Redding Rancheria Donates Millions, Wintu Still Homeless

A Giant Cocrete Gathering Basket Sits Atop Win-River Casino an emblem of the Redding Rancheria's Mis-Use and Mis-Claim to Local Wintu Herritage.

The 150 member Redding Rancheria operates Win-River Casino in Redding, Ca. Created in 1921 by the Federal Government, the Redding Rancheria claims lineage from 3 north state Tribes the Wintu, Pit River, and Yana. Although the vast majority of its members claim Pit River descent, a tribe whos traditional territory (IGRA Gaming Regulations) is east of the Redding area by some 50 miles. The Wintu Tribe were not granted lands under the early 20th century federal policies to aquire land under the Rancheria Act (1918) as most of its members had taken allotments in "severalty" (see Dawes Act).

In 1958 the Redding Rancheria was termineted as a Tribe by the Federal Government under policy known as Wheeler-Howard Act. The Tribe its members and Land were restored to tribal status as a result of a single womans case (Hardwick v. Interior 1983) that over turned a number of Rancheria's that had been terminated under the genocidal federal policies of the 1940's and 50's. From this began the modern Redding Rancheria's Economic growth. Fist as a Indian Bingo Hall, and later in 1991 when gaming was passed in California Win River Casino was built. A federally created tribe, gaming within Wintu Territory. The Pit River Tribe already operates its own Pit River Casino in Burney, Ca 65 miles to the east of Redding.

The Wintu Tribe, in contrast, whos members constituted the pre-historical descendants of Wintu, lingered without federal aid as dozens of Wintu allotments were flooded by the Central Valley Project's Shasta Dam in the late 1930's. These families were not re-allotted above the high water mark of the new lake nor were these Wintu Memebers compensated for their loss of land by the Federal Government. Individually or collectively. Many Wintu families remained landless or sought refuge among other tribes thru this difficult era, like the Shasta, Karuk, and Pit River Tribes. The federal goverment has not acted to aquire land for the Wintu Tribe in the recent era. Under these conditions motivated members of the Wintu and Pit River Nations Occupied the former federal facilites located in Summit City, CA known then as Government Camp, later reffered to as Toyon, and Toyon Wintu Center. The facility was occupied under federal law allowing Nativce Americans to utilize unused federal facilities to better their tribe. Toyon Wintu Center was open from 1971 until its violent cultural standoff between local and federal officials and the Native Occupants in 1987.

It is interesting to note that the Redding Rancheria was still terminated at this time and was not restored to tribal status until Toyon had been open for 13 years in 1983. It was not long until the Wintu Poeple were removed from Toyon in 1987 and in 1988 placed on the new BAR list of Tribes seeking federal recognition thru the BIA. A downgrade in tribal status that has never been exsplained to the Tribe by the BIA. The Toyon Wintu Tribe has now been on the list since completeing its official correspondence by a 1993 deadline. However, 4 (four) other petitioning groups representing the Wintu people are also curently petitioning to the federal government thru BAR:

Wintu of Shasta 1984 (approx 100 members)

Wintu of Central Valley 1984 (United Bands Wintoon since 2005) (approx 350 members)

Wintun of Cottonwood 1984 (unknown status)

the Nor Rel Muk Nation 1983. (approx 650 members)

(note- Sisk's Winnemem org have never submitted LOI letters to BIA for federal recognition)

All of these tribes entered the OFA/BAR process in the 1980's seeking relief for their members not directly associated with Toyon Wintu Center and still none have yet to be reviewed by the BIA panel after nearly thirty years. From the above approximation, 1100 Wintu Members do not recieve assistance from the BIA, yet 150 Pit River Indians operate Win-River Casino thru Redding Rancheria, and are federally recognised since 1983, despite this being a violation of gaming statute thru NIGC. Gaming in California has generally benefitted a minotirty of California Indians (at about a 3:1 ratio statewide of Non-Gamning to Gaming members), white the majority of California Indians continue to linger without federal assistance or recognition. Win River Casino has generated an estimated 10 million dollars in contributions to state and federal agencies (Root-Wintu Demograph 2001) from 1991-2001, while not contributing a single dollar to the Tribe in whom's territory they were established by the Federal Goverment.

In 2005 the Redding Rancheria destroyed a signifigant Wintu Archaeological site to build a Hilton Hotel along Interstate 5 in the name of economic exspansion. In 1998 the Redding Rancheria destroyed a signifigant Wintu archaeological site on their 38 acre Rancheria, while exspanding their Casino along Clear Creek, a Riparian Habitat home to endangered salmonids. In 2007 the Redding Ranchera began a "Cultural Resourses Dep't" headed by fellon James Hayward (Pit River). In 2007 protests were held at the Redding Rancheria Health Clinic in Enterprise, CA as a result of reduced services to Local Wintu Indians by the Pit River leaders at Redding Rancheria.

Gaming operations like Redding Rancheria's Win River Casino, and the Pit River Casino, thru compact with the state are forced to redistribute some of the gaming revenue generated by these mafia stayle gaming facilties into the community to compensate for police and fire services as well as infrastructire and gaming related addiction services for the community. Yesterday in the local shotty reporting where local Native Issues are concerned, the Redding Record Searchlight (a Scripps-Howard owned conservative based media source) published an article stating this years return was tallied at $517.000.00. Still no funding for the Non-Gaming Wintu who remain landless, without recognition, homeless... right where the Redding Rancheria wants us. How many homes could be built at Toyon for elderly Wintu and Wintu Families at Toyon for $517.000.00? What is to be done of the continuing disparity and continuing racial injustice in Shasta County towards the Wintu People?


Pit River Casino in Burney, CA operated by the Pit River Tribe

Gaming in Shasta Territory? The History of One Indian Allotment

City of Yreka, Siskiyou County, CA

The Alturas Rancheria (of Pit River descent) in 2005 announced plans to build a gaming facility just south of the town of Yreka in Central Siskiyou County in Northern California. The Alturas Rancheria is made up of Pit River Indians and is located about 250 miles to the east of Yreka in the high-desert town of Alturas, located in Modoc County in the extreme North Eastern Corner of the State. Pit River territory is generally accepted to have extended up to the shores of Goose Lake, that straddles the Oregon California border, about 40 miles north of Alturas. The Alturas Rancheria's members represent a small fraction of the larger Pit River Tribe, based in Burney, and operate a separate tribal governing body. The total tribal membership of the Alturas Rancheria is 7 individuals, two of which are non-Indian, being adopted members as business partners. The Alturas Rancheria Members are of the Illmawi Band of Pit River originating in the far upper reaches of that watershed around and east of present day Alturas. The official land base of the tribe today consists of one small parcel of land, known as the Alturas Rancheria, where they already operate a small gaming facility, the Desert Rose Casino. When the tribe signed a gaming compact with the state of California, it included wording that would allow the tribe two (2) gaming facilities. The Desert Rose and an undefined Casino in and undefined location in the future.

The Casino plans were planned placing the gaming facility on an Indian Allotment, individually held federal trust land, namely the Bender Allotment in Siskiyou County, Bender was recorded by the BIA as having been a Shasta Indian. Though some of his descendants are found in the Pit River, Alturas Rancheria, and the Shasta Nation-a non-federally recognised tribe. The Allotment in question is actually held in tribally held trust status for its diverse beneficiaries by the Karuk Tribe (of which the some of the Bender descendants find membership) as it is a federally recognised tribe, allowing lands to be held in trust, the Shasta Nation lacking recognition resulting in a lack of protections towards its allotments currently held in fee status, in common with non-Indians. It is extremely ambiguous that the BIA has upheld the trust status of an allotment for members that are descended from a Indian that had blood from a tribe that is currently a non-recognised tribe by the BIA.

