WINTU INDIANS

THE WINTU ARE PART OF A LOOSE ASSOCIATION COLLECTIVELY AS A TRIBE OF PEOPLE KNOWN COLLECTIVELY AS A TRIBE THEY SPEAK PENUTIAN. THEY PRIMARILY LIVED HISTORICALLY ON THE UPPER PORTION OF SACRAMENTO, MC CLOUD, AND TRINITY RIVER. MANY LIVE ON THE ROUND VALLEY RESERVATION JEDEDIAH SMITH AGAIN MET THEM FIRST IN 1826. IN 1830 MANY DIED FROM MALARIA THAT KILLED ABOUT 75% OF THEIR POPULATION. IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS THEY FELL VICTIM TO THE DEPLETION OF RESOURCES BY SETTLERS. THE ANGLOS CATTLE AND SHEEP ATE THEIR FOOD SUPPLY. THE MINERS POLLUTED THE RIVERS. THE WINTU WERE FORCED TO WORK AS LABORERS. IN A 'FRIENDSHIP FEAST' IN 1850 THE ANGLOS SERVED POISONED FOOD TO LOCAL INDIANS KILLING 150 PEOPLE. TODAY THERE ARE ABOUT 2500 WINTU. THE TRADITIONAL TRIBE INHABITED THEIR ANCESTRAL FROM MOUNT SHASTA TO THE MC CLOUD RIVER AREA.
STORY OF THE SALMON
WE FIRST BUBBLED OUT OF THE SACRED SPRING ON MOUNT AT THE TIME OF CREATION. WE WERE HELPLESS AND UNABLE TO SPEAK. SALMON TOOK PITY ON US HUMANS AND GAVE US OUR VOICE. IN RETURN WE PROMISED TO SPEAK FOR THEM.
THE MC CLOUD RIVER WAS THE MOST FERTILE FOR 1000'S OF YEARS FOR CATCHING TROUT AND SALMON. A FISH CULTURIST WHO CAME HERE SAID HE COULD HAVE WALKED ON THE BACKS OF THE FISH ACROSS THE RIVER. THIS MAN LIVINGSTONE ESTABLISHED A HATCHERY TO BREED PACIFIC SALMON TO REPLENISH THE ATLANTIC STOCK THAT WAS DWINDLING. HE EXPORTED EGGS AROUND THE WORLD. THE NATIVES WERE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE HATCHERY BECAUSE HE TOOK THE SALMON TO REPRODUCE THEM. HE STRUCK A DEAL WITH THEM - HE COULD USE SOME FOR BREEDING AND HE PROMISED THEIR SACRED FISH WOULD ALWAYS BE ABLE TO RETURN HOME.

DURING WW II THE SHASTA DAM WAS CONSTRUCTED AND BLOCKED THE PASSAGE OF SALMON SPAWNING RUN. THE MC CLOUD RIVER SALMON INTERBRED WITH THOSE FROM SACRAMENTO RIVER, OR THEY DIED OUT. IN ANY CASE THEY DIED OUT. IN ANY CASE THEY WENT TO NEW ZEALAND TO CAPTURE MC CLOUD RIVER EGGS ONCE AGAIN. THEY HELD A FOUR DAY CEREMONY IN NEW ZEALAND. THEY MADE A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THIS RECAPTURE OF SALMON EGGS FOR THE MC CLOUD RIVER.

THE SALMON ARE VITAL TO THE MC CLOUD RIVER AND KEEP WATERS CLEAN. THEY GO FROM FRESHWATER TO SALT WATER AND BRING NUTRIENTS TO THE EARTH TREES AND FAUNA. THE SALMON ALSO LEFT A SPIRITUAL LOSS IN THE WINTU HEARTS AND THE RETURNING OF SALMON GAVE THEM HOPE FOR THE SALMON BUT ALSO HOPE FOR THE WINTU. THEY BELIEVE THEY WERE BORN FROM WATER AND FIGHT TO PROTECT IT.

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