Welcome to Buena Vista Rancheria
Band of Me-Wuk Indians
Casus Oliver
The Me-Wuk Indians have been living on aboriginal tribal land of what later became Amador County since at least 1817, more than 30 years before the devastation of northern California Tribal governments and communities that coincided with the start of the 1849 "Gold Rush."
THE OLIVER FAMILY
The story of Casus Oliver begins in the early 1800's. Casus and his mother were among the hundreds of Yokuts and Miwuk people of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys who were taken to Mission San Jose between 1811 and 1836, and their story is a welcome reminder that the Spanish missions did not succeed in destroying the native culture. Casus's mother brought him to Upusani Village, now Buena Vista, in the early 1880's.
In 1903, C. Hart Merriam interviewed Casus Oliver at Upusani and noted:
"His mother was stolen by the Spaniards when young and taken to the mission at San Jose, where the old man (Casus Oliver) spent his early boyhood. His mother took him and escaped. She joined a village of Mokalumne (Mokelumne) Indians near where the town of Lockeford now stands, and there they lived many many years – by far the greater part of his life – until the white men took up all the land and the remaining Mokalumnes were driven away and scattered. Now the tribe is practically extinct. This happened about twenty years ago as near as the old man can remember. He then came up to Amador County and joined the Mu-wa (Miwuk) settlement of You-poo-san-ne (Upusani), where he has since made his home. "
Deeper than gold: A guide to Indian life in the Sierra foothills, by Brian Bibby, Dugan Aguilar, 2005
It was there Casus met his wife, Lizzie Ganor, daughter of Susie and Charlie Ganor and documents tell of the Ganor family living at Buena Vista since "the sun first came up."
Sometime before the turn of the century, Casus Oliver became the Headman at Upusani. Casus and Lizzie Oliver began their family at Upusani in the late 1800’s, and had four children, John, Louie, Joseph and Josephine. Lizzie died in 1899, and years later, Casus remarried Amanda Winn, who had 12 children from previous marriages.
Casus settled in Buena Vista with his family, and remained Headman of Upusani until his death until his death in 1916. Casus and Lizzie’s children remained on the reservation for awhile, but Joseph died at an early age, and John and Josephine moved out of Amador County some time before the Indian Application for Enrollment requirements of 1929. John moved to Sonoma where he died in 1940. Josephine moved to Auburn and died in 1960.
Only Louie remained, with his wife, Annie, and their three children. At that time, members of Indian Rancherias filed records of enrollment with the county of jurisdiction, and the documents were completed by representatives of the government. Because most Native Americans spoke little or no English, translation was often based on the phonetic sounds, such as Cano for Ganor; and Alaba for Oliver . These ‘sound-like’ names are found in various records when referring to the Oliver or Ganor family. 1910 Census doc
Louie Oliver was 27 years old at the time of his father, Casus’ death in 1916. He and his wife, Annie, had one daughter at that time. They lived at the Buena Vista Rancheria and eventually had five children; Myrtle, Lucille, Elinor, Enos and Marie.
In 1927, the federal government purchased the Buena Vista property from Louie and Marjory Alpers in fee for the use of homeless Indians. The Olivers lived on the property at the time.
When the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Reorganization Act in 1934, Louie and Annie Oliver remained on the property. Myrtle and Marie died as children and according to the United States Indian Census Roll in 1941, Louie and Annie Oliver and their three children, Lucille, Elinor and Enos were the only ‘enrolled’ occupants of the Buena Vista Rancheria.
And when Congress passed the California Rancheria Act in 1958, Louie and Annie Oliver were deeded the property:
Louie & Annie Oliver
“Mr. Oliver is the only assignee and he and his family are the only Indians who have lived on the Rancheria since 1935.”
Louie and Annie loved their heritage and their land. They celebrated their customs and their culture through annual gatherings, welcoming all tribes.
"Sponsoring a "feed" was a traditional responsibility for a Miwuk captain, and one that Casus's son Louie maintained following his father's death in 1916. Several long tableswere set out and groups of people would take turns eating. Elders remember Louie pacing back and forth behind seated diners, repeatedly encouraging them to eat heartily by bellowing, "ewway'epo! ewway'epo!" These annual gatherings took place on Memorial Day and lasted into the late 1960's. Louie Oliver died in 1973. Today, though the roundhouse has long since collapsed and reverted to the earth, and the old hosts have passed on, memories of sunny May afternoons, abundant servings of good food, and warm hospitality remain in the hearts and minds of many."
Deeper Than Gold: A guide to Indian life in the Sierra foothills, by Brian Bibby, Dugan Aguilar, 2005
Over the years, it was difficult for tribes, and the promised assistance from the federal governments never came. Not until 1983 did the Buena Vista and 16 other tribes win their law suit to be reinstated as federally- recognized Indian tribes, and reestablish their rights to critical forms of federal assistance. See Hardwick v. United States, No. C-79-1710 SW (N.D. Cal. 1979).
But Louie and Annie remained on the land they knew as their home. If not for them, the Buena Vista Rancheria would not exist, for had they moved on as did their siblings, the land would not have remained in the family. Even after their children moved on, Louie and Annie stayed on the reservation.