The Shasta Nation is currently under review by BIA (since the 1980's) to recognise its status as a Federal Indian Tribe. BIA's response to this is that persons of Shasta Blood can be found in several area tribes, and the BIA by policy, does not intervene in tribal membership, and internal sovereign issue. (Santa Clara V. Martinez). A situation the Alturas Rancheria contend would allow the Bender Descendants to pursue gaming on the trust land, despite the fact that they are currently members of tribes other than the Shasta Nation, but on an allotment within Shasta Traditional Tribal Territory, prior to the Shasta Nation completing the Review Process outlines in BIA's Office of Federal Acknowledgement. And despite the Bender Descendants being members of a Separate Indian Tribe with entirely different traditional boundaries. Gaming outside of a given tribes traditional territory is not allowed per gaming regulations. (Cite-"reservation shopping" bill introduced to congress)

The Shasta Nation and the Karuk Tribe and the State of California all officially opposed the Alturas Rancheria's plans to Build the Shasta Mountain Casino, without prejudice against the tribe itself, taking issue with the violation of gaming regulations dis-allowing gaming by tribes outside of their traditional territory. Their claims were that the Alturas Rancheria was not allowed to game outside of its traditional territory, on an allotment that originally was held in trust for a Shasta Indian, despite being currently held by the Karuk. The BIA NIGC concurred with the Karuk Tribe and the Non-recognised Shasta Nation's Claims that the Alturas Rancheria should not be allowed gaming outside of their traditional territory, on an allotment that is in trust status under the Karuk Tribe.


The Desert Rose Casino in Alturas, CA operated by the Alturas Rancheria

Winnemem Wintu (WWO) Next Suit

Marc Franco Claims to Be Apache and Claims to Be a Traditional Wintu Headman Despite not posessing Wintu Descent.
The Winnemem Wintu Organization's Lawsuit was launched on 4/19/09, in the legal tort the WWO sue for what they claim is what they lost to the United States Government thruought the historical era. While it is not the scope of this website to fill in the blanks for Caleen Sisk, the Winnemem, their Attourneys, or the Judges that will be handling this very brief case, it is my intention to bring about some truths about the rest of the Wintu People to whom which have an interest in the legal Wintu claims beneath the waters of Lake Shasta, and is not the Winnemem's Trust asset interest alone.

A Winnemem Time Line

- 1880's Baird Reservaion Established and is repeatedly encroached upon by Non-Indians

- 1880's Sporadic Allotments are made for Wintu along the McCloud, Sacramento River, Squaw Creek and Lower Pit Rivers

- 1900 Conchululi Dies. Last Traditional McCloud River Wintu Wi' (Chief)

- 1924 Wintu Poeple Granted American Citizenship

- 1924 Clear Creek Reservation Established (Redding Rancheria- Hardwick v. Interior 1983)

- 1930's Shasta Lake Lands reclaimed, sporadic burials removed to Shasta Lake City, Numerous Wintu Allotments flooded along Pit, Sacramento, McCloud Rivers. Wintu Tribe not re-alloted or compensated for lost lands

- 1971 Wintu Members cccupy fedaral facilty at Toyon, including Wintu families removed from Allotments beneath Lake Shasta

- 1976 BAR Process for Federal recognition begun by BIA, Original Petitioners did not Include the Winnemem as its members were enrolled in the Toyon- Wintu

- 1987 Wintu Members Removed From Toyon Wintu Center

- 1993 Toyon Wintu Tribe (Curl-Malone Board) applies to BIA thru OFA-BAR for Federal Recognition, 6 years after Toyon Standoff *10 years after original four petitioners apply

- 1998 Caleen Sisk and Jill Ward succeed from the Toyon Wintu Tribe (or Northern California) citing votong irregularities, later ending in court. * Gloria Gomes seperates at this time as well citing voting fraud among the Toyon Wintu and other improprieties

- 1999 Caleen Sisk and a non-Indian Marc Franco first claim in the Redding Record Searchlight that there is a Traditional Band of Winnemem and that they are working for Federal recognition as a band Shasta

2000-2009 Sisk- Franco approach various local state and federal agencies concerning state and federal recognition as the WWO Winnemem Wintu Organization, a not for profit.

2000- 2009 Sisk-Franco use the WWO to attempt to steer water rights issues in the Sacramento Valley

- 2002 Winnemem WWO unilateral cultural representation removed from new drafted Curl/ Malone Toyon/ Wintu constitution

- 2003 Sisk Tries for federal recognition as a band of Shasta.

- 2004 Sisk claims 173 members in the Record Searchlight, the same number as the new 2003 Toyon Wintu Roll * Later changed to the currently used Winnemem membership level of 123

- 2004 Flora Curl-Jones (Puiluli-met Last Traditional Doctor of the We-na-mem Wintu Passes) *Callen Sisk assumes Flora's role as Doctor for the tribe steering toward media exsploits of the tribe and occupying Flora's property in Jones Valley, Ca

- 2005 Callen Sisk billed a 4 Day War Dance (Camera Dance) atop Shasta Dam for a new documentary in opposition to the raising of Shasta Dam/Lake.

- 2008 Wintu Tribe Advised by the Asst. Secretary of Interior a Negative Detirmination would be the only result in the Wintu bands failing to unify

- 2008 Winnemem Failed Attepmt at State Recognition AJR-39

- 2009 Current Lawsuit Filed by Sisk/ Franco WWO for Nom ti pom, Puidal Pom, El Pom, Puisus, Wai muk & Wenemem Wintu People's Trust Assets not associated with the WWO

Gomes on Wintu Band Inclusiveness & United Bands Efforts to Rectify Differences

In Ms. Gomes own words to the Redding Record Searchlight dated August 31st 2008.

Letters to the Editor: Aug. 31, 2008
Wintu must unite for recognition

Yes I read between the lines .

I read your Aug. 20 editorial about the Winnemem vote. Yes, the article was politics in action.

The vote was for state recognition of the Winnemem. What I do know is any Indian tribe in California is already recognized by the state and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The reason Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa and Sen. Sam Aanestad voted against constituents is they know and understand that this group does not represent all of the Winnemem or other bands of Wintu in Shasta and Siskiyou counties. They only want recognition for their 123 Winnemem members that they say "are left" when in fact there are many more than that amount — many more.

The Redding Rancheria is federally recognized as a rancheria and is are inside of our tribal area. The Winnemem want to be a tribal entity inside of our tribal area also. So where do all of the rest of the Wintu belong? What I do know is the federal government will not recognize the Wintu until we are all together as one.

The United Tribe of Northern California Inc. is still working to unite with the other groups so we will have an equal footing for federal recognition for all.

The Wintu are a proud people and have a rich history here in Shasta and Siskiyou counties, and we will pursue and persevere for our people toward our goal of unity and federal recognition.

So maybe now you will understand why Assemblyman LaMalfa and Sen. Aanestad did not vote for the bill for the Winnemem. I am sure it had nothing to do with water; it was a straight tribal issue. The Winnemem went to their vote and they got it. Their allies in the Legislature may be ardent soldiers in California water wars, but the vote was for state recognition not Shasta Dam or any water issues. But, then that's politics.

