Frequently Asked Questions

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 The Pakan'yani Maidu of Strawberry Valley Rancheria are Mountain Maidu people whose ancestors have lived in the foothills and mountains of northeastern California since time immemorial. Our name "Pakan'yani" means "people of the water" in our traditional language, reflecting our deep connection to the watersheds of the Feather and American Rivers. 

 Our ancestral territory encompasses the drainage of the Feather and American Rivers, from the Sacramento Valley east to the crest of the Sierra Nevada. This includes the areas around Strawberry Valley, Woodleaf, and Challenge in Yuba County. 

 No. We are not a newly formed organization seeking recognition—we are an ancient people seeking the restoration of a federal relationship that was wrongfully terminated in 1961. Our tribal sovereignty was never extinguished. 

 In 1961, the Strawberry Valley Rancheria was terminated under the California Rancheria Termination Act. The federal government distributed our 1/3 acre of trust land and ended federal services. However, it is critically important to understand that the termination of the Rancheria did not terminate the Tribe. Our tribal sovereignty, cultural practices, and community relationships continued uninterrupted. 

 The United States government formally recognized our tribe for 110 years (1851-1961) through:

• 1851: Treaty negotiations at Camp Union near Yuba River (our headman Ya-Lo signed the treaty)
• 1905-1906: Federal census documenting 40+ Strawberry Valley Indians under federal jurisdiction
• 1918: Federal trust land establishment creating Strawberry Valley Rancheria (the smallest reservation ever created by the federal government)
• 1935: Indian Reorganization Act participation (10 tribal members identified for voting)
• 1961: Rancheria termination (land distributed, NOT tribal status)

 Yes. Under established federal Indian law, tribal sovereignty predates the United States and continues to exist independent of federal recognition. As federal courts have ruled: "Once recognized as a political body by the United States, a tribe retains its sovereignty until Congress acts to divest that sovereignty."

The California Rancheria Termination Act did not terminate tribes—it only affected individual Indians who received distribution of assets.

 We are currently pursuing federal recognition restoration through the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Federal Acknowledgment under 25 CFR § 83.12 (the reaffirmation process for previously acknowledged tribes). 

Because we have documented previous federal acknowledgment (1851-1961), we qualify for a significantly reduced evidentiary burden. Instead of proving all seven standard criteria in detail, we must demonstrate:

• Evidence of previous federal acknowledgment ✓
• Present community existence ✓
• Political authority since termination ✓
• Current governing document and membership ✓

 The typical timeline is 4-5 years from petition submission through final determination:

• Year 1: Petition submission and initial review
• Years 2-3: Phase I Technical Assistance Review (Criteria 4-7)
• Years 3-4: Phase II Technical Assistance Review (Criteria 1-3)
• Year 4-5: Final determination by Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs

 Yes. Seventeen other California rancherias have been successfully restored through similar processes, establishing strong precedent for our restoration. 

 Our current Tribal Council consists of:

• Co-Chair: Alejandra Ramirez
• Co-Chair: Scott Dinsmore
• Treasurer: Rea Cichocki
• Council Members: Anna Gerhart, Shane Noel, Tina Goodwin

 We are represented by Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt (Seattle office), specifically Partners Connie Sue Martin and Sarah Roubidoux Lawson, who specialize in federal Indian law and tribal recognition. 

 Our tribal constitution was adopted in 2000 and includes our membership criteria, governance structure, and tribal objectives. Our primary purpose is to preserve the culture of the Strawberry Valley Rancheria Maidu and to educate the public about our culture. 

 Our tribal enrollment is currently closed and will remain closed until we achieve federal recognition. This closure is based on legal counsel's advice to protect the integrity of our federal recognition petition.

Here's why:

• Federal Recognition Criterion (g) requires that "neither the petitioner nor its members are the subject of congressional legislation that has expressly terminated or forbidden the Federal relationship"
• Legal Strategy: To strengthen our petition, we must demonstrate stable membership that existed during and after the termination period, showing continuous political authority and community cohesion
• Risk Management: Adding new members during the petition process could potentially be viewed as expanding membership for petition purposes rather than demonstrating historical continuity
• Timeline: Our federal recognition process is expected to take 4-5 years from petition submission

 Enrollment will reopen after we successfully achieve federal recognition. Once federally recognized, our Tribal Council will have full sovereign authority to make enrollment decisions according to our Constitution and enrollment ordinances.

As the legal analysis states: "Indian tribes are 'distinct, independent political communities, retaining their original natural rights' in matters of local self-government...They have power to make their own substantive law in internal matters, including membership."

