria was terminated through an act of Congress in 1964 and their reservation was sold. The Tribe still awaits the reversal of this termination.
Shelly curates CHIRP’s Visibility Through Art initiative with artist and Art Coordinator Mira Clark. It is through this explorative art initiative that we seek community conversation, depth of understanding and personal relevance in the traumatic history of the gold rush that took place in Nisenan Homelands.
SHELLY COVERT, Tribal Spokesperson
Lorena Davis serves as Treasurer on the Nevada City Rancheria Tribal Council. She was the fourth daughter of seven born to Dutch and Carmel Rose. Lorena lived much of her childhood “outdoors” with her parents as they followed opportunities for Dutch’s employment. Her early childhood experiences paired with her teenage years in the 1960’s brings a truly interesting lens to growing up as a Native girl in modern America. Elvis, the Beatles, poodle skirts, bouffant hairdos - against a backdrop of living in the woods without a house, give her an Elder’s insight that most of us couldn't imagine today. Lorena’s kindness and innate need to help guide her leadership style in the Tribe.
LORENA DAVIS, Council Member
Sarah Thomas is the youngest of Dutch Rose’s daughters. She has six children and like the majority of her Tribal family, remains here in the Homelands of her Nisenan Ancestors. Sarah sits on the Tribal Council of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe. Through recent art exploration, a true artist has been revealed in Sarah. Her pencil sketch of ‘ustomah, the original Nisenan word for what is now Nevada City, expresses a deep seeded longing for her Culture to be seen. In the sketch, modern day Nevada City sits atop ‘ustomah, depicting the way Nisenan Culture remains hidden underneath our modern American identity. Her brave expression of this longing to be seen is revealed beautifully in her newfound artistic awareness.
SARAH THOMAS, Council Member
Saxon Thomas was elected to the Nevada City Rancheria Tribal Council when he was 18 to represent the Youth voice of the Tribe. Saxon’s warm demeanor and wide scope of interests continues to enhance his skills in Tribal leadership. His curiosity has culminated in his knowledge today around family history, genealogy and the social interactions of many different people during the gold rush. Saxon’s mother, Sarah Thomas is of Nisenan descent and his father, Scott Thomas, is of Cornish descent. The Thomas’ were founders of Nevada City as well as the Champion Mine, giving Saxon a unique perspective on the clash and interactions of cultures during the gold rush. Saxon is a full-time CHIRP employee and continues to gain depth in leadership for his Tribal people.
SAXON THOMAS, Council Member
Photos curtesy of Sean Leydon