Gloria Gomes, Chairwoman

United Tribe

of Northern California

Redding

Wintu Tribe of Northern California (Toyon-Wintu) Next To Dis-Enroll Members

The not for profit organization "Wintu Tribe of Northern California", formerly known as the "Toyon Wintu Tribe" (Center), in June 2008 joined over a dozen other tribes in the state of California that have kicked out there members. Approxamately 18 other tribes in the state of california have reduced there membership rolls since 1998. Onl seven years after lucritive gaming was allowed, passed by initiative in 1990. Other tribes in the area that have reduced there rolls shortly after establishing gaming operations are: the Pit River Tribe, who reduced over a hundred Maidesi (a traditional Pit River band on the lowest courses of the river adjoining the Winnmem Wintu Territory) members; the Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu in Butte county removed approxamately 70 family members, and subsequently split into seperate and rival factions; and the Shasta Nation/ Tribe. Rival factions of the same Shasta Tribal Lineage from Siskiyou County as the Okwanuchu, and New River Shasta (see Saxey Kidd story). However of these examples, only the Shasta Tribe/ Nation remain not Federally Recognised by the Federal Government. Therefore without protections to its citizens and lands thereafter guarenteed, but also not allowed Indian Gaming on trust lands. This begs the question, if a tribe doesn't recieve benefits from the government, nor the right to game, what would the motives for dis-enrollments be?

Wintu History

The Wintu Tribe are a non-federalized tribe residing in Shasta and Trinity (and southern Siskiyou) Counties in Northern California recorded as having resided along three main watercourses just south of Mount Shasta. At the time of contact with European Immigrants (settlers) in the 1840's the tribes population was around 27,000 Wintu. In three short decades, by 1880, our population had been reduced by thievery, enslavement, murder, starvation, diesease, and repeated forced removals to several area reservations (inculding Hoopa Valley, Nome Cult, Round Valley, Ft. Bidwell and others). Wintu members were allotted both individually and collectively throught the territory, but sporadically, leaving service for the BIA difficult and some postulate, in a calculated move, in an effort to deprive the Wintu of land rights to our lands that was so covetted by settlers for its water and gold bearing values.

It was not long however, after a difficult period for the tribe from 1900-1930, as a result of a disruptive change in life patterns and reduced traditional food availability from devastating mining activity in the area, that the tribe was removed entirely from federal service rolls, and the Wintu members land that had been individually allotted and surrounding trust lands over a vast area along the Sacramento, McCloud and Lower Pit River's, were re-aquired by the Federal Government, under a land act to develop what is today known as the Central Valley Project or CVP. Subsequently the tribal members were removed, including this authors family, from beneath the lake and over 46 square miles of land were flooded to create todays Shasta Lake, just north of present day Redding.

The Wintu Tribe remained landless (accept for the families above the high water mark of Lake Shasta, or elsewhere in Trad. terr.) until 1971, when motivated members of the Pit River and Wintu Tribes occupied the former Federal Facilities used by workers in the Constrcution of Shasta Dam decades prior. Utilizing a federal law that allowed for the use of federal facilities for the advancement of Native American Tribes (also how DQ Unv. in Davis was established the same year). The reservation at Toyon Center (Formerly known as Goverment Camp) was short lived however, when in 1987 (authour 8 years old at the time of removal from Toyon) local Non-Indian community members enticed Shasta County Offcials to "shut off the water mains to Toyon", subsequently the County deemed the facility unfit for habitation and ordered the forceful eviction by County Sheriffs, and weeks later our homes were bulldozed to the ground by D-9 cats emblazoned with "Bureau of Indian Affairs" crests.

With the Wintu Tribe in dissaray for the last two decades (1987-2009), at odds with individual tribes right to self determination, the BIA instated the BAR process in 1976. And in 1983-84, four Wintu petitioners began processes of redress agaist the Federal Government for lack of services for over 70 years (original 4 Wintu petitioners). It was not until 1993 that the Curl-Malone faction of the Toyon Wintu were finally able to formally respond to the BIA and certify, by Federal deadline, that the tribe was in fact going to in fact then petition for federal recognition, after the closure of Toyon.

Today the Tribal structure represents the reverberations of these recent historic events. In 1998 Gloria Gomez a Wintu Elder, and signee for Original Petitioner the "Wintun of Shasta" in 1984, left the Toyon Wintu Tribe. Gomez, citing improprieties in the election systems ran by a single family group the Curl-Malone Faction, was forced to defended her position. And this debate ended after a long court battle in Shasta County with Gomez retaining her original status as original petitioner of the "Wintu of Shasta".

In 1998 Caleen Sisk and Jill Ward also left the Toyon Wintu Tribe after a heated debate ended in the formation of the Winnemem Wintu Organization (a not for profit org) as a modern emination of the former traditional Wintu Band hailing from the McCloud River, formerly traditionally led by the late Flora Curl-Jones. Sisk has repeatedly called upon local agencies, and citizens to support her bout for Federal Recognition and denounces future Wintu gaming on her website. Although donations are also solicited there.

The Nor Rel Muk Nation, or Trinity Wintu, were also one of four original petitioners in 1984. The Nor-Rel-Muk, although retaining a common ancestry as the Shasta County Wintu people/ Tribes, the Modern political emination of the Trinity Wintu has chosen to remain auntonomous, and insular to the political issues of the Shasta County Wintu, since before the closure of Toyon. The Nor Rel Muk Nation holds their own elections, operates their own tribal offices, elects their own tribal council, and manages a seperates membership roll that that of the Shasta County bands.

The latest addition to our dishonerable fractionization has been the establishement and formalizing of the new United Bands tribe/ council. Established sometime after the momentous illegal elections at Toyon in 2003, illegal adoption of new Toyon constitution in 2003, and trimming of the Tribal roll in 2001-03 by the Curl- Malone Toyon Wintu, over 200 members of the Wintu Tribe left the Toyon (after huge blocks were removed created fear in the membership) to join the United Bands, bolstering the United Bands Tribal Roll to over 350 individuals. Compared to the miniscule 91 members that the Curl-Malone family "allowed" onto the new roll prepared by themselves in 2003. Today (4/10/09) on their website, the Toyon Tribe Claims over 400 members.

Talk began of the formulation of a consoladated Wintu Tribe encompassing all bands in 2003 (and much longer before by individual members) at a United Bands council meeting in March. And appears on their minutes. Hence the name "United Bands". The United Bands attourney Gorton-Moore & assoc. (former cold war USSR consultant) adamantly stated that within 4 years (2007 deadline) the United Bands would have recognition and that the "next day he was going to meet with Caleen Sisk and the Winnemem about consolodation of the bands", and later stated, "he had already spoken with the Curl-Malone" led faction of the Toyon Wintu and that the Legal team was making progress in the area of resolution. However as of April 2009, no action has been taken on concolodation of the Wintu Bands, either at the direction of Gorton & Moore (external to the tribe), or origination from a tribal member (internal to the tribe).

However the recent disenrollments and their effects of disinfranchisement and denial of inclusion to community on these non-federalized Wintu Indian people is ongoing. And should not be the way the current leaders represent the legacy of the Wintu Tribe to all.

It really is beyond me why anyone at the Curl- Malone Toyon Tribe would want to kick anyone out of the tribe, as they havn't been able to accomplish anything for the people aside from lining their own pockets for the last 20 years or so, and could use all the help and knowlege they can get. Accept that fear, misunderstandings, personal views and self image, greed and jealousy, have come in the way of what the Wintu leaders today should be doing to help the entire Wintu Membership, not small parties of questionable members looking for grant handouts in the name of all Wintu, that actually end up effecting very few, and are administered by the most incapable and dishonest among us.

Linda Malone, ask your self one question, "is this the legacy I want to leave for my family in the future." People know.

