Redding Rancheria Tribe Buys More Land, Wintu Tribe Still Homeless

Redding Rancheria Tribe Buys More Land, Wintu Tribe Still Homeless

By Matt Root- Wintu & Karuk, Redding, Ca 1/24/10

Background- The Redding Rancheria (hereafter RR) exists on 38.89 acres in South Redding, next the Anderson Cottonwood Irrigation Canal (ACID Canal). Established by the Federal Government in 1922, the Redding Rancheria, today has only 127 adult members(following the 2004 Tribal disenrollments of 57 members of the Foreman Family (Pit River), former members of the RR). The RR Tribe Operates Win-River Casino, a Native American Gaming Operation, established in violation of NRGA statutes, out side of the Pit River tribes traditional territory. The Tribe by which a majority of RR members trace their blood lineage.

The Wintu Tribe, following the violent cultural standoff at Toyon Wintu Center, (Formerly know as Government Camp), in 1987, that pitted local homeless Wintu Indians against State Marshall's, the FBI, the Department of the Interior, the BIA and Local Officials and Police/ Sheriffs, Wintu People were removed from their homes, and federal reservation, after a long armed stand-off, remain homeless today, and politically fractured since this unfortunate racially motivated event perpetuated upon the Wintu Members, 23 years ago. Author age 8 years old when Toyon was closed and our homes bulldozed to the ground a week later by D-9 Cats emblazoned with BIA crests.

2 Years later, in 1989, the City of Redding and the State of California, cut a gaming deal with the Redding Rancheria, to establish a gaming operation on their 38 acre Clear Creek Reservation (today's Redding Rancheria). And a minority of out of town Indians rose to power, and the actual Wintu people continue to linger with no federal aid, and no realized promises of "Self-Governance", guaranteed in the 1970's by the Nixon Administration, and still no "Self-Reliance", guaranteed us by state law in 1990.

But the Redding Rancheria continues to grow. In reprehencable defiance of the true Wintu people of this land. Certainly in indifference, and denial of our existence and legal claim to this land. The Wintu Leaders having been the signer's of the 1851 Treaty at Cottonwood Creek, NOT the Pit River, who were party in a separate Treaty a year later in 1852. (see XL Reservation)

So it took former Police Chief Blankenship and the McConnell Foundation (regionalnot for profit grantor supreme, and beneficiary of Redding Rancheria "contributions") to seal the deal on the flat land below the new Redding Rancheria Hilton Hotel next to Interstate 5 at South Bonnyview Road in Redding, Ca. Despite the RR having destroyed Wintu sites in their development, and there being a MOU in place with the City of Redding to protect our history from destruction by development. In denial of the Wintu Tribes existence or legal claim to this land, our Traditional Territory. And in spite of the federal governments ability to recognise us in a timely manner. And after waiting thirty (30) years for a descsision on our petititons for recognition, we continue to linger, many members in squalid conditions throughout the tribes Territory. While the minority of Indians profit, lavishly.

The RR Hilton Hotel which was built in 2004-5, destroyed a massive Wintu archaeological site, a former historical habitation location for the Wintu Tribe. This sites historical locus, included a stratigraphic component revealing where Wintu People were allowed to live, in common, with ranchers of the area around 1870-1890. A rare occurrence in 19th century Shasta County. The site that was destroyed to make way for the Rancheria Tribes Hotel expansion, and the loss is of vast historical significance to the Wintu tribe, and its members today. Several Wintu families trace their lineage to the pre-historic archaeological site, that Anthropologists estimate have hosted some 3-600 permanent Wintu occupants in over 80 aboriginal homes.

The modern political entity of the Wintu Tribe, the actual tribe, in which the federated RR continues to expand and build with-in, today is fractured between 5 differing Non-Federally Recognised Tribes. A legal status that both hinders the fractured groups ability to protect the site. But also hinders the non-recognised tribes ability to represent the interests of the Wintu archaeological site, and the remains of close relatives interred there, to the state of California. Potentially protecting it from the ruthless economic development of the Redding Rancheria. RR having destroyed Wintu sites repeatedly in their quest for economic expansion. And at the high cost of Wintu history, and in disregard for the hundreds of Wintu that live here today, and in mis-use of our identity as Wintu Indians. The RR also claims Wintu Lineage of official BIA documents, the Pit River members being a majority at RR, and the majority members being Pit River Indians by Blood Quantum.