Come Rally for Justice for Chief Sisk – 8 a.m. Oct. 16 (Video -Petition)
The Winnemem Wintu are calling for supporters, allies and friends to come rally in support of Chief Caleen Sisk as she has her court date for two unjust citations she received July 4 from the U.S. Forest Service for holding ceremony.
The rally will be held at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, outside the East California Federal Courthouse at 2689 Bechelli Lane, Redding, CA.
After public pressure helped secure a river closure so the Winnemem Wintu could hold our Coming of Age ceremony in peace and dignity free of public harassment this July, the Forest Service displayed their true colors.
While we were threatened by the public on land and water, U.S.F.S. law enforcement harassed us constantly, and used our own closure against us. They tried to stop us from using our own motor boat to ferry elders, including disabled women, across the river for ceremonial purposes.
They ended up writing our Chief two citations, each punishable by $5,000 or 6 months, for using a boat to ferry elders across the river in the closure area.
On Oct. 16, the Chief will have her first court hearing. Come help show that this kind of harassment will not be tolerated, and the US Forest Service needs to stop interfering and punishing tribal leaders for holding ceremony!
Source http://www.winnememwintu.us
Petition Letter
Rescind the Ceremony Citations Against Winnemem Chief Sisk
In a clear effort to harass the Winnemem Wintu during their Coming of Age ceremony this July, the U.S. Forest Service issued two citations to the tribe's chief for ferrying disabled elders across the river in a motor boat.
Getting the elders across the river is an important part of the ceremony, and the citations represent an effort to limit and restrict indigenous religious practices. This is the same government that, in California, sponsored a genocide against Indians, and has a history of making Indian religion a criminal act.
In addition to being a strike against religious freedom, the citations could lead to the Chief being sent to prison for a year. This would mean the tribe could not hold its ceremonies, and its efforts to protect sacred sites would be crippled.
This injustice is unnecessary, and a cruel and unusual punishment against a people who have suffered greatly at the government's hands. It must be stopped.
VIDEO Ceremony is Not a Crime
I don't understand. They got a river closure so they could have their ceremony, and then they got citations for doing what they wanted the river closed for? This doesn't make any sense and I don't know why the park service did that. I hope they get the citations canceled in court. Also those people who were cursing at the tribe on the river are horrible. They should be ashamed of themselves for treating other people like that.
Are they idiots or just power mad, or both? The closure was requested by the Wintun to stop the non-Indians interrupting their young women's coming of age ceremony...so what did these idiot non-Indian officers do? Interrupt the ceremony themselves. They have no respect. They knew damn well that the intent of the closure was to have the ceremony in a respectful and peaceful environment. This act by the officers was just what people there were saying. It was harrassment and abuse of police powers. Would they go into a Christian church and disturb a baptismal or communion ceremony? Its also stupidity, and I for one am sick and tired of such flagrant misuse of my tax dollars by some numbskull young police thugs wanting to throw their weight around. Shame! Shame!
They do this because they can. No respect for anything they don't understand ....I pray for you my sister.
They do this because they can. No respect for anything they don't understand ....I pray for you my sister.