Last Word-

Disenrolling members is wrong. It strikes at the heart of the community. Not all disenrollments are for money and greed of millions of dollars. Some as we have seen here are personal attacks upon individuals both culturally and mentally and physically as well as legally. If the disenrolled ever find support enough to make it that far. This is why this website exists and the authours are not surprised at the continued vengeful actions perpetuated on the membership by the Curl- Malone family groups continued control of the Toyon Tribal Council. Hang in there members, this will not stand much longer.

Redding Rancheria Health Clinic

(photo) Redding Rancheria Health Clinic located in Redding, Ca.

Originally started by the late Redding Rancheria Chairman Bob Foreman (matriarch of the now disenrolled Forman family) at the former facilities located in Anderson, Ca, and intended for all Native Americans within its service area, the Redding Rancheria has seen economic development not only rip-apart the local native communities with its rapid "mafia style" gaming operation at Win- River Casino, but the mis-use of the federal IHS facility in Redding, Ca.

In 2003 the Redding Rancheria Tribal Council and its enrollment committee members and later its lawyers and tribal court, chose to Dis-enroll, and to uphold in their Court, the disenrollment, of 57 members of the Foreman family (Pit River) from the Redding Rancheria Tribe. This act of the Foreman Families civil rights charicterises the way in which the Redding Rancheria Tribe and Tribal Council today continues to operate the facility located on Churn Creek Road in Enterprise, Ca, in Wintu territory. In the last couple years several times the Redding Rancheria Health Clinic with direction from the RR Tribal Council has reduced both the size of the members serviced at the health facility, and the services offered have been reduced.

Despite a Win River Casino $90 Million dollar expansion currently slated for the Gaming Facility at the Redding Rancheria, which is wrongly named, Win-River Casino, whereas no actual monetary assets from this gaming facility are being used to benefit the larger Wintu people/ Tribe(s). Despite the Wintu Tribe having a larger population, at some 650 non-federalized Indians in two northern California Counties and are also denied non-gaming distributions to tribes guaranteed by state law passed in 1990. The RR Health Clinic and the RR Tribe have come up with some clever ways in which to deny local Indians health service and to reduce the number of Local Indians especially, that are on their service rolls.

In 2006, members of the IHS facility at RR were sent letter notification that they must be seen at the facility at least once a year. After that in 2007 were sent notification that the switch to CHS had required local Indians to be seen at the facility in 6 month intervals. The remedy of breaching the new requirements which, was not to schedule patients on their new scale. But to remove those members that did not meet the criteria from service lists, and the computer databases there. A possible breech of Legal Requirements for Health Facilities "Ditching" patients health records without notice. And a possible violation of CFR statutes to Heath Services for Native Americans.

The RR Health Clinic had 3479 registered Indian patients in 2007.

While the local native population by the 2000 census in over 8000. Just for Shasta County and not the extended service are of the RR Health Clinic that included eastern Trinity County as well.

Terrifying Tracy Edwards the legal master-mind behind the Redding Rancheria Constitution Amendments and the fourth coming disenrollments, says here on the RR health clinic web-site, of her "commitment to protect... the rights of Indian People" :

"One of the greatest honors in my life is having served as the Chairperson to the Redding Rancheria for 4 years. It has made me a stronger person, but more importantly, it has reinforced in me the importance of our Tribal government and the people that we serve. It has impressed upon me that the decisions the Tribal Council makes have very strong implications for not only the Tribal members today, but the Tribal members 7 generations from now. The Redding Rancheria Tribal Government is committed to protecting Tribal laws & the rights of Indian people."

Tracy Edwards, Tribal CEO.

I guess after never being raised on the RR or ever living on the Redding Rancheria or around any of your supposed "Indian community", Carol Goldberg, your legal surrogate, never taught Terrifying Tracy Edwards at UCLA School of Law what exactly constituted a Civil Rights Violation, or much of anything about the implications of the ICRA of 1968!

"I believe that we can't be whole without knowing who we are as Indian people. Many of us have lost our Native languages, but we still move forward and practice the spirituality that we know. All the medicine in the world can't make you healthy if your spirit isn't whole."
Barbara Murphy, Tribal Chairperson.

Well Barb. Your heiress, you should know all about not feeling whole spiritually. You all down at Rancheria never had any spirituality as a homeless group of out of town Indians created by the Federal Government in 1922. Your Not Wintu! And now you try with your fellon brother James Hayward (Pit River- enrolled at Redding Rancheria) following Mickey (who was enrolled pit river by the way) practicing your "gaming religion" in Wintu territory, and trying to get all spiritual. HA! Yur millionaires and all your hollow culture down at Rancheria will ever be is and was an afterthought to the lies you perpetuate in the Redding Community about the Wintu people and the Actual Indian Community, something Bob Foreman was able to over come and do things for everyone, but clearly you do not. Including at the clinic. Why is that? Oh that's right, because you and Tracy were NEVER a PART OF THE INDIAN COMMUNITY HERE! Go Back to BRITISH COLUMBIA!

Salmon Harvesting for the El Pom Keswick Rancheria

Salmon harvesting for Wintu members of the El Pom Keswick Rancheria completed its sixth year on October 31, 2008. Began in 1998 to foster Wintu Traditional Arts in Shasta County, the El Pom Keswick Rancheria has gone on to establish land use rights, right to access, fishing rights for 3 seperate Wintu tribes, secured housing funding, and worked with several state and federal agencies in processes to exspand and assist the Wintu people, as well as the initially intended fostering of Wintu Traditional Arts.

"Eighteen members in attendance shows the Wintu peoples willingness to be involved in the re-invigoration of our past culture, after being disavowed and made a crime by non-Indian people."

Began in 2001, when a single Wintu Tribal Memeber Matt Root (Wintu - Karuk) petitioned the State of California for traditinal salmon harvesting rights in the areas where his ancestors fished for literally centuries. Unanimously approved by Sacramento Legislators on October 26, 2002, 2008 marked the sixth year this event has represented the Wintu peoples shift back to traditional lifeways that are in harmony within the Sacramento River ecosystem. Executive Director of the El Pom Keswick Rancheria, Matt Root, reported today, that 18 Wintu Tribal Members from all 5 Bands of Modern Political Wintu Entities were in attendence this year despite rain, and a shortened season. Root spoke to the members in attendance, "Eighteen members in attendance shows the Wintu peoples willingness to be involved in the re-invigoration of our past culture, after being disavowed and made a crime by non-Indian people."

The Salmon Harvesting has been entirely funded by a single Wintu family, and has hosted a free salmon dinner during the harvesting in the community of Keswick, Ca since its inception. In 2004 the Executive Director went on to petition the State of California again, this time on behalf of the Nor Rel Muk Nation, a Wintu band hailing from Trinity County, just to the west of the Shasta County Wintu Traditional Territory. The Nor Rel Muk proposal was also approved unanimously. Not finished there Mr. Root has gone on to petition the state on behalf of several other Wintun Tribes to the south in the Sacramento Valley, as was originally his goal, to return all of the Wintun Tribes to the river, to practice our culture, bring it back into thge lives of our people, and with the eventual result of Uniting the Wintu Factions for the future stregnth of all Wintu and Wintun peoples.

If you are interested in more information, or to voluteer for this event in 2009 contact the El Pom Keswick Rancheria at elpom@sbcglobal.net. Wintu Traditional Salmon Harvesting will occour on the Sacramento River at Redding begining in mid-August and Runs until Mid-November 2009. And the tentative date for the Free Salmon Dinner at the El Pom Keswick Rancheria is set for September 25, 26, 27, 2009.

Other Nor Cal Tribes Have Incorperated Traditional Tribal Band Guidelines Into Their Constitutions and Elections Ordinaces?

Question? Have other tribes in the Northern California regional area sucessfully introduced traditional tribal structure into their Tribal Constitution's and Election Ordiance's? Let's take a closer look.

