Stanger's Among Us (1849-1864)

The Konkow Valley Band of Maidu Indians believed, the Maidu (people) were made in their traditional areas in Butte and Plumas Counties in Northern California,based in the Foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Although the Konkow people were from the North Fork to the West Branch of the Feather River, they had problems off and on with neighboring tribes but nothing ike what was to come. In 1849, while out at his mill, John Sutter and one of his ranch hands discovered the Yellow Stone that would soon have all the newcomers heading to California looking for it. When Gold Fever struck the Konkow homelands and there was an abundance of pale, mossy faced people who smelled strange and a strange native tongue. Now we must remember in 1942 Columbus landed in the East coast, the invasion of the Indigenous people had started. It then worked its way across the planes like the plague, moving north and south it didn’t matter what was in its way all was consumed in time. Even though the whites made their way to California for the Gold Rush, no one from any of the Konkow villages had yet to encounter one. But slowly they worked their way into the Konkow Country. Along with miners, ranchers, fur trappers and so-called scholars began to arrive and along came sickness. These Scholars broke the Indigenous human beings of the area down into groups, The Southern Maidu( Nisanean), The Mountain Maidu, The Concow (KonKow and other neighboring tribes) By only studding the Konkow, scholars didn’t see how Sub Tribelets, inside of the Konkow area played a major part in our culture, language and political mindset. Yes, there were many villages, even large cities and districts but also there where Bands, subtribes not so much like a different tribe but more like the United States political system we have today. Si it started with a Nopani, he was the highest of them all. He is like the President of the Konkows, controlling or managing the whole Konkow area. Then comes the Shaman or Indian doctor (Yomi) He is the society leader, who healed the people with plants and has dreams of the future. Finally, we have the Yeponi( Headman ) He would be looked up to by the tribal members and settle disputes and make arraignments and if a law was broken, he would figure out the punishment. Our community today can trace their bloodline back to two Nopani’s, a few Yeponi’s and a few Doctors. In 1852, Mo-lay-yo, headed to Bidwell’s Ranch and signed the treaty (even though it was unratified) we still have documentation of it, a copy of it is at Chico State. And Tome-ye-nem was from the other side of the family and he was rounded up in 1864 and sent to Round Valley Indian Reservation with documentation working for Grant and his soliders.