Momin Nisenan Print
Art: Momin Nisenan
Artist: Jessa Hurst & Fabienne Annick
Collection: VTA 2022: Perspectives on Erasure
Art Description: This piece explores the Nisenan Mermaid knowledge.
Tribal Member Shelly Covert shared, "There were many stories of one-legged people with long hair who lived in deep holes in the water. There was one known to be living in Wolf Creek. These beings were described as having one foot and long hair and another that had a fin and could change faces. Nisenan were warned, 'Don’t stare at the water ripples ... or the Momim Nisenan will pull you in, and drown you.'" In one story, two young Nisenan were fishing in a deep hole and pulled one of them out. They wanted to keep him, but he wanted to be put back in the water. He told them it would never rain again if they didn’t put him back. Unbelieving, they brought the Momim Nisenan to the headman and asked to keep him. The headman said, "No, put him back." So they did...
Art: Momin Nisenan
Artist: Jessa Hurst & Fabienne Annick
Collection: VTA 2022: Perspectives on Erasure
Art Description: This piece explores the Nisenan Mermaid knowledge.
Tribal Member Shelly Covert shared, "There were many stories of one-legged people with long hair who lived in deep holes in the water. There was one known to be living in Wolf Creek. These beings were described as having one foot and long hair and another that had a fin and could change faces. Nisenan were warned, 'Don’t stare at the water ripples ... or the Momim Nisenan will pull you in, and drown you.'" In one story, two young Nisenan were fishing in a deep hole and pulled one of them out. They wanted to keep him, but he wanted to be put back in the water. He told them it would never rain again if they didn’t put him back. Unbelieving, they brought the Momim Nisenan to the headman and asked to keep him. The headman said, "No, put him back." So they did...
Art: Momin Nisenan
Artist: Jessa Hurst & Fabienne Annick
Collection: VTA 2022: Perspectives on Erasure
Art Description: This piece explores the Nisenan Mermaid knowledge.
Tribal Member Shelly Covert shared, "There were many stories of one-legged people with long hair who lived in deep holes in the water. There was one known to be living in Wolf Creek. These beings were described as having one foot and long hair and another that had a fin and could change faces. Nisenan were warned, 'Don’t stare at the water ripples ... or the Momim Nisenan will pull you in, and drown you.'" In one story, two young Nisenan were fishing in a deep hole and pulled one of them out. They wanted to keep him, but he wanted to be put back in the water. He told them it would never rain again if they didn’t put him back. Unbelieving, they brought the Momim Nisenan to the headman and asked to keep him. The headman said, "No, put him back." So they did...