The Klamath Tribes, following decades of depridations, military forays, massacres, and diesease introduced and committed against the Klamath, Modoc, and Paiute by Euro-American settlers pouring into Southern Oregon and Northern California, were forced to cede 23 million acres of their traditional tribal territory by Treaty in 1864. At the time Native Poeple all over Northern California were being force-herded, or killed indiscriminately, for resistance to be volutarily removed to a series of Military Reservations strategically located througout select sections of the North State. Reservations, some of which still exist to this day, that were established for the sole purpose of removing the Indian People from the land at large to more easily open the land for Homesteading, Timber Develoment, and Mineral Extraction. Not that all tribes here were much of a actual threat to thousands of non-indians, in those days it was one one white life, for a series of brutal massacres of women children, and the elderly, whereas any native male was already long gone or in hiding. The villages survivors were then promptly removed to the nearest reservation, chained, tied, and often whipped, force marched over mountains, thru rivers, stored in corrals at night, fed in troughs. Killed for escaping, killed for not keeping-up. This is the kind of history the white people of northern california left us. I do not wonder why our elders do not like to refer to that time.

The Klamath Tribe were forced onto their reservation in their traditional tribal land on Upper Klamath Lake with other tribes with which they did not particulary have kind relations, plexed when forced onto a small piece of land under these conditions, by white intruders. The situation grew into the most famous mititary skirmish on the west coast. The Modoc's flight to the Lava Beds, to escape the removal to the reservation, to esacpe acculturation, to escape the abuse, to return to their land at Lost River. And for their escape in 1871-1872, they were removed to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) and members were not allowed to return home to Oregon until 1905. The Modoc are the only tribe from California to suffer this fate at the hands of Congress and the Department of the Interior.

Today, the Klamath Tribes operate a governing body of their tribe as outlines in their tribal constitution. A tribal council elected by a general membership is the norm for tribes around, but that they exist on a federalzed reservation as a recognised tribe descended from a diverse lineage or Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin band of Paiute on the same land, in the same tribe, governed by a single tribal body of all members descended from people removed to the reservation, are collectively running and operating the modern "Klamath Tribes", while still recognising the members diverse lineage.

What can the Wintu learn from this? Did the Curl's write tradition into the Toyon Constitution? Do they posess the knowlege to do so? Does the United Bands do much to recognise Wintu Bands? Wintu, Wintun, and Wintoo and european spellings of the pronuciation as heard by white ears. Not the real Wintu band names, they obviously, don't know. Does anyone know? Probably not, unless you are descended from someone who was recorded as being somewhere at some point on the record, or your family actually passed down thru oral tradition where your family is from, most members probably not know what village or band they are actuually from. The truth is the BIA never recorded Wintu bands on the cencuses. One good reason to be involved in your culture and not leave it up to a panel of people that you don't know, that don't know you, and don't care about your welfare.



The Estom- Yumeka Maidu at Enterprise Rancheria are a tribe also created by the federal government. Again the Maidu, after decades of famine, dieseases, failed forced relocations to reservations, indiscriminate massacres, and land theft, were left landless after their reservations, exaclty like our own Wintu Reservation at Ash Creek, was guarenteed by BIA Indian Agent O.M. Wozencraft in 1851. In the Winter of 1851-52 however, back in Washington D.C. congress voted to not ratify/ adopt the 18 treaties signed with the Tribes of California that year, and were promtly deny these lands and foreced onto a poorly set up, and scandolously operated, series of Military Reservations thru California. The Maidu were forced marched in a infamous march from Chico, at Bidwell's Homestead, from their land guarenteed by the treaty three years before, 170 miles over the coast range to the Reservation at Round Valley (Covelo). This removal is commemorated annually by the Maidu and Round Valley Tribes in Northern California every year in the Fall. When the legislators finally wanted to do somthing for landless tribes of California that had not been removed, and that had not been allotted, or lost their allotted lands as a result of doublehanded federal legilsation taxing the land after the first 20 years, in 1915 were granted a piece of land in between the middle and north forks of the Feather River in Butte County as a Rancheria for thiese bands of Maidu. Today they operate a tribal government for the bands of their traditional territory, and they remain auntonomous from the other recognised and non-recognised bands of Maidu. A federaly recognised tribe existing apart from the other bands, yet retaining their traditional connectivity.

Points for the Wintu. Caleen can be the Winnemem if she wants to. The Nor-Rel-Muk can be the Nor-Rel-Muk, and the tribe will still get no-where beacause BIA has already advised us we have to unite, and these two bands come no-where near being all-inclusive of the many Wintu members. And still many more remain not formally enrolled in any of the modern not-for-profits claiming to be the Wintu Tribe. We Wintu people cannot allow this to occour.

The Yurok Tribe, recognised thru the BAR/OFA process following the landfall Hoopa Yurok Settlement Act in 1988, exist and operate a tribal governing body on their large reservation along the Klamath River in Northwestern California. They adopted a gocerning document, a tribal constitution, at the time of recognition and it was immediately approved by the Secretary of the Interior. In their election ordinances is outlined the traditional Yurok Tribal tribal band areas. They chose to incorporate these ideals into the contemporary poltitical document and have seen a high rate of success with this voting structure. Wietchpec, Pekwan, Requa, Ner-er'ner; all traditional village groupings; and the outlying areas, are compiled in the ordinances and tribal members run to be district representatives from each district.

Nom-ti-pom? Wenamem? Puidalpom? Ehl'pom? Daunom? Who runs where? Do you know where your family is from? Maybe you should ask your grandma? The metamorphasis of our tribal government is clear, this is not my idea, it is who we have always been. People please quit dragging your feet. I cannot wait, our children cannot wait. Our Wintu community together should not be forced to wait any longer for unity and for recognition. Forced to wait by those that do not possess the power, traditinal understanding, authority, personal intelligence, or moral fortitude to accomplish what must be done to help our people grow and return to our place in the Northern California Indian community. It has been far too long.

Making the Case for Band Autonomy

Members of the Enterprise Rancheria (Maidu) Protest Disenrollment in Sacramento Feb. 2004

Making the case for band autonomy. There are several other tribes in Northern California with varied histories of both long recognition and not recognised as well as recently recognised. These modern tribal groups formulate tribal rolls, establish councils, and operate buisness entities acting as individial bands of a larger tribal group. Tribal groups are related pre-historic peoples that share a linguistic stock, and both recent or historic fracturing of tribal memberships into "bands" or modern eminations of more traditional tribal linguistic groups have occoured in California. This relatively new caveat of federal Indian Policy has seen pre-historic tribal bands or "tribelets" morphing into Traditional Bands, and the actions have created some backlash for both the tribes and the Federal Government thru which the Bureau of Indian Affairs has oversite over the tribal governments.

Examples abound. The Enterprise Rancheria split into rival factions after poltical diputes boiled. The Pit River Tribe remains 11 auntounomous bands and their Tribal Constitution and their election ordiances and election districts reflect that traditional ideal, by following traditional tribal guidlines. The Shasta Tribe of Siskiyou County split into rival petitioners thru BIA's OFA process for recognition, when they would be better off together. The Pomo of Mendocino Lake and Glenn Counties still remain federally recognised as seperate Pomo entities while still retaining their band auntonomy on over 18 seperate Rancheria's. The Yurok Tribal membership is spread. between 4 different rancheria's in addition to their reservation. And their tribal elections also reflect traditional band boundaries for voting districts. It seems important for other tribes to utilize tradition in a tribes political structure to assure integrity and well being in the membership. And it promotes understanding in our traditional structure, somthing many Wintu yurn for, including people like the Curl-Malone Board Members, that have no tradition in their lives, and as a result to this lack, react violently to others and abuse their own family. Only thru aknowlegement of our traditional Wintu past and understanding of it, will any of the Wintu grow in the future and become closer to who we really are, not what the government wants us to be.

