Sawalmem: A Winnemem Wintu-Led Initiative
About Sawalmem
Sawalmem is a 501(c)(3) unincorporated association with church status, grounded in Winnemem Wintu cosmology and spiritual traditions. We are dedicated to rematriating ancestral homelands along the McCloud River and beyond, restoring sacred cosmogeneological order between land, water, and community.
Our Mission
- Creating culturally-rooted eco-villages for Winnemem Wintu tribal members.
- Upholding and revitalizing our cultural traditions and ceremonial practices.
- Restoring Winnemem lands and waters to their original sacred balance (homeostasis).
- Promoting Indigenous art as a sacred economic medium to sustain our spiritual and ecological responsibilities.
Protecting Sacred Lands & Waters
Our, current, primary goal is the reacquisition and stewardship of Bollibokka, seven miles along the McCloud River. Returning this land to Winnemem Wintu care will revive ancestral Chinook salmon runs, safeguard sacred waters, and restore ecological integrity. We currently steward 1,200 acres we are, first, dedicating to cultural burning, a traditional practice to reflower and re-indigenize the land.
Empowering Indigenous Stewardship
Sawalmem aligns closely with the global LandBack movement, empowering Indigenous peoples to reclaim responsibility and leadership for ecological restoration, cultural revitalization, and spiritual healing. Through ceremonial practices and land-based stewardship, we inspire profound cultural renewal.
How Your Support Helps
Proceeds from Sawalmem merchandise, art, and donations directly support land acquisition, organizational sustainability, and restoration initiatives. In adherence to our religious and charitable obligations, all resources raised solely serve these spiritual, cultural, and ecological purposes.
Join the Movement
Your support is crucial to the restoration and renewal of sacred lands, waters, and cultural traditions. Together, we can create a future where Indigenous stewardship and spiritual practices thrive, guiding communities toward ecological harmony and cultural resurgence.