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
8 comments:
Mark Franco is always asking for donations for his "poor" tribe. But every year Caleen Sisk and her crew can be seen down at the Gathering of Nations powwow in Albuquerque, NM. It is over $30 a head to get into that powwow; not to mention lodging and gas from Redding. Quite a treat for people who don't work but live off donations and grants. They used this scam during their recent publicity for the march and lawsuit in Sacramento. Franco asked for donations to house tribal members coming in for the event.Yet, they have many relatives, friends, and supporters in Sacramento they always use to stay with. Now, four days later they are powwow dancing over 1000 miles away. Quite a treat for people who don't work but live off donations and grants.
Poor, foolish guilty white people who donate to the Sisk-Franco cause! Little do they know their "gifts" are being used for a good 'ol time.
Although it is true that Caleen Sisk and Marc Franco openly solicit donations on their WWO website, it has not yet been confirmed by SWF editors that Sisk-Franco were/ have been misapropriating donated monies to travel abroad to inter-tribal events like the Gathering of Nations in NM.
Though these charges don't seem that extreme for a psudo-wintu group like the WWO that has already signed on the help of such colorful characters as Julia Butterfly (the tree sitting hippie), Peter Coyote & the folks at Bullfrog Films (in the light of reverence, documentary exsploiting wintu trad. culture), Earth First (an extremist enviromental group), and more...
Although Caleen & Mr. Franco (who is non-indian and not a recognised wintu leader in ANY CAPACITY!) have embezzled monies as early as 1998 for a charter school in Jones Valley that was never offered to Wintu Memebers. But this really is just following suit as images of wintu leaders go, after leaving the "Curl-Malone led Toyon Wintu" who were ALSO embezzling monies from the Not for profit "Toyon Wintu Tribe" long before Caleen left the Toyon to start the new-age WWO (winnemem wintu org.) so Sisk-Franco sould embezzle some grant monies of their own in the name of a Trad. Band of Wintu.
Still, no one has said anything about the fact that Caleen's claimed WWO membership is no where near inclusive, as it does not include a majority of actual Winnemem Descendants and no attempt has been made by Sisk-Franco to make their group inclusive to a majority of McCloud River Wintu members(closed enrollment, closed door policy on meetings). Leaving question as to local judicial oversight of the mismanagement of both not for profits. Allegations of financial mismanagement, identity theft, intellectual rights, non-profit embezzlement, and violations of the Brown Act, are just some of the allegations that are coming forward "to light caleen's reverence", or lack thereof.
- SWF Editor
There are so many lies told between "NotinOurName" and "Enrollen Wintu Tribal Member" that it is like a rugged fiction book, it makes no sense. Hidding behind stupid email names no one should take anything here seriously. You are just a couple of crazy with jealously slippery eels making up crap to make yourselves feel important. And it is no surprise that all comments must be approved by you. Ha Ha
You two are getting pretty spooky, are you stalking us? Why are you soooo mad?
This was published in the Local Record Searchlight in August of 2008 by a leader of the United Bands Faction of the Wintu Tribe representing over 350 Wintu members, some of which are in fact Wenamem Wintu not associated with Caleen Sisk's WWO group. It is being posted here in response to Caleen's comments that SWF is "making up crap", in relation to concerns of the Wintu general membership toward splinter groups that are negatively effecting the Wintu recognition process for all.
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
Stop Wintu Fraud was Created As A Forum To Address to the Varied Issues Surrounding the Connections Between Tribal Fractionization and Delayed Federal Recognition for the Now Several Bands that Exist Today Representing the Wintu Tribe of Shasta and Trinity Counties.
The Sisk- Winnemem (WWO) Claim to represnt the modern traditional link to the Wintu People from the McCloud River area. What's not being said here is the motive for Caleen's succession from the Toyon Wintu Tribe.
We as wintu people whould not be slandering one another and split apart for one another by poltitcal leaders carving up the membership to back-up individual claims to leadership roles.