What's a tribal linguistic group? You ask. Yes, most California tribes are loosely termed in related language families (California Language Geograpy Map), groups like Hokan, which encompass all the Pomo, Karuk, and Chimariko people. By classing linguistic "stocks", scientists, or better, linguists, can group tribes by related languages that have been proven thru research to be related. In theory. I use the term loosely as linguistic morphology is a relatively new field and a few languages need classing still like Wappo, and Yuki, and some may be re-classed in future studies, like Chimariko or New River Shasta/ Pit River. Because much of linguistic study is based on conjecture and scientific hypothesis they are relatively educated guesses. And still yet, some of these groups have yet to form any kind of tribal governace to protect their people at all. So where does that leave a Penutian speaking group like the Wintu?

Penutian, the language family by which Yokut, Wintun, and Maidu are found (among others like Coastonoan, Miwok, Salinian, and Ohlone) was classes first by Jeremiah Curtian around 1860. He was the most eminant linguistic of his day. California Tribes rarely existed prehistorically as a large "tribe" as a grouping, as we are lead to belive by the modern media's idea of the "American Indian" nomadic plainsmen on horseback mythos. The Wintu in particular existed in 9 seperate entities or "Bands" and it was only after horrific massacres and famine, dieseases, indentureship, and removal to reservations, that these ties were fractured in the 1800's. But not entirely. The Wintu bands as the existed at the time of contact with Euro-American settlers were:

Wintu Bands Map

1. El-Pom 2. Kla-bl-pom 3. Pui-dal-pom 4. Nor-Muk 5. Nom-sus 6. Dau-nom 7. Nom-ti-pom 8. We-na-mem 9. Wai-muk/ Puisus

Only the Nor-Rel-Muk and We-na-mem exist today as modern political morphs of tradtitional Wintu band units. The Toyon Tribe (Wintu of Northern California) are a historical tribe, and do not reresent the pre-historical entity, our our ancestral rights, The Toyon Wintu Tribe was established when Toyon, the facility, was occupied in 1971, and recognised by the federal governement from 1971 until today. The United Bands by its own name beguiles the idea that the tribe is somehow a united group of the Wintu bands, an impossibility as the members are spread between 6 modern tribes. But it also is deceptive as to its membership being all inclusive, which it is not. Another problem with the modern We-na-mem tribal membership, not all the members know who they are or what villages they come from or are of a mixed ancestry as the tribe receeded to the safety of the McCloud River after 1850 to retreat from the onset of murderous miners and settlers.

The pre-historic link of band to modern tribal entitiy is merely half the story of cultural revitalization and cultural renewal and is seperate from the NECESSITY of a given tribal membership to fracture. Illegal elections? Power hungry families that only think for themselves and abuse others? Decades with no action on our petitions for recognition? Strong-arming elders? Violations of federal laws like the Brown Act, and Free Speech? Violations of Civil Rights to Equal Protection? These kinds of unfortuante occourances are what has lead up-to and continues to plauge all of indian country, not just the Wintu Tribes.

Caleen left to formulate the We-na-mem to fill the void for spirituality and truth thru band acknowlgement that the Curl- and Malone Families cannot offer their members. The United Bands was created when the members became the majority and after being abused and having their rights violated by the Curl's and Malone's they broke away and formulated one of the most sucessful Wintu Factions. The El-Pom Keswick Rancheria was created in 1998 when simple Welfare, Housing and Cultural Issues simply were not being addressed by the Toyon/Wintu, Curl-Malone Board, and for the fear that surrounds all tribal members when dis-honest people are allowed to remain in control. Abuses nescessitaed the fracturing of the Wintu Tribe. And for Recognition the Federal Government Nescecitates that we re-unite.

It seems that the simple metamorphasis that is occouring is for the Wintu Bands that are still alive today, that still have their ways, that still know who they are, that still care for there places. To formulate. Because there are still hundreds of members out there that have no connectivity, no culture. And if any tribal council wishes to operate for the tribe, they ought to begin by acting like it.

One Wintu Faction the "United Bands" Holds its First Elections

Toyon Wintu Center in 1931

August 1st, 2008 Redding, Ca- The United Bands, one of the several not-for profit organizations in the Shasta County area claiming to represent the Wintu Tribal Membership, has held its first annual election, by popular vote, in accordance with the groups drafted constitution. Formulated in 1984 as the Wintu of Shasta, Gloria Gomez (Wintu) has headed this not-for profit group since its inception. It is the modern emanation of one of the original four Wintu Tribal Petitioners that applied to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to navigate the federal governments BAR (now referred to as OFA) process by which tribes may petition the Department of the Interior for federal acknowledgement.

The Wintu as a whole, occupy one of the most ambiguous tribal histories of any of the California Tribes that suffered genocide and annihilation thru forced removals and relocation's to area reservations, and not-ratification of the 1851 Ash Creek Treaty that subsequently left our people without a federalized land base and the protections of Indian populations and cultures that were afforded other area tribes thru the historical era like Hoopa Valley and Round Valley. Following non-ratification of the Ash Creek Treaty in 1852 it was approximately 30 years before Congress acted to allocate any land to individual Indians, let alone the forgotten Indians of California. In the 1880's the Dawes Act Provided for individual families to receive tracts of land in common with European Immigrats that had been "settling" our Wintu lands thru the Homestead Act for the same 30 year period. The same period that saw our people removed and driven from the land scape or out right killed by the same euro-americans that still control our freedom, and our land.

The reasons given for the lack of recognition for the entire Wintu people thru the recent historical era include lack of federal oversite, limited displacement of federal officials resposible for our welfare, and a willingess by local and regional elected representatives to allow our tribe to remain landless, and therebye without a community since the Gold Rush era. Failed federal policies to assist California Indians in the past have failed entirely to bring assistance, or economic development to our sizeable Wintu Community here in Shasta County. Leaving us landless Indians, in our own land.

It was in 1971 that motivated Wintu Indians occupied the federal facilities at Government Camp, later named "Toyon", under federal laws passed in the 1970's that allowed for the Native American use of un-used federal facilities, like the homes and hall at Toyon. Toyon (the land) was never deeded to the Wintu Tribe, and since its closure in 1987, the tribe has only enjoyed "day use" of the area by BIA mandate. Landless still.

In the intereveneing time period (1971-1987), congress and Interior moved to finally address the welfare of California Indians specifically as a result of federal congressional inquests on California Reservations and Rancheria specifically had revealed a severe lack and inequal displacement of federal assistance on California Trust lands was severly in-adequate and that the California Indians on them were living in "squalid" conditions (U.S. Senate Hearing 1974). These congressional testimonies in the 1970's are what lead to the BIA establishing the BAR process of federal acknowlegement in 1978. A process by which tribes that have historically been terminated (the Wintu were never terminated in the 1940-50's) or Tribes that had their reservations allotted (resulting in huge land losses on many reservations in the western united states not simply California) and stripped of Native Citizenship under the Wheeler-Howard Acts policies of assimilation, to re-gain recogntion and realize the federal policies of "Self-determination" and "Self-regulation" that were so popular in the 1970's under the Nixon Administration.

30 plus years later our people have yet to realize any sense of community, or actual self-determinitive or self-regulatory freedom, or assistance from the Interior or BIA. In fact the Interior officials have gone deep into waters where we are hampered in our efforts to realize freedoms guarenteed by federal law over 30 years ago. And deny our future identity as Wintu Indians. The same four Original Wintu Petitioners still remain on the Interior Secretaries List of Non-Recognised Tribes attempting to navigate the labrynth of federal recognition.

