Koi Nation
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 United States ( California) | |
| Languages | |
| English, traditionally Southeastern Pomo | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Pomo peoples |
The Koi Nation of the Lower Lake Rancheria is a federally recognized tribe of Southeastern Pomo people in Sonoma County, California.[1][2] Their name for their tribe is Koi Nation of Northern California, from their traditional village, Koi, once located on an island in Clear Lake.[3]
Government
The Lower Lake Rancheria is headquartered in Santa Rosa, California.[2] In 1961, the tribe organized under the Articles of Association. In June 2008, a new Constitution was ratified, replaced the Articles of Association.[4] The tribe is governed by a democratically elected five-person community council. The current tribal administration is as follows.
- Chairman: Darin Beltran[4]
- Vice Chairman: Drake Beltran
- Treasurer: Dino Beltran
- Secretary: Judy Morgan Faber
History
The Koi people were among the Southeastern Pomo who lived in north-central California for millennia. They fished, hunted, and gathered. In the 19th century, European-Americans rapidly flooded Pomo lands. The US government signed two treaties with Pomos in 1851–1852 which defined Pomo territory; however, these treaties were never ratified by congress. In 1856, the US government forcibly removed many Pomo people to a reservation in Mendocino County; however, the Koi remained on their island.[3]
In 1870, Koi people attended a historic Ghost Dance. By 1871, their homes had been burned and destroyed by European-Americans. Disease, enslavement, and murder greatly reduced their population. The federal government secured a parcel of land called Purvis Flat, which became the Lower Lake Rancheria, for the homeless Koi people. In Bureau of Indian Affairs then declared the land "uninhabitable" in 1937; however, the BIA reversed itself and demanded that Koi people had to live on the land or lose their rights to it. Seven tribal families lived on the rancheria in 1950. In 1956, the tribe sold the land to Lake County to use as an airport; however, the federal government never terminated their recognition of the tribe. The BIA finally reaffirmed tribal recognition of the Lower Lake Rancheria on 29 December 2000.[3]
See also
Notes
- ↑ Pritzker 155
- 1 2 "Tribal Directory." National Congress of American Indians. Retrieved 5 Nov 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Tribal History - The Koi Nation." Koi Nation of Northern California. Retrieved 5 Nov 2012.
- 1 2 "Tribal Council." Trinidad Rancheria. 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
References
- Pritzker, Barry M. A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0-19-513877-1