Help our tribe’s peaceful ceremony of resistance, our spiritual commitment to protect the Coming of Age ceremonies for our young women from public interference and harassment.
When: Thursday afternoon, May 24 – Sunday May 27, 2012
Bring: Camping gear, TP, food donations, first aid kits, canteens, inflatable boats,inner tubes, canoes, kayaks, and a peaceful, humble willingness to help.
If you have a pre-existing health issues (such as allergies to bee stings, pollen, etc.), remember to bring your own medications.
Remember: There is no cell phone service at the site. Also, try to car pool. Parking will be limited.
Directions to Kaibai (McCloud Bridge Campground)
From Interstate 5, take exit 698 for Gilman Road. Turn right on Gilman road. You will follow this windy road for about 12. 5 miles before crossing the McCloud Bridge. Once past the bridge, campground is on your right.
Because of water releases from the Shasta Dam, it is possible the dancegrounds at the site could be flooded. The alternative site will be Hirz Bay campground just south of McCloud Bridge. We will be ready for volunteers on Thursday afternoon.
Meals are an important part of our ceremonies, and it is our responsibility to feed all who attend, But as a small tribe with limited resources, we need assistance, especially it will be hard to estimate how many will attend. Please consider bringing food donations. Here is the list.
Meats (cooked for meals or cooked in stews and already frozen)
venison
salmon
beef roast stew
browned hamburger
chicken, precooked and frozen for dishes
Vegetarian stews (packaged and frozen)
Chili beans (packaged and frozen)
fresh vegetables like
summer squash
onions,
tomatoes,
corn,
chilies,
broccoli
eggplant
lettuce
any kind of veggies, but preferably those which can be used to make a meal with other things.
Fresh fruit and melons for breakfast
Lots of tortillas,
Potatoes for potato salad or breakfast already cooled and bagged up
macaroni already cooked and bagged up
eggs
bread and sandwich fixing.
If bringing cold cuts, they should be frozen and put into the cooler together.
We need mayonnaise,
spaghetti sauce,
salad dressings
Rice,
flour,
sugar
Rice milk,
almond milk. These are preferred over cow’s milk.
Thursday, May 31 & Friday, June 1. Two separate events in Oakland.
The Winnemem Dancers rush the fire at the end of H'up Chonas, or war dance.
A unique opportunity to learn about current struggles of Native peoples to protect sacred land in Northern California and ways that you can lend support.
FEATURED PRESENTERS:
Caleen Sisk (Winnemem Wintu)
Speaking about current Winnemem struggles
Jim Brown III (Elem Pomo)
Speaking about Rattlesnake Island
Corrina Gould (Chochenyo/Karkin Ohlone)
Speaking about Brushy Peak
Wounded Knee DeOcampo (Tuolumne Miwok)
Speaking about Sogorea Te/ Glen Cove
Only at Friday June 1st event:
Morning Star Gali (Achumawi Pit River)
Speaking about Medicine Lake
TWO DATES/LOCATIONS IN OAKLAND:
Thursday, May 31st
5:30pm @ INTERTRIBAL FRIENDSHIP HOUSE
523 International Boulevard, Oakland, CA
Friday, June 1st
7:00pm @ THE HOLD-OUT
2313 San Pablo Ave, Oakland, CA
Admission $5-$20 * No one turned away for lack of funds
A program of several short videos will precede the panel discussions, including:
“A River in their Veins”, on the Winnemem Wintu’s Coming of Age ceremony in 2010, a tradition that could be gone forever if the sacred sites necessary for the ceremony are permanently submerged by a raise of the Shasta Dam.
Caleen Sisk, Spiritual Leader and Tribal Chief: 530-710-4817
James Ward, media relations: 530-638-5580
WinnememWintu Tribe needs 4-day closure of 400-yard section of McCloud River to Perform Girls’ Traditional Coming of Age Ceremony
Please download and share via facebook! Save our ceremony!
Redding, CA
–U.S. Forest Service Region 5 Forester Randy Moore has missed his May 1 deadline to respond to the Winnemem Wintu’s request for a mandatory river closure to protect their Coming of Age ceremony this summer. The tribe has had not received any intention of Mr. Moore to respond in a timely fashion, and because the government’s legal process is clearly a dead end, the Winnemem will now hold a H’up Chonas, or War Dance, in the near future to defend their cultural rites in a traditional way.
