Indigenous Earth Relations Alliance-Keynote Chief Calleen Sisk

Chief Caleen Sisk 
Spiritual Leader and Tribal Chief, 
Winnemem Wintu Tribe 

Chief Sisk returns to her alma mater, CSU Chico (B.A. and teaching credential), to talk about environmental issues. She asserts, “We have to stop managing the environment – we need to manage ourselves. We don’t understand our place here on earth. We are disassociated from our environment.” Chief Sisk’s’ presentation includes a compelling film clip about how the tribe struggled to secure a dignified and peaceful environment on the McCloud River in order to conduct a coming-of-age-ceremony for her daughter. This is not only a struggle with government authorities for a temporary closure of the campground and part of the river where the ceremony will take place, it is also the struggle of her tribe to keep its culture alive. After the film, Chief Sisk discusses contemporary Northern California environmental issues, such as the diminishing salmon runs, dropping water table and the “twin tunnels” proposal to divert water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the southern part of the state. 

View/Download Transcript 

Recorded: April 1, 2014