Winnemem Wintu
Encyclopedia
The Winnemem Wintu are a band of the Native American
Wintu
tribe originally located along the lower McCloud River
, above Shasta Dam
near Redding, California
.
does not recognize them. And some Wintu representatives, of Winnemem heritage, have been relayed by Interior Officials that it was "Bureaucratic Oversight" that resulted in the entire Wintu being omitted from the list of federally recognised tribes as early as the 1940s. The Winnemem Wintu spoke the North Eastern Dialect of the Northern Wintun Language a member of the Wintuan languages
, and a member of the larger Penuatian language "stock".
The Winnemem Wintu relate that forty-two Winnemem men, women and children were killed by white settlers at Kaibai Creek, California, in 1854. This action is known as the Kaibai Creek Massacre.
Around the late 19th century and early 20th century, local militias were awarded $5 for proof of every Native American person killed.
Since 1945, portions of the lower McCloud River have been flooded by Shasta Lake
. The Winnemem
Wintu are currently in a protracted fight with State of California
and the federal Bureau of Reclamation over the proposed raising of the height of Shasta Dam to secure more water for California cities and agriculture; the Winnemem Wintu argue that the proposed higher lake level would flood many Winnemem Wintu sacred sites. From September 12 to 16, 2004, one faction of Winnemem Wintu held a "war dance" as a protest. They claim it was the first war dance held since 1876.
The Winnemem Wintu claim important sacred sites on Mount Shasta
and Cold Spring Mountain. They are one of several groups of Native Americans who feel that casino
s and their proceeds destroy culture from the inside out, and refuse to participate in the gaming industry
.
Today the Winnemem Wintu are divided politically into several groups, with members participating in at least three organized groups attempting to obtain federal recognition. In addition, there are several Winnemem Wintu descendents who decline to participate in these groups for various reasons.
The Winnemem healer, Florence Jones (Puilulimet) http://www.winnememwintu.us/memorial.htm (1907–2003), was portrayed in a nationally broadcast PBS documentary, In the Light of Reverence, in 2001, as she successfully led her community's fight to stop construction of a new ski resort
on sacred Mount Shasta
.
list of recognized tribes during the 1980s. They have not been able to regain this recognition. Legislation sponsored by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell
in 2004 gave these Winnemem Wintu the opportunity to regain recognition. However, the Winnemem Wintu were informed that the group's inclusion on an omnibus bill
related to all Native American tribal people would have put the entire bill at risk. Rather than have other tribal people put at risk, the Winnemem Wintu agreed with Senator Campbell to remove their name from the bill.
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
Wintu
Wintu
The Wintu are Native Americans who live in what is now Northern California. They are part of a loose association of peoples known collectively as the Wintun . Others are the Nomlaki and the Patwin...
tribe originally located along the lower McCloud River
McCloud River
The McCloud River is a river that flows east of and parallel to the Sacramento River, long, in northern California in the United States. It drains a scenic mountainous area of the Cascade Range north of Redding...
, above Shasta Dam
Shasta Dam
Shasta Dam is an arch dam across the Sacramento River in the northern part of the U.S. state of California, at the north end of the Sacramento Valley. The dam mainly serves long-term water storage and flood control in its reservoir, Shasta Lake, and also generates hydroelectric power...
near Redding, California
Redding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
.
History
The Winnemem are one of, what anthrolpologists have hypothesised to be, nine total bands of Wintu. They are not a federally recognized tribe, although they are working toward federal recognition. Some Winnemem Wintu feel that it is by government error rather than termination that the Bureau of Indian AffairsBureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
does not recognize them. And some Wintu representatives, of Winnemem heritage, have been relayed by Interior Officials that it was "Bureaucratic Oversight" that resulted in the entire Wintu being omitted from the list of federally recognised tribes as early as the 1940s. The Winnemem Wintu spoke the North Eastern Dialect of the Northern Wintun Language a member of the Wintuan languages
Wintuan languages
Wintuan is a family of languages spoken in the Sacramento Valley of central Northern California.All Wintuan languages are severely endangered.-Family division:...
, and a member of the larger Penuatian language "stock".
The Winnemem Wintu relate that forty-two Winnemem men, women and children were killed by white settlers at Kaibai Creek, California, in 1854. This action is known as the Kaibai Creek Massacre.
Around the late 19th century and early 20th century, local militias were awarded $5 for proof of every Native American person killed.
Since 1945, portions of the lower McCloud River have been flooded by Shasta Lake
Shasta Lake
Shasta Lake, also called Lake Shasta, is an artificial lake created by the construction of Shasta Dam across the Sacramento River in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest of Shasta County, California...
. The Winnemem
Wintu are currently in a protracted fight with State of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and the federal Bureau of Reclamation over the proposed raising of the height of Shasta Dam to secure more water for California cities and agriculture; the Winnemem Wintu argue that the proposed higher lake level would flood many Winnemem Wintu sacred sites. From September 12 to 16, 2004, one faction of Winnemem Wintu held a "war dance" as a protest. They claim it was the first war dance held since 1876.
The Winnemem Wintu claim important sacred sites on Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta is located at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California and at is the second highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth highest in California...
and Cold Spring Mountain. They are one of several groups of Native Americans who feel that casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s and their proceeds destroy culture from the inside out, and refuse to participate in the gaming industry
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
.
Today the Winnemem Wintu are divided politically into several groups, with members participating in at least three organized groups attempting to obtain federal recognition. In addition, there are several Winnemem Wintu descendents who decline to participate in these groups for various reasons.
The Winnemem healer, Florence Jones (Puilulimet) http://www.winnememwintu.us/memorial.htm (1907–2003), was portrayed in a nationally broadcast PBS documentary, In the Light of Reverence, in 2001, as she successfully led her community's fight to stop construction of a new ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
on sacred Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta is located at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California and at is the second highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth highest in California...
.
Federal recognition
One Winnemem Wintu group argues that they were accidentally erased from the Bureau of Indian AffairsBureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
list of recognized tribes during the 1980s. They have not been able to regain this recognition. Legislation sponsored by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Benjamin Nighthorse Campbell is an American politician. He was a U.S. Senator from Colorado from 1993 until 2005 and was during his tenure the only American Indian serving in the U.S. Congress. Campbell was a three term U.S. Representative from 1987 to 1993, when he was sworn into office as a...
in 2004 gave these Winnemem Wintu the opportunity to regain recognition. However, the Winnemem Wintu were informed that the group's inclusion on an omnibus bill
Omnibus bill
An omnibus bill is a proposed law that covers a number of diverse or unrelated topics. Omnibus is derived from Latin and means "for everything"...
related to all Native American tribal people would have put the entire bill at risk. Rather than have other tribal people put at risk, the Winnemem Wintu agreed with Senator Campbell to remove their name from the bill.