Interview with Caleen Sisk, Cheif of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe - April, 16 2012

April 16 2012 - Interview with Caleen Sisk, Cheif of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe at the Regional Forest Service office in Vallejo, CA.

Winnemem Tribe DEMANDS forest service respect native women's rights

• Agency Refuses to Provide Closure of McCloud River Necessary for Girls' Traditional Coming of Age Ceremony
• Winnemem Women and Chief Demand Face-to-Face Meeting With Regional Forester at Vallejo Headquarters
• Winnemem Men and Supporters Picket with Signs

EDITORS NOTE: Tribal leaders will address the press directly at 11 am on the front steps of the U.S. Forest Service office located at 1323 Club Drive, Vallejo, CA 94592

Vallejo, CA -- Today members of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe will challenge U.S.F.S. Regional Forester Randy Moore at his Vallejo office on the issue of protecting Indigenous Women from racial slurs and physical harm during their coming of age ceremonies. The Tribe is demanding that the Shasta-Trinity National Forest provide a four-day mandatory closure of a quarter mile stretch of the McCloud River during a coming of age ceremony for a teenage girl, which is planned for late June. The Tribe's past two Coming of Age Ceremonies have been disrupted by racial slurs, alcohol use, and indecent exposure from passersby in motorboats who refused to honor a voluntary closure. These boaters also endanger the physical safety of young tribal members who swim across the river as part of the ceremony.

Winnemem tribal members and their supporters will picket the Forest Service office while tribal women seek a face-to-face audience with the Regional Forester. Tribal members will form picket Line at 9 a.m. Winnemem Tribal Chief and Spiritual Leader Caleen Sisk will hold a press conference at 11 am to discuss the Tribe's demands and the outcome of the meeting with Mr. Moore.

"Since 1941 most of our ceremonial sites have been buried beneath the still waters of Lake Shasta," according to Chief Sisk. "We ask that the Forest Service grant us this one small dignity by allowing our girls to enter womanhood in privacy at one of our last remaining traditional ceremonial sites."

The Tribe has requested for the past several years that the Forest Service close this stretch of river during their Coming of Age Ceremonies, which is held in an area accessible on Lake Shasta by boat. Although the Forest Service has issued "voluntary closures," which discourage most boaters from entering the area, several times during each ceremony groups of individuals powered into the ceremonial area, often with beers in hand and music blaring as they verbally insulted members of the Tribe. During a Coming of Age Ceremony in 2006, an individual "flashed" the ceremonial participants with naked breasts and yelled racist insults. "If someone did this during Mass, they would be arrested," says Sisk, who notes that there were no authorities present to cite the individual for public indecency. A mandatory closure was issued later at this same ceremony by the Shasta County Sheriff after a Forest Service District Ranger's kayak was rammed by a boat.

For the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, this is about respecting and protecting Native women while they pass on traditional ways to the next generations. According to Sisk, "Like many traditional people, we hold our women in high regard. This beautiful ceremony is vital to our girls' transitioning to womanhood with confidence, grace and knowledge. We must hold this ceremony for our tribe to survive."



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Learn more about the Winnemem Wintu at http://www.winnememwintu.us/

Learn more about the ceremony at www.saveourceremony.com.

Download Video of motorboats speeding past ceremony and flashing the participants at: http://vimeo.com/39867112

• Category

  News & Politics

[Scott-Julie Sisco]

I should also say, I have no problem with it, except, the fact, that it it seems more like a publicity event more than anything..I have never noticed them being up there before. I also want to say that i would love to see this as a history lesson. Something I could bring my granddaughters to. And show them, that traditions do matter. I am proud of the Indian coultures in our area. And how they they show the children of the wise ones of before. I feel confused on what they want from us boaters?

[klamathmedia]

They just need to have that small arm of the McCloud River closed for the few days when the ceremony is happening. Its a huge Lake with lots of beautiful places to go boating.

[klamathmedia]

There is more information at the Winnemem Wintu's youtube channel : WinnememWintu

[Scott-Julie Sisco]

So, why now, does this tribe decide to do this on the two busiest weekends of the year???

[klamathmedia]

Its the time when the ceremony traditionally needs to happen. These ceremonies were happening before there was an American Independence Day or Memorial Day. If you look at the history from the time of European contact here, there was a long time when indigenous people couldn't openly practice their religions. Now many ceremonies are coming back.

[spam856]

If you all need people to block the river again this year, I would like to volunteer my kayak. If I could have posted this all in one comment, I would have. :)

[spam856]

I think it's ridiculous that people are so upset over Chief Sisk's request that river be closed. she only asked for that after years of people intentionally disrespecting and interrupting the ceremony. Imagine if you were at church and someone people ran in, drunk, and starting shouting slurs and harassing women and children! I think you are an inspiration, Chief Sisk, and all of the Winnemem Wintu. My family is of Tupi descent and I am really proud of the actions you all are taking!

[spam856]

if you look into the situation some more, you will see that these people are not asking for much more than common courtesy and decency, and to share the river. they only asked for it to be closed after several years of people blatantly disrespecting their ceremonies by speeding through them on powerboats and doing things like parking a house boat next to one of their structures, intruding physically into the ceremonies (on their cell phones!) and shouting disrespectful things at the women.

[Scott-Julie Sisco]

I say that innocently, I forgot about the flasher....i saw that video, she is the only one disrespecting herself....i hope, if my boat does come up, it will be welcomed, in respect for my respect for you and the history your tribe is still making.

p.s. This would be all in one paragraph, it allowed....