Previous Coming of Age ceremonies have been disrupted by drunken recreational boaters motoring through the site and heckling the tribe with racial slurs.
“I am saddened that Moore does not have the courage to do what’s right,” Sisk said. “We lost all our land when they built Shasta Dam, and now all we want is four days of peace and dignity for our ceremony, which is vital to the social fabric of our tribe. A peaceful ceremony is our right, and we are not accepting anything short of that.”
The tribe is placing a call to action. During the War Dance, the tribe, hundreds of tribal members from around the west coast and allies will gather in solidarity to ensure their sacred ceremony will proceed unhindered as it has for thousands of years before the Forest Service existed. For more information, contact the tribe at: winnememwintutribe@gmail.com. Details will be on the Winnemem Wintu web site soon.
The tribe first brought back the H’up Chonas, or War Dance, in 2004 to protest the proposal to raise Shasta Dam, which would flood many important sacred sites, including the site of the Coming of Age ceremonies. The War Dance signifies a commitment to a spiritual and physical resistance to threats to the tribe’s culture. It means the Winnemem are willing to die to protect their tribal way of life.
Frustrated by being ignored by Shasta-Trinity Forest officials for the past six years, members of the Tribe challenged Mr. Moore at his office in Vallejo, CA, April 16,to ask him directly for the closure for the young women’s ceremony.
Citing the U.N. Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples recently signed by President Obama, Chief Sisk and several women of the tribe sought to convince Mr. Moore that this is an issue of human rights and women’s rights. The Forest Service’s position has been that they lack the authority to grant the request for the traditional tribe, though sources within the agency have verified that Mr. Moore has the authority to close the stretch of river necessary for the ceremony.
In previous ceremonies, the Forest Service attempted a“voluntary” closure of the river, which has led to the tribe being heckled and abused by antagonistic recreational boaters who are often drunk and have shouted racial slurs like “Fat Indians!”.
At the April 16 event, Chief Sisk reported to the press that a voluntary closure meansthat, “the 10 percent who mean harm, disrespect and possible violence barge through the ceremony by motor boat and prove that a voluntary closure does not work. “
Though the Winnemem are federally unrecognized due to a bureaucratic error, the Forest Service has previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the tribe, which states they are the indigenous people from the McCloud River.
Moore said the Forest Service could close the river for a federally recognized tribe on the Winnemem’s behalf. Not only is this an insult to the Winnemem, but it is exceedingly dangerous. It could set a legal precedent that another tribe has authority over the site and the ceremony.
“What if the Mormons had to ask the Catholic Church for permission to have a ceremony?” Sisk asked. “What if one day the Catholics said no? Then what do you do?”
The north end of the ceremony site is private land not accessible to boaters. The river closure would not stop a thoroughfare, but simply cut off a 400-yard corner of the 30,000 square-acre Shasta Lake.
At previous ceremonies, the Forest Service’s law enforcement officers have implemented a mandatory closure of the river on the last day of the ceremony when the young women swim across to symbolize their transition to womanhood. They have cited safety reasons behind the closure.
This Monday, we held a direct action at the U.S. Forest Service Office in Vallejo, challenging Regional Forester Randy Moore to implement a mandatory closure at our Coming of Age Ceremonies on the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake. At our previous ceremonies, which are held at a traditional Winnemem village site within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, recreational boaters have ignored the Forest Service’s voluntary closure and have heckled us, yelled racial slurs at us and even flashed us.
A mandatory closure is the only way to hold our ceremony in peace and dignity and to protect our young women from abuse. Watch this short video below by Will Doolittle about our Vallejo event and previous ceremonies.
This is our river, our ceremony, our right!
Why We Had to Go to Randy Moore
We have exhausted every diplomatic and legal means to achieve a mandatory closure from the Forest Service without sacrificing our sovereignty. We have met roadblocks down every path.
Here is why we have reached this point:
1) We have sent a letter from to Sharon Haywood, Shasta-Trinity Forest Supervisor, asking her to close 300 yards of the river for the four days based on our religious freedom guaranteed by the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. This seemed to be the simplest route to take since she can use her professional discretion. Thus far, she has failed to provide a mandatory closure of the river for previous ceremonies despite evidence that a voluntary closures do not work.
