Jim Potts has a long history and close connection to Yuba County.
Potts was one of an estimated 1,000 people who attended the four-day, 18th annual Indigenous Peoples Days put on by the Tsi Akim Maidu tribe at Sycamore Ranch in Browns Valley.
"I was born on the Yuba River and five days later I was taken to Yuba City to get my birth certificate," said Potts, who is half Maidu and lives in Amador County.
Potts, who makes and sells pine needle baskets, said the biggest thing is bringing awareness about the tribe and its efforts to all people.
"We're here to care for the environment and specifically the river," said Potts. "We want to preserve it not just for our own family but for everyone."
Potts, 70, who served in the Army and attended Chico State, said growing up and going through school as a Native American was a challenge.
"I've been living my culture forever," Potts said. "They can take your land but they can't take the land out of you."
Sunday's activities were broadcast world wide through KVMR, a Nevada City radio station.
"This has been the biggest and best of the events, and it keeps growing," said Don Ryberg of Colfax, chairman of the Tsi Akim Maidu tribe. "This is why we came here, because we were having growing pains."
Ryberg said KMYC invited the tribe to produce a monthly show at the Marysville radio station.
"It's a big thing for this tribe," said Ryberg, of the Yuba County venue they've been holding the event at for the past few years. "We have land, leased land, but land."
Anni McCann of Nevada City, the stage, program and media coordinator with the tribe, said reconnecting people with the land is what happens through the ceremony and celebration and added that preserving the language is an important part of the event.
"People sitting together feeling the good, healing vibes is the whole purpose of the us being here," said McCann. "Good words, good music, good people, with lots of laughter and dance."
"Indigenous Peoples Days is the effort of the tribe and supporters to encourage education and healing by replacing Columbus Day with a native based event, sharing history and culture through ceremony, celebration and feast," according to a press release about the event.