No wintu people should be mislead by a fraudulent disctaroship.
The tribe must not be led into recognition by leaders that are so limited in their view of both the membership, and clearly lacking in the tools nescecarry to work with outside agencies. It is our right to demand that the people that have assumed self claimed-leadership titles and roles, are both truly wintu and are operating in an honest manner with the majority of members best interests in mind.
None of us want to get stuck under another council like the redding rancheria, and caleen you can bet your ass there will be concerned people along the way. Not everyone is going to drop at your feet and pray your way Caleen, and for that I am sorry.
When you assume a role of leadership for the wintu people you can exspect some ammount of oversite from your members, and those members that are actually from villages along the McCloud River.
- Matt Root
Editors regret to remove comments that are filled with hate speech. It is not helpful to this valuable wintu diolouge for individuals to slander and be confrontational towards other wintu members. If you want to join this diolouge please take the time to think out your ideas and concerns and voice them in a manner that will be acceptable to the intenet audience, once your comment is published it can never be removed. Think about what you say, and its effects on other Wintu people. It is incorrect for us to simply follow the slanderous leadership example set by the WWO. And after the Removals at Toyon we should not be wasting our energy on fighting one another.
Editors plead with Wintu users of this website to think before you write. When individual wants and exspectations are stripped away, we truly do all want the same thing. To be recognised. This website was created to stop wintu fraud, not to allow a new forum for slander between rival wintu leaderships.
Please keep this in mind when posting to SWF comment boards.
Thank you to all the users,
Wintu Tribal Member from Palo Cedro
I would like to offer rebuttal to several of the comments listed here. The first being "Gathering of Nations." Caleen and Mark don't go to alberquerqe every year. As a tribe we have gone for the last three years because we can afford to go on our own accord. Most of us save our money from our jobs and our previous powwow winnings to make such a trip possible. This year as a group, we invited caleen to gathering of nations as a gift for all the hard work she and mark do all year. The trip was entirely funded by tribal members who have a source of income. The wwo doesn’t have any employees or any funds to embezzle. When you make allegations without any sort of proof of how you believe these things to be true, you just sound like an idiot.
The second issue is with EWTM’s comments. I was hoping you could clarify what you mean by pseudo-Wintu. How in your opinion are the Winnemem acting incongruently with what you believe is characteristic Wintu behavior? Do you truly have an issue with the tribe accepting help from non Indians, or is the issue that the tribe declined your help on several occasions? Is it that we don’t invite you out to our events and instead invite Julia Hill? In response to your constant abuse of Mark for not being a person of Wintu decent, He may not be a Wintu by birth but he has committed his life to achieving goals for the Winnemem people rather than his own tribe. He left them entirely to be here working with us and teaching our young people how to be a good man to the people around you, something you know nothing about. Lastly the reason the wwo membership is so exclusive is that the members do not have ulterior motives of using the tribe as a means of making a name for oneself, financial gain, or for discovering our roots after not knowing our heritage and culture until early adulthood. We as the Winnemem have one job on this earth. Those who were not raised and taught what that job is are plain and simply not Winnemem.
I have a question for EWTM. Who is presenting these allegations of identity theft, embezzlement, and financial mismanagement? Standard procedure dictates that a person has the right to know what they are being accused of and who their accusers are. Another thing, why do you constantly refer to the Toyon Wintu center proceedings like it’s holy scripture. All of us who were there know what happened and why the events unfolded the way they did. If you have to constantly question the events then perhaps you weren’t there or may have been too young to have a good understanding of politics.
I can only finish this comment by reiterating that only a Winnemem person knows the importance of what we are doing here and it’s not enough to be Wintu but you must truly live in this way to know that there are more important things than federal recognition. Recognition is merely a tool that will help in our capability to achieve the tasks we were put on this earth to achieve. Recognition won’t make you any more or less Wintu.
-Winnemem Wintu
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