2) We want to change the language in the Farm Bill, which states only federally recognized tribes can close National Forest land for ceremonial and traditional uses. Unfortunately, it got stalled in Congress, and inserting new language will not happen in time for this ceremony.
3) We plan to submit a complaint to the U.N. CERD Committee because the U.S. is being reviewed by the Convention Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). However, the U.S. has not filed their report. We cannot submit a “shadow report” until they file.
4) We have requested that UN Rapporteur on Indigenous Rights, James Anaya, visit our village to learn about the plight of federally unrecognized tribes in California. We believe governmental entities using the “unrecognized tribe” label is a form of racial discrimination against tribes like the Winnemem. Specifically, a prime example of this is the unwillingness of the Forest Service to close the river for a ceremony because we are a federally unrecognized tribe. We have not yet heard back from him but have heard he will visit Alaska.
5) We are still pursuing the possibility of an “urgent action” or “emergency intervention” from the U.N. CERD Committee.
In Northern California, neighboring tribes have long had close relationships, and we have many friends and extended Winnemem family members who are Hoopa Valley tribal members. They are the tribe over the mountains to the West of us.
One young Hupa woman, Kayla Brown, who has grown up around the Winnemem Way wrote this beautiful piece about her support of a river closure for our upcoming Coming of Age Ceremony. Thank you Kayla!
I was raised with balance and encouragement and as a Native woman: to stand up for what is right. For as long as I’ve known, my heart has always been with the Winnemem Wintu People. And seeing them struggle tears my heart apart.
Native Americans throughout Northern California believe traditional knowledge comes from those of sacred places, and it is our way of knowing that stuff is more than just words. We are exactly who we are meant to be. We don’t put on regalia for a show. It’s who we are and what we believe in. The Creator put us on this Earth for a purpose, in Indian Country woman are considered the care givers of our future generation teaching respectfulness, and basic life skills. It is important for mother’s to teach this at a young age. Women are the backbone and the carriers of traditions. I say listen, honor, and respect women.
The Winnemem and the Winnemem Support Group of Oregon are proud to host the 2nd Annual Wild Salmon 5k Run in Eugene, Saturday, April 14, with all proceeds going to benefit our efforts to return our salmon home from New Zealand.
This year will also feature a special pre-race event with the Winnemem, including a film screening and special dance performance by Thundering Mocassins, a national renowned powwow dance troupe.
Information for the April 13 dinner:
Where: Churchill High School Auditorium
1850 Bailey Hill Road
Eugene, OR 97405
Alicia and Josette from Thundering Moccasins will perform April 13
Schedule: Kevin Simmons (Grand Rhonde) Welcoming – 7 p.m.
The following is a letter from a supporter in Oregon (she asked us to only use her initials) to the local Forest Service district urging the forest manager to enforce a mandatory river closure for our upcoming BałasChonas – Coming of Age Ceremony – for 16-year-old Marisa this summer.
Previous ceremonies have been marred by heckling and disruptions from recreational boaters on the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake. To see video of the heckling and learn more about the ceremony, visit www.saveourceremony.com
For information on writing your own letter to Sharon Heywood, visit our how you can help page. #saveourceremony
Feel free to send us your letter to winnememwintutribe@gmail.com or even make a video on youtube, and we will share it on our web site and on our facebook page!
March 20, 2012
USDA Forest Service
3644 Avtech Parkway
Redding, CA 96002
Dear Ms. Heywood:
I’ve watched and listened, danced and feasted at the two most recent Balas Chonas, (puberty), ceremonies of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, held along the McCloud River at their traditional home and sacred sites. Welcomed guests, including even non-tribal people like myself, as well as US Forest Service employees, have joined them. Some of the USFS people were there as part of their work, others were there to witness and participate in the beauty of the ceremony.
It was shocking that some recreating public members refused to accept a “voluntary closure” of the ceremony area and purposely disrupted it with shouts and curses. In one such incident a woman lifted her shirt and showed her breasts. This is totally unacceptable, and particularly at a time that is so sacred.
The United States of America is now among the signers of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. Article 12 states: “Indigenous peoples have the right to manifest, practice…and teach their spiritual and religious traditions…and ceremonies; the right to maintain and protect and have access in privacy to their religious and cultural sites.” There are other relevant articles, but Article 12 should be enough reason for you to close the river/lake for the upcoming ceremony, June 30 – July 3, 2012.
