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
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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.
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.
Two short documentaries about our Tribe’s journey to justice and salmon return will be screened at the Indian Education Film Festival, which is being held at the Shasta Learning Center (Old Nova), Friday – Sunday, Nov. 4-6.
We’ll screen the 15-minute promotional short for Will Doolittle‘s upcoming feature documentary Dancing Salmon Home about our journey to New Zealand to sing and dance for our salmon as well as our efforts to bring them home.
We’ll also show Will’s 22-minute film, Ceremony Comes Home, about our 2006 Coming of Age ceremony for Marine Sisk, which was disrupted by recreational boaters who motored through the McCloud River site and heckled us and our guests.
The films will be followed by a question and answer forum with tribal members. Tickets can be brought for $1 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
Winnemem Wintu Spiritual Leader and Tribal Chief Caleen Sisk-Franco published an opinion piece in the Redding Record-Searchlight today stating that the Tribe supports local ranchers and sees them as allies in Central Valley salmon recovery.
We have many stories about the thick salmon runs that once spawned in the McCloud River; we remember how the land and the water used to be when the salmon were here; we more than anyone know what will be lost if all of our salmon are lost.
Many of the ranchers on Cow Creek have held their family land for a few generations, and I imagine they heard yarns from their grandpas and great-grandpas about the salmon runs that used to charge through their land.
Their oral history might not stretch as far back as ours, but I bet a love for salmon exists in the hearts of many of those ranchers. That is why my tribe would like to work with them as salmon allies.
Caleen wrote the piece in response to an Oct. 11 story – “Ranchers wary over fish barrier count on Cow Creek” – about a recent meeting between U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Cow Creek ranchers, who are worried about the agency’s effort to survey salmon barriers on the waterway they depend on for irrigation.
Though we are investigating other swimway options, one way we believe our migrating McCloud River salmon could get around Shasta Dam is via Cow, Little Cow and Dry Creeks. See the map below:
Arron Sisk fillets a Trinity River salmon last fall. We have to rely on receiving salmon from other tribes because of the Shasta Dam.
Winnemem Wintu Tribal Member Ricardo Torres will discuss the Tribe’s efforts to return our salmon home to the McCloud River at the 2011 Community Food Summit tomorrow, Sept. 13, at the Sacramento Native American Health Center (SNAHC). Torres is also Chair of the SNAHC Board of Directors.
Scheduled for 10 a.m. – 1 p.m at the SNAHC building, 2022 J St., the summit is part of the “Let’s Move! in Indian Country” initiative which is a joint effort between First Lady Michelle Obama and Indian Health Services to improve nutrition and wellness in native communities.
But our access to salmon has been limited, and we believe it’s important for our physical health that salmon become a regular part of our diet again.
A growing body of research supports what indigenous people have long known, it’s in a salmon people’s genes to eat salmon.
“Salmon are the ultimate source of good health for California Indians that has been missing from our diets for generations,” said Spiritual Leader and Traditional Chief Caleen Sisk-Franco. “We need salmon back in our rivers and back in our diets for balance to return to our world.”
The Human Right to Water, which would guarantee all people affordable access to clean water and sanitation, is an important cause to the Winnemem, as we believe the right must also include spiritual access to water.
More than 20 Winnemem, coincidentally, were at the state capitol Wednesday where we successfully helped lobby for the unanimous passage on the Senate floor of Assembly Bill 1221, which would help federally unrecognized tribes improve water quality and sanitation in their communities.
“Water is sacred, water is Life for all,” commented Caleen Sisk-Franco, Chief and Spiritual Leader of the Winnemem. “Just as all need to breathe Air, so should be the waters be for all, not just those who market water and ruin the rest in poor planning.”
Sunrise Ceremony at the Meadow with Mt. Shasta in view.
This year’s Coonrod Ceremony, held at our sacred meadow near Mt. Shasta, was one of the most powerful and largest ceremonies in years, said Winnemem Wintu Spiritual Leader and Traditional Chief Caleen Sisk-Franco.
“It was a wonderful ceremony. There was so much goodness and happiness, and that made it very powerful,” Caleen said. “We enjoyed all of our friends who attended, new and old, and we enjoyed every minute with their good hearts and good prayers.”
It was also a ceremony with many special guests. Members of our Maori family – John and Gloria Wilkie and Pauline Reid of the Waitaha Māmoe Fisher People – traveled across the Pacific to be with us for ceremony and support our efforts to bring the McCloud salmon home from the Rakaia River in New Zealand. Along with them came Dirk Barr, New Zealand Fish and Game’s manager of the salmon hatcheries, who said the people of New Zealand want to return the salmon to the Winnemem, the salmon’s original people.
Aztec Dancers joined us in dancing to restore fire and water and fight climate change.