Let us hope that Gloria Gomez and the new United Bands council will work towards the good of all the Wintu people and not just select factions. Stop Wintu Fraud wishes the New United Bands Council luck in the coming year as they attempt to continue to formulate a tribal membership of Wintu Descendants, and petition the government for acknowlegement.

2008 Wintu Elections

The 2008 Wintu Tribal Council Elections are here.

Are you wondering why the elders names you were hoping to be on your election ballot are not there? Do you wonder why the people on the ballot your grandmother tells you are all related in some way? Do you wonder why its the same names over and over running for the Toyon Wintu tribal council? Do you know any one that wasn't allowed into the Toyon Tribe in 2003? Have you recently revoked your own membership from the "Curl-Malone" led "Toyon/ Wintu Group" in the hopes that joining the United Bands with Val Bowsher would give it's Wintu members an honest election, finally after about 15 years ol illeagl Curl-Malone elections over at Toyon? United Bands are holding their first elections, and the Curl- Malone Faction is also holding their annual farse of an election currently.

In 2007, there were 12 seats for the Toyon Board, and only 14 candidates. 11 of which were direct Curl Descendants putting them at a mathmatically guarenteed position of at least controlling over next year, the votes of the Curl Malone "Toyon" tribal council. Controls that assure their control over the future stewardship of the land at Toyon, while leaving the members without recourse or effective oversite of the Curl-Malone Boards actions.

This Stop Wintu Fraud editor personally has voted for 3 persons in 2006 and 2 persons in 2007 in stead of the stipulated 12 on the ballott. The other persons appearing on the ballot are the indiviuals responsible for attepts at violations of Wintu member rights. As the members responsible for violating the members rights, these Curl-Malone descendants are perpetually on the ballot and it is their varied extended family by which they switch, in a calculated fashon long before the elections, as to whom will be on the board. These illegal activities, along with the violations of members rights enforced by the current council members cupled with the election committee members willingness to violate Wintu peoples rights, have all contributed to the fact that many many, and an ever increasing ammount of Wintu people are becoming exsposed to the illegal and unjust actions that are trying to be passed over on the Wintu members by the Curl-Malone Toyon board.

Sound illegal? It is. Even for a not for profit organization. But theye've gotten away with it at least since 2002 when the Curl Malone Board, headed by familiy matriarch Linda Malone, where after learning of the plans at drafting controls with CILS attourneys into the Toyon Constitution, that would also mathmatically hand the "Curl-Malone Family Voting Block" power over general membership votes, also in the future.

It was enough at that time (2003) for over 350 Wintu Persons trying to enroll in the Curl Malone Toyon "tribe", to revoke their enrollment and join United Bands and bolstered their roll, more than quadrupling it in one year to more that 400 Wintu persons. The United Bands are holding their elections right now under booming thunderstorms in the skies over Redding. Messages from our ancestors?

I hope that the elections official choose to illegally use the Women League of Voters identity, without their official approval, will reconsider their illeagl actions and that are currently perpetuating fraud against the Wintu membership.

Wintu members want an honest board to represent the Wintu Tribe, a board coonposed of a COMPLETE cross section of the ENTIRE tribe. And of honest members that will represnt the majorities best interests, not just single family groups, like what happened at Redding Rancheria! Not just split factions with small groups of members. We as Wintu members, no longer want to be de-frauded by seperate factions claiming to represnt the Tribe, while displaying personal traits that are not condusive to an effective Wintu leader. Wintu leaders that continue to hinder the needs of the many Wintu, for the insignifigant needs of the un-just few. And that play power games in an effort to emulate the realistically insignifigant power plays seen by the Curl Malone Toyon board.

The Wintu Factions Have to Unite in Order to Recieve Federal Acknowledgment?

(photo- previous image removed) Dado Ceremony, Along with Mole, Loli, Hesi, Sede, Boli Accounted for the Pre-Historic Northern Wintu Dance Cycle. Our Tribe named the Big Head- Bohem Peyek Tchono- ta. Literally, "Big- Head- Dance".

Think about what our families miss out on by continuing to not Unify Twards Recognition. What could we potentially loose if the Wintu leaders fail to unify us?

So here some of us still are. 2008. A long time since the BIA instated the Office of Federal Acknowledgement (OFA) thru federal CFR regulations to review BAR petitions from Tribes claiming to be modern conglomerations of Wintu surviving 1800's genocide and removal to reservations. In 1984, when our petitions were initially announced to Interior, the various Wintu leaders, that that time, Ray Patton for the Central Valley Wintun, Gloria Gomez for the Wintu of Shasta, Ed Grant for the Wintun of Cottonwood and also Ray Patton for the Nor Rel Muk Nation. We thank these honorable Wintu people for their fore site.

This week the BIA/ Asst. Secretary of the Interior published in the Federal Register an unprecedented OFA Notice attempting to supply "Guidance and Direction Regarding Internal Procedures" for OFA personnel review tribal applications. In the Notice, dated May 23, 2008, the Asst. Secretary of the Interior Carl Artman, referenced several issues that are sure to have wide ranging impacts on the several groups seeking acknowledgement currently thru BAR representing the Northern Wintu Tribe. New direction from the Asst. Sect'y Artman that includes what Interior has now termed as, "managing recurring administrative and technical problems in processing petitions for Federal acknowledgment.

In the recent past Interior has come under scrutiny from national tribal leaders and tribal rights watch groups, and the national media, arising concern for tribes, that the current nature of the BAR review process has become overbearing on tribes seeking acknowledgement thru Interior. And that specifically the Interior has violated Trust Responsibilities to hundreds of thousands of American Indians, that are currently members of Non-federally recognised tribes, who's members could be currently be benefiting from federal assets to benefit their welfare, like health, education, and housing, but have been left with-out Trust services in denial and termination of thei Trust responsibility of the Federal Government towards the tribal members. Some tribes like our own Wintu, have been waiting for longer than two decades.

In that time our members have seen our reservation at Toyon closed and our members forcefully removed (1987), another tribe re-acknowledged (Redding Rancheria 1983) in our traditional territory, including members of tribes not from the Shasta Trinity County area, then a casino was built in the Wintu name with millions in revenue sharing to the state of California with no benefit to the Wintu members to this day (Win-River Casino 1990-present), and more recently as a result of inter-tribal disputes the "splintering" of tribal families into separate factions claiming control of the Wintu people as a whole. Yes, unfortunately for the members caught in the middle of tribal leadership disputes where very few get anything of grant monies and everyone else in the tribe is left to guess whats going on... tribal governments without representation for tribal members, or equal rights against tribal governments gone mad, and no legal recourse even as Not for profit organizations as County and State courts have repeatedly referenced Santa Clara v. Martinez where tribal sovereignty trumps the governments rights to interfere in inter-tribal disputes, this all despite California being a PL 280 where the Wintu Tribe resides, delegating authority to the state attorney general, and also despite the State of California declaring authority to excercise Illegal Taxation of California tribal lands thru the Gaming Revenue Agreements forced upon California Tribes by the California Governors Office.

Contradictory leadership from the non-Indians to say the least. More accurately these recent events have proven to be for the Wintu, Double-handed legislation eminent of the Old 1851 Ash Creek Treaty days, where we as Indians have no re-course, no representation.

