Man works to preserve Maidu history on Thanksgiving
KOVR
By Conor McGill
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ROSEVILLE, California (KOVR) — On a day that highlights the deep Native American roots woven into the foundation of the United States, one Roseville man is working tirelessly to keep his culture alive.
Michael Ramirez, a member of the Konkow Maidu Tribe and a Native historian, begins each encounter with a greeting in his Native language, an act he considers essential to preserving a culture that has survived against the odds.
“How are you? My name is Michael Ramirez… my feet are here in Roseville, California,” he says, speaking in Konkow.
For Ramirez, those words are more than a tradition. They’re a promise to honor the generations before him.
Ramirez says the mission is urgent. His band, the Strawberry Band of Konkow Maidus, is down to around 70 people. Each one plays a role in ensuring their language, stories, and land stewardship practices don’t disappear.
His cultural connection runs deep. Ramirez is the great-grandson of Bertha Nye Norton, considered one of Sacramento’s founding Native mothers. He says carrying her legacy fuels his commitment.
“She saw nothing but hope in all her grandkids and I’ve got to make that mean something,” he said.
As part of that effort, Ramirez now serves as a tour guide, helping visitors understand the major moments his ancestors endured and the resilience it took to survive them.
“To be a living survivor, a living piece of history that was literally meant to be wiped out is astounding,” he said.
For Ramirez, preserving culture isn’t just about honoring the past. It’s about protecting the land his people worked, shaped, and depended on.
“This land was the product of hard work. It wasn’t something that magically happened,” he said.
Despite challenges, Ramirez says giving up is not an option. He continues to push for education, visibility, and cultural relevance beyond symbolic gestures.
“I continue to fight for education… I can’t help but be optimistic. I refuse to give up,” he said.
And on this holiday, Ramirez says he’s thankful, expressing his gratitude once more through the language of his ancestors:
“Welcome, family. Have a good day. Be a good day,” he says in Konkow.
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