In conversation with Winnemem Wintu Tribal Chief, Caleen Sisk, I have learned that she is being asked to respond to an application that would be appropriate for any recreating group or family. This seems an insult, like asking a Priest or Rabbi to apply each time they needed to hold a religious event in their sacred place.
And, as for the date of the event, there is only one traditional time that can work for the Balas Chonas ceremony; to expect use at another time would be no different than expecting Christmas services to be held on Halloween or Easter Sunday. I use these examples because I think that many people have a hard time understanding certain insults and indignities and racism if they can’t see it from their own cultural perspective. The safety and sacredness of this Balas Chonas event, in which the next tribal chief will be the initiate, is absolutely crucial.
Our government, in signing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, agreed to uphold that document. You, as Supervisor of the Shasta-Trinity Forest, have the responsibility to carry out the intent of it, unless it is more appropriate for Regional Director, Randy Moore, or Forest Ranger Kristy Cottini, to do so.
In hopes for a good outcome for the Ceremony, sincerely,
The Winnemem Wintu’s Spiritual Leader and Tribal Chief Caleen Sisk-Franco will be speaking about indigenous knowledge and conservation at two upcoming events in Redding.
1. From 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, Caleen will be one of six featured speakers at TEDx Redding, a local version of the international TED conference that draws writers, artists, engineers, scientists and many others who have “ideas worth spreading.”
Tickets for the live venue at Old City Hall have sold out, though a number were reserved for American Indian community members. During the event, the TEDx organizers will also show the talks on live streaming video at Shasta College Downtown. Free tickets to that venue can be reserved here – http://tedxredding.eventbrite.com/.
Caleen on TEDx:
Our hearts are together with the salmon, so we speak the words that come for them. We have made a promise to them for the gift of voice and for our ability to communicate in this world in so many ways. Salmon is our direct connection to Olebis (Creator). I will do my best to do say the words for our water filled mountains to the Ocean where the Nur (salmon) follow the rivers to get to the high mountain tributaries as it was supposed to be!
2. 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, Caleen will be part of a panel discussion at the Forum for the Forests at First United Methodist Church. Scheduled to coincide with the annual logging conference, the organizers of the Forum hope to shed light on the destructive practice of clear-cutting.
The forum is free to attend and open to all interested members of the public. For more information visit the Forum’s Facebook Event page.
Caleen says that healthy forests are vital to a clean and productive watershed:
The forest “managers” don’t see any of the relationships or understand that all those things together from the trees to the beaver make a watershed. Their practice is to cut the biggest trees, and the biggest trees are the ones that bring the most water to the surface. So, of course, there’s going to be less water.
The disregard and destruction of the forest makes the forests unable to hold water.
Just a reminder that this weekend we’ll be screening the 15-minute promotional short for Will Doolittle’s upcoming feature documentary Dancing Salmon Home and Will’s 22-minute film, Ceremony Comes Home, about our 2006 Coming of Age ceremony.
The films be will shown as part of the Indian Education Film Festival Friday through Saturday at the Shasta Learning Center (show times and a flyer are below.)
The films will be followed by a question and answer forum with tribal members. A recommended donation of $1 can be provided at the door, and we will also have our jewelry and our Sacred Salmon Cards for sale.
All proceeds will go towards our efforts to return the salmon, protect our sacred sites and our fight for justice.
Location:
Shasta Learning Center, 2200 Eureka Way , Redding , 96001
In previous ceremonies on the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake, recreational boaters and fisherman have ignored “voluntary closures” and interfered with the four-day ceremonies for our young women.
The U.S. Forest Service will not provide a mandatory closure of the small stretch of river (about 200 yards) because we’re not a federally recognized tribe.
Without a full closure, we had to postpone this past July’s ceremony for Marisa, who is training to be our next leader, and we are currently negotiating with the Forest Service to secure a mandatory closure for this summer.
Be sure to pick up an issue of News from Native California to read more and visit the How You Can Help page to see how you can support our efforts to defend our ceremony.
War Dance (H’up Chonas)
From Interstate 5, take exit 698 for Gilman Road. Turn right on Gilman road. You will follow this windy road for about 12. 5 miles before crossing the McCloud Bridge. Once past the bridge, campground is on your right.
Just a reminder that this weekend we’ll be screening the 15-minute promotional short for Will Doolittle’s upcoming feature documentary 
