As seen in other tribal petitions where the tribal membership is either duplicate or representative of the same prehistoric tribal group recognition has been denied repeatedly thru the BAR process of recognition at BIA. As recently at November 2007 the Juaneno tribe had a negative determination handed down on their petition because several years previous to the final review as a result of tribal matters the tribe split, much like the Wintu Bands Today, into sepreate organizations claiming "control" of the membership rolls, and future administration of the tribal government. Around 1997 the Juaneno, a tribe from southern california that also have been on the list waiting for a descision on their application for recognition thru Interior's BAR process for over 20 years, split into two groups that became knows as Juaneno 1 and Juaneno 2. The Interior dep't declared a "NO" descision after the membership rolls were found to be duplicate, and the membership criteria innacurate and differing from interior historical documents, and the tribal governments not following proceedures outlined in tribal governance documents. All Wintu elders know that the band members are scattered throughout the modern tribal poltical entities that all claim the same thing, governance of the Wintu People.
In 1984 the Pit River Tribe (constitution) was recognised under the Reagan (R, CA)administration, and at that time were able to consoldate inter-bands interests for the good of the members to gain federal recognition, I'm not saying everything is smooth up in Burney, or Bieber, or Alturas, but they did it, now they have housing, they have a gaming facility, while we have spent the last 30 years watching with Toyon closed, no federal funding, no community and no guarentee for education for our children or jobs for our members, and without a land base members are found in substandard housing without any response whatsoever from the BIA.
Lets get together for the Elections 2008 and vote in members to the tribal council that will take steps tward, what the CILS attourneys have told us five years ago was the only was to a BAR final detirmination, to resolve the intertribal disputes between the seperate bands of Wintu, and move foreward for recognition for the entire tribe! Cuz if the Pit River can do it, So Can We!
2 comments:
This is exactly what the Wintun's should be doing...
At least come together for a short time, show unity for federal recognition, once approved then resume arguing...
Pitt River has the worst politics in all of Indian Country but at least we have a little to show for it. We even adopted the Atsugei people into the tribe. (They are not traditional Iss Awi)
I think with being so fractured it gives the Government an easy out to shoot down any attempts at federal recognition. The Norelmuk, Winnemem, and Toyon Wintu are ones I can think of off the top of my head.
Thanks for responding. I agree, the Wintu (Wintun are the Nomlaki south) would have better shot at recognition, not only by unity it bolsters the petition thru BAR if everyones together and theres other tribes that recieved a negative determination on their petitions after waiting over 20 years.
I never knew Achomawi, Immawi, Hasawi recollected the Atsegewi as being a seperate group, I always thought it was just a band name. Thats an excellent example of intertribal unity in Nor Cal. Other tribes that would benefit are the wailaki, chimariko, sinkyone group. The Chilula of Redwood Creek. The Shasta Tribe up in Siskikyou County that split a few years back. And the Northern Maidu bands would also benefit from a consolodation of their applications thru BAR/ BIA.
Also its of note that our attourneys, from CILS, handling the case for recognition recommended such a move toward unity of the Wintu Bands in 2002.
See the other thread for band information.
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