Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
California
Central Valley
U.S.
Environment & Forest Defense
Health, Housing & Public Services
Racial Justice
Winnemem Wintu Tribe Calls For Support to Block McCloud River
On the evening of June 28, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe posted a notice on their Facebook page urgently calling for support in closing the McCloud River in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest during the BaLas Chonas, a coming of age ceremony in which the future chief is to participate. The ceremony is scheduled to occur from June 30 to July 3. Members of the tribe had been communicating with the National Forest Service, and the closure has been permitted, but so far the agency has not committed the resources necessary to physically block boaters from disrupting the ceremony.
From the Winnemem Wintu's Facebook page:
URGENT NOTICE!!
Chief Caleen asks any supporters who are still able to come with boats to come after all, since there is no indication from the Forest Service that they will have boats enforcing the closure.
"I just heard that USFS is not planning to have boats on the closure. They also don't have a plan for how they will close the river or where. Sounds to me like I have been tricked! I am calling on all the river closure supporters to gear up again at this short notice and come. This day 11 of our FAST and we have not heard word from BIA. We will FAST until we get meeting. Looks like Amy Dutschke is not going to put this on any priority track so it looks like we will be FASTING through the ceremony and probably then some. We are on day 11 and I am already getting CRANKY! I know once I go into ceremony we will be ok for the BaLas Chonas. I am looking forward to seeing all your smiling faces here."
The Coming of Age ceremonies for the tribe’s young women are held at a traditional village site in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, where previous ceremonies have been marred by harassment from boaters, fisherman and other members of the recreating public who have yelled racial slurs at the tribe and even flashed them with naked breasts.
Learn more about the Winnemem Wintu at:
http://www.winnememwintu.us/
https://www.facebook.com/winnememwintu
Learn more about the ceremony at:
http://www.saveourceremony.com
URGENT NOTICE!!
Chief Caleen asks any supporters who are still able to come with boats to come after all, since there is no indication from the Forest Service that they will have boats enforcing the closure.
"I just heard that USFS is not planning to have boats on the closure. They also don't have a plan for how they will close the river or where. Sounds to me like I have been tricked! I am calling on all the river closure supporters to gear up again at this short notice and come. This day 11 of our FAST and we have not heard word from BIA. We will FAST until we get meeting. Looks like Amy Dutschke is not going to put this on any priority track so it looks like we will be FASTING through the ceremony and probably then some. We are on day 11 and I am already getting CRANKY! I know once I go into ceremony we will be ok for the BaLas Chonas. I am looking forward to seeing all your smiling faces here."
The Coming of Age ceremonies for the tribe’s young women are held at a traditional village site in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, where previous ceremonies have been marred by harassment from boaters, fisherman and other members of the recreating public who have yelled racial slurs at the tribe and even flashed them with naked breasts.
Learn more about the Winnemem Wintu at:
http://www.winnememwintu.us/
https://www.facebook.com/winnememwintu
Learn more about the ceremony at:
http://www.saveourceremony.com
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$170.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network