To the knowledge of Stop Wintu Fraud Editors it is the first time that Interior has officially used the term "splinter" to define in the Federal Register the fracturing of tribal memberships, for various reasons unique to each occasion. A good example of why federal statues rarely fit into real day Tribal issues like the "splintering of the Wintu", the new CFR Notice Recommendations and Direction does nothing to actually assist the tribe in resolution of any type to inter-tribal/ band disputes. Disputes that would be better clarified with the direct assistance and approval of the Interior and Regional Directors working in concert for the tribe to speed conflict resolution and complete applications, and move on to review to reduce back-log of the List of Tribes waiting for recognition which is now over 310 tribes waiting for review decisions.

It has been calculated by this Stop Wintu Fraud editor that of the 310+ tribes waiting for review thru OFA/ BAR, 32% of the tribes listed today in the Register are in some way Duplicate tribes that potentially would benefit by complying with interior's wishes , that in the name of speeding the process, tribes are to both resolve inter-tribal disputes and stop fracturing of tribal groups from single former petitioning groups into rival petitioners that would potentially, to interior create (and are creating) at least some of the back log.

Is the back long caused by tribes? No. Are tribes being forced to suffer "negative determinations" as a result of awry tribal leaders gone astray that no longer think in the tribal general memberships best interests. Here in the Notice today, Interior has gone beyond past mis-statements towards us as trustees, that the splintering of tribal groups should result in the tribe not receiving assistance in the BAR process, nor receive acknowledgement as a result of the splintering Interior has defined today as,

In the more than 29 years that the Department's acknowledgment regulations have
been in effect, the Department has confronted a number of recurring issues in
the administration of the regulations including: the emergence of splinter
groups;... opportunities for streamlining the process
through expedited decisions against acknowledgment and decisions against
acknowledgment on fewer than all seven criteria; the handling of questionable
submissions; and designation of ``inactive'' status.

The idea that Interior is now, in 2008, 26 years into the OFA process, attempting to penalize tribes for excericising the Federal Right to be Self-Determinative of our futures and our right to Self-Governance as American Indians to dissolve and formulate tribal identity as tribal members see fit here has been diminished in interiors attempts to, "opportunities for streamlining the process through expedited decisions against acknowledgment and decisions against acknowledgment." Really whats being said to tribes is if your tribes splits up, we'll use that against you now. Also in the Notice Interior states for its OFA personnel that past "Conflicts within a petitioning group that result in multiple and conflicting claims to leadership hamper the ability of OFA to communicate and conduct its business with the group when OFA cannot identify a single governing body as the point of contact with the group." Here BIA is stating, "hey, if you make it harder on us (your trustor) by splintering into contradictory factions we will use it against you (the potential trustee). In a possible violation of trust relations, and certainly in an attempt to limit the size of tribes acknowledged in the future, and there bye limiting the trust responsibility of the federal government to assets held in the name of our people, without representation as to the resources use historically, therefore is interpreted here to be potentially a undue and illegal termination of trust responsibilities to hundreds of thousands of non-federalised Americans Indians, not just the Wintu.

A note for our pseudo-leaders, Wade, Gene, and Linda. Dis-enrolling people from the tribe was, and never will be the answer to what you cannot accomplish alone. You your self's actually amount to a splinter group when you applied as the Toyon by OUR 1993 deadline. And again when you Malone's wanted remove all the Central Valley people back in 2003. Why was that again, oh yeah, because you don't "like" Gloria Gomez. A real Wintu leader would can the bullshit set your personal differences aside and work for the good of all the Wintu, not just your pitiful family. Perhaps you begin to see that everyone around you when they become involved are forced to see your strangle-hold on the tribal government thru illegal elections every year. You can't have both tribes (Toyon and the Wintu Tribe), tribal members see for themselves the tribal council stop the Wintu meeting and then have the Not for profit meeting separate. Ask questions Wintu members, find out for yourselves why the general members aren't on the not for profit list but they have a separate general council listing for members? And the way they have it currently structured by the careful help of Non-Wintu CILS attorney Mary Risling, and this was only the Curl and Malone descendants will benefit from any monetary revenue from the tribe in the future? Read your Constitution. 33% to constitute a majority? Well from the 91 members base roll that's almost exactly the percentage of the 17 member extended family Curl-Malone Voting Block.

If theirs nothing wrong with the way the tribe is currently being run then why did Caleen Sisk leave the Curl-Malone Board to formulate the Traditional Winnmem? Why did Jill leave the Curl- Malone group? Why did Loretta Root leave the Curl Malone Ground? Why did 350 other Wintu leave to join United Bands after you illegally adopted your likewise illegally drafted Curl-Malone Wintu of Northern California Interim Constitution in 2003 by a vote, to small, to exact it. Ask the Nor-el-muk, the wintu from Trinity County, if they'll have anything to do with the Curl-Malone Board? Why did Gloria Gomez stick with the Central Valley Wintu after your family, in the name of your fraudulent tribe, drag her into court back in 1997-1998? It wasn't because you actually picketed in front of her private residence that year.... ya' think? And why would a single member who regained salmon harvesting rights on his own and fished for 6 years using traditional methods without assistance from the tribe, then be threatened with dis-enrollment after being nominated for Wintu Tribal Council?

Internal conflicts aside, the Wintu- interband disputes of our tribe have been addressed by attorneys representing us (as early as 2001), and now have been addressed by the Department of the Interior, and their position on "splintering" of petitioning groups is clear, if any ambiguity existed before surrounding duplicate petitions doomed for negative determinations, duplicate petitioners will not receive assistance or acknowledgement.

To absolve the Wintu bands is easy, the only obstacle to our rapid progression and eventual recognition is just a lot of power tripping old people that have entertained a false sense of control over the tribal membership for so long that it seem the leaders won't even won't take their finger off the button, and resolve petty differences for the good of the people.

The link to the notice from the Assistant Secretary of the Interior on Current Splinter groups:

Federal Register 5/23/08

Toyon/ Wintu Tribe of Nor Cal Funny Money?

Someone call the IRS quick. Over a quarter of a million dollars have gone thru the Wintu Tribal Councils hands in the last five years. That' over $250,000.00 directly to Linda and Gene Malone's pockets. Wintu Tribal Members must ask yourselves,

"Do you really want the Wintu Tribe to continue to be lead by the Curls and Malone Families alone?"

(from the City of Shast Lake Website City Council Meeting Munutes @ www.ci.shasta-lake.ca.us)

Development Block Grant funds
Letter of Support - City of Shasta Lake’s Community Development Block Grant Award for
Wintu Tribe Community Center
(A-050-060)
It is the recommendation of the Assistant to the City Manager that the City Council authorize
the Mayor to send a letter of support to the City of Shasta Lake relative to the location
chosen by the Wintu Tribe of Northern California to construct a cultural/multi-purpose
community center on Bureau of Indian Affairs property utilizing $1 million in Community Block Grand Funds.

State of California Department of Housing and Community Development
Block Grant Program (CDBG) in the amount of $1,000,000 grant for the Wintu Tribe of
Northern California – Toyon Wintu Center to construct a 4,500 – 5,000 square foot
Cultural/Multi-purpose Community Center, located on the property known as Toyon Wintu Center.

the link:

Wintu Tribe Recives 1 Million Dollars, Still No Legal Elections, No Oversite of Not- For Profit Organization Headed By Only Two Families

Redding Rancheria Chair Barbara Murphy

(photo) Redding Rancheria Chair Barbara Murphy


(note- sorry we are having photo difficulties, image of rotting log in no way represents Barbara Murphy Chairperson of the Redding Rancheria.)

Governator, "Indianz Shoud payah thei'ah feaih shaih!"

Non-Gaming California Wintu Member, "Governator, why do you accept money from tribes that are civil rights violators?"