Winnemem Wintu

Who Are the Winnemem Wintu?

The Winnemem Wintu are the Indigenous people of the McCloud River in Northern California. "Winnemem" means "Middle Water," reflecting our ancestral stewardship of what is now known as the McCloud River. "Wintu" translates simply as "human."

We descend from one of nine distinct Wintu bands and trace our origins to Buliyuum Puyuuk (Mount Shasta), one of twenty sacred mountains maintaining the world's spiritual balance.

Despite colonization, genocide, and the flooding of our homelands by the construction of Shasta Dam, the Winnemem Wintu continue to persevere. We remain deeply committed to protecting salmon habitats, sustaining our traditional ceremonies, and preserving our language.

Today, our community actively fulfills ancestral responsibilities, striving for balance between land, water, and cosmology for generations yet to come.