Indigenous leader and writer Winona LaDuke also attended and charmed us by telling the tale of how she helped return her Tribe’s sturgeon to the lakes back home in the Midwest, a success story we hope to replicate with our quest to return our salmon to the McCloud River (Winnemem Waywakit). Representatives from the Hawaiian embassy also traveled to our ceremony, and pledged to support our salmon project.
On Friday, the Winnemem and many of our supporters took the place of our missing sacred fish during the spiritual salmon trek at the McCloud Falls. At the lower falls, we jumped off 15 to 20-foot cliffs into a churning pool. At the Middle Falls, an impressive sight at 50-feet tall and 100-feet wide, our salmon people swam under the waterfall, just like salmon who are about to start leaping up the falls. Then at the Upper falls, everyone had to brave the cold, glacial water and grab a rock from the bottom
Because of the Shasta Dam, the salmon haven’t been able to spawn in the McCloud River since World War II. So it’s our job as salmon people to swim the river for them.
The Winnemem, our Maori allies, and Winona LaDuke meet about McCloud salmon with Brian Ellrott and Gary Sprague from NOAA
NOAA, they said, is interested in working with the Winnemem and looking at our plan to use natural creeks to move salmon around the Shasta Dam.
Ellrott said NOAA believes that for wild salmon to survive climate change, they will need to have passage around big dams like Shasta, so they can return to the chilly waters of mountain rivers like the McCloud and Upper Sacramento.
NOAA is investigating using trap-and-haul methods to get salmon around the dam, but he said the Winnemem’s plan could provide a more cost-effective method. But both he and Sprague said they would need to learn more about the Winnemem’s plan.
“Right now, there is not a lot of support for wild salmon restoration,” Ellrott said. “We’re going to need all the allies we can get.”
According to the Winnemem’s plan, the salmon would travel around the dam using Little Cow Creek and Dry Creek. A channel, about a quarter mile in length, would have to be constructed to connect Dry Creek to the reservoir, Sisk-Franco said. From there, the salmon would have to swim through Shasta Lake, the dam’s reservoir, to get to the McCloud River waters.
The tribe and NOAA scientists went on discuss hypothetical ways to guide the spawning salmon and salmon smolts through the reservoir. They also discussed potential obstacles such as a PG&E hydroelectric project that currently diverts water from the McCloud, making the flows too low and the water too warm for spawning salmon.
The NOAA officials and Winnemem expressed a mutual desire to work together on these issues.
“We want to work with you as brothers,” Winnemem Tribal Member Mark Miyoshi told Ellrott and Sprague. “We want to work together to save life, to be with life, to bring salmon back. That’s what we want.”
A week later, the Winnemem and our New Zealand supporters traveled to Sacramento and met with more NOAA staff, including the Endangered Species Act Specialist, a staff attorney and the Sacramento River basin manager.
The NOAA officials again expressed a great desire to collaborate, but also said they needed more information about the origins of the salmon in the Rakaia River, which we will work on providing. We are confident NOAA will eventually be satisfied with our evidence that the Rakaia salmon are descended from McCloud River salmon.
They also explained some of the regulatory framework they have to work through, especially the Endangered Species Act, and how we will need to work together to make sure the Winnemem’s salmon restoration plan also produces the goals that they’re mandated to accomplish.
While there are some issues to work through, we are greatly encouraged by these initial meetings, and NOAA and the Winnemem have begun working on a Memorandum of Agreement to outline the nature of our partnership.
NOAA officials have already made plans to visit our village and take a tour of the creeks in late September.
The time has come for our salmon return, and we believe we made some important steps this past week.
During Coonrod, we jump off the McCloud Lower Falls and follow the path of the salmon so the river remembers our sacred fish are supposed to be there.
Our annual Coonrod Ceremony will be held Aug. 11-14 at Coonrod Flat near the town of McCloud. We are ready for all our visitors including our dear friends from New Zealand: John and Gloria Wilkie, Pauline Reid, and Dirk Barr, manager of the Montrose Hatchery which helps our McCloud River salmon thrive over there in the Rakaia River.
They were instrumental in making our visit to New Zealand to sing to our salmon a successful one, and now they are continuing to support us in our quest to return our salmon home.
We have also have several native dance groups coming to dance and strengthen our prayers for the return of the salmon. We will also unveil an old time Fire and Water dance to help bring the Earth into balance.
If you’ve been invited, take I-5 north of Redding, exit left on Highway 89 to Pilgrim Creek Rd. Turn left on Pilgrim Creek Rd, go about 9 miles, and look for signs on the right to Ceremony grounds.
Just a reminder that this weekend we’ll be screening the 15-minute promotional short for Will Doolittle’s upcoming feature documentary 
