The Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, previously known as Smith River Rancheria, is a federally recognized tribe of Tolowa people in

Del Norte County, California ), in California , seat_type = County seat , seat = Crescent City , parts_type = Largest city , parts = Crescent City , unit_pref = US , area_total_sq_mi = 1230 , area_land_sq_mi = 1006 , area_water_sq_mi = 223 , elevation_max_footnote ...

."Smith River Rancheria."
''SDSU: California Indians and Their Reservations.'' Retrieved 4 June 2012. They are Athabascan people, distantly related to northern Athabascans of eastern

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S ...

and western

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

, as well as the Apache and Navajo peoples of the American Southwest. As of the 2010 Census the population of this group was 113. Tolowa people are also part of other federally recognized tribes in northern California and Oregon.

Government

The Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation is headquartered in Smith River, California. They are governed by a democratically elected, seven-member tribal council. Their current tribal administration is as follows: * Chairperson: Jeri Lynn Thompson * Vice Chairperson: Scott Sullivan * Secretary: Debbie Boardman * Treasurer: Jaytuk Steinruck * Councilmember: Dr. Joseph Giovannetti * Councilmember: Amanda O'Connell * Councilmember: Dorothy Wait * Executive Director: Troy Ralstin

Reservation

The Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation is a federally recognized tribe, which owns 805 acres of land on or adjacent to its reservation in Del Norte County, north of Crescent City. The Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation was established in 1906; their land used to consist of only 30-acres. The nearest community is Smith River, while the nearest incorporated city is Brookings, Oregon, about 10 miles to the north. In 1862, the US Government established the Smith River Reservation, which consisted of 16,000 acres and which was abandoned by the U.S. in 1868.

Economic development

The Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation (Smith River Rancheria) owns and operates the Lucky 7 Casino and Xaa-wan'-k'wvt Village Resort in Smith River, California."California Casinos - Indian Casinos by Tribe."
''500 Nations.'' Retrieved 4 June 2012.

Notable members

* Eunice Bommelyn,

Tolowa language The Tolowa language (also called Chetco-Tolowa, or Siletz Dee-ni) is a member of the Pacific Coast subgroup of the Athabaskan language family. Together with three other closely related languages (Lower Rogue River Athabaskan, Upper Rogue River ...

proponent, cultural advocate, genealogist, and historian. * Loren Me'-lash-ne Bommelyn, linguist, educator, traditionalist, historian, genealogist, basket weaver *

Dr. Joseph Giovannetti Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...

, professor, writer, lecturer, genocide expert, CSU Humboldt, Sports Hall of Fame, track & field * Drew Roberts, CSU Humboldt, Sports Hall of Fame, football * Jolanda Ingram Obie, attorney *Ron James, carver

Notes

External links

Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation
official website * , Four Directions Institute {{authority control Tolowa Native American tribes in California Federally recognized tribes in the United States Del Norte County, California 1906 establishments in California Populated coastal places in California