 If you believe you may be eligible for tribal membership based on our criteria, we encourage you to:

1. Document your genealogy: Begin gathering family records, birth certificates, death certificates, and any documentation connecting you to historically documented Strawberry Valley tribal members
2. Research your ancestors: Look for connections to: 
   • Ya-Lo (1851 treaty signatory and headman)
   • Individuals listed in the 1905-1906 Kelsey Survey
   • Participants in the 1935 Indian Reorganization Act election
   • Residents of Strawberry Valley Rancheria prior to 1961

1. Stay informed: Sign up for our newsletter or check our website regularly for updates on our federal recognition progress
2. Maintain your contact information: When enrollment reopens, we want to ensure you receive notification

 Once we achieve federal recognition, the Tribal Council will:

• Establish or reactivate the Enrollment Committee
• Announce the reopening of enrollment with clear application procedures
• Review applications according to our Constitutional membership criteria
• Make enrollment decisions based on documented genealogical descent and tribal relationships

 According to our Constitution Article II, tribal membership consists of:

Section 1 - Eligible Members:

• (a) All persons of Maidu Indian blood who resided on or near the Strawberry Valley Rancheria at any time prior to the distribution of the assets of the Rancheria under the California Rancheria Act (pre-1961)
• (b) All persons who were identified as Indians from the Strawberry Valley area in any of the official or unofficial rolls of Indians prepared by the Bureau of Indian Affairs
• (c) All other persons who are direct lineal descendants of persons qualifying as members under subsections (a) or (b) and who have maintained a relationship with the Tribe

Section 2 - Enrollment Restrictions:You are not eligible for membership if:

• You are officially enrolled with another federally-recognized tribe, OR
• You have received an assignment of allotment of land on another federally-recognized tribe's reservation

Exception: Interests in tribally assigned allotted land acquired by gift, inheritance, or devise do not make you ineligible.

Special Provision: If you are enrolled with another federally-recognized tribe but execute a Notice of Intention to Relinquish Membership, you may be considered for membership once we achieve federal recognition (subject to completing formal relinquishment).

  Federal regulations require that the tribe's membership be "composed principally of persons who are not members of any acknowledged North American Indian tribe" (25 CFR § 83.11(f)). This is one of the seven mandatory criteria we must satisfy for federal recognition.

However, our Constitution recognizes that some individuals may have historical connections to multiple tribes through marriage, adoption, or family relationships, which is why we have provisions for relinquishment of membership in other tribes.

 Based on legal analysis, descendants of Sophia O. Wyman (the distributee who received the Strawberry Valley Rancheria land in 1961) cannot be included in our current membership roll during the federal recognition petition process due to Criterion (g) requirements.

However, legal counsel has advised that after successful federal recognition, the Tribal Council could potentially enroll descendants of Sophia O. Wyman through our enrollment criteria if we chose to do so, as tribes have inherent sovereign authority over membership decisions once federally recognized.

 Please contact our Tribal Council with specific enrollment questions. While we cannot process applications at this time, we are happy to provide information about our membership criteria and the federal recognition timeline.

Note: All enrollment decisions, once reopened, will be made by our Enrollment Committee and Tribal Council according to our Constitution and enrollment ordinances. All application materials will be kept confidential and secure.

 Federal recognition will restore our government-to-government relationship with the United States and provide:

• Eligibility for federal programs and services: Healthcare (IHS), housing, education grants, and economic development funding
• Land-into-trust authority: Ability to place land under federal protection and tribal jurisdiction
• Gaming revenue sharing: For restored California tribes with fewer than 350 gaming machines, automatic eligibility for quarterly payments from the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund (up to $1.1 million annually)
• Tribal sovereignty rights: Self-governance, jurisdiction over members, treaty rights
• Federal contracting preferences: Access to 8(a) business development program

 Our focus is on cultural preservation, sustainable economic development, and community well-being. Any economic development decisions, including potential gaming operations, would be made by the Tribal Council in consultation with tribal members and aligned with our Seven Generations philosophy. 

 Our approach to decision-making honors the traditional Indigenous principle of considering the impact of our actions on seven generations into the future. This guides our environmental stewardship, economic development, cultural preservation, and federal recognition strategy. 

• Federal Recognition Restoration: 4-5 year process through Bureau of Indian Affairs (petition preparation in advanced stages)
• Ancestral Territory Recovery: Land acquisition in Strawberry Valley area for community space
• Economic Development & Sustainability: Cultural tourism, educational facilities, and diversified tribal economy
• Partnership Development: Strategic alliances with organizations like Trust for Public Land and Native-focused foundations