Winnemem Wintu May 26th War Dance

This was the third day of the Winnemem Wintu War Dance to get the attention of the Forest Service for protecting our young women during Coming of Age ceremony.

Winnemem Wintu Tribe to Hold War Dance May 24-27 to Convince U.S. Forest Service to Protect Coming of Age Ceremony from Disruptions and Heckling.

Winnemem Wintu Tribe needs 4-day closure of 400-yard section of McCloud River to Perform Girls' Traditional Coming of Age Ceremony

Redding, CA -- The Winnemem Wintu Tribe of Northern California will hold a four-day War Dance (H'up Chonas in Winnemem) May 24-27 at the McCloud River site where they hold their Coming of Age ceremonies. The War Dance signifies the tribe's spiritual commitment to defend at all costs the ceremony from heckling, flashing and violating disruptions by recreational boaters that have occurred in previous years.

"We have been backed into a corner with no other choice. We should be preparing for Marisa's ceremony, setting down prayers, making regalia, getting the dance grounds ready, making sure it happens in a good way," said Caleen Sisk, spiritual leader and chief. "But instead we have to fight simply to protect our young women from drunken harassment."

The actual Coming of Age Ceremony for Marisa Sisk will be held at the end of June, during the full moon.

More than 400 volunteers from throughout the country, native and non-native, are expected to converge upon the sacred sites to help the tribe close the river and protect the War Dance from interference by boaters.