We are incredibly grateful for all the support we received during our most recent solititation for supportive public comment letters and would like to provide an update. 

 

We received over 300 public comments submitted over the period from November 2018 to December 2024. Significantly, the overwhelming majority of the comments (with two exceptions) affirmatively supported federal acknowledgment of the SSMN. The public comments are powerful evidence of the widespread recognition of the SSMN as a distinct Indian community “at present” and represent a broad community repudiation of the Proposed Finding.

 

Please read a copy of the letter we filed with the Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA) on March 14, 2024 available on our website at https://www.southernsierramiwuknation.org/federal-recognition

 

The filing of the letter completes the Tribe’s response under the federal acknowledgment regulations. The next step is for the OFA/Assistant Secretary to review the Tribe’s submissions and issue their decision in accordance with the regulations. It is our hope, and strong expectation, that the Assistant Secretary will reject the earlier Proposed Finding and issue an amended finding of federal acknowledgment. However, this is likely to take some time in view of the voluminous evidence submitted by the Tribe.

 

We are sincerely grateful for everyone's efforts. The display of solidarity by our community and beyond are heartening and we feel encouraged in our fight for federal recognition.