Nisenan
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The Nisenan, also known as the Southern Maidu and Valley Maidu, are one of many native groups of the Central Valley. The name Nisenan, as with many Native American tribes, means "people". Only a few members survive, and of the two languages, Chico is now extinct, and Nisenan has only one speaker left.
[edit] Territory
The Nisenan lived primarily within the borders of the American River to the south, the Sacramento River up to the Feather River to the west, the Yuba River to the north, and the foot of the Sierra Mountains to the east. Villages concentrated around the rivers (namely the American and Sacramento rivers, with a high concentration between th Bear River and the north fork of the American). Often they encompased both sides of the rivers sharing territory with the Miwok to the south, the Patwin to the west, and the Northern Maidu to the north.
