Who are the Winnemem Wintu

Who Are the Winnemem Wintu People?

The Winnemem band of Wintu people are the original stewards of the McCloud River watershed in Northern California. Our name, “Winnemem,” translates to “Middle Water” in our language, reflecting our place as the caretakers of the colonially named  Middle River. Wintu means human. We are one of nine historic bands of the Wintu people, who together make up the Northern Wintu people.  Our ancestral territory stretches from the south side of Bulliyuum Puyuuk (Mount Shasta) to the McCloud River, part of the larger Wintun nation’s lands that extended as far as the Carquinez Strait in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Wintun nation is composed of three related but distinct tribes: the Northern Wintun (Wintu), the Central Wintun (Nomlakki), and the Southern Wintun (Patwin). Although each group speaks a unique dialect of the greater Wintun language, we are united under a shared linguistic lineage—Penutian, considered one of the oldest language stocks in California. This deep connection ties us to the land and to one another, even as colonization and genocide have sought to sever these bonds. Today, only a few Wintun bands remain, and the Winnemem Wintu people are among those still carrying forward.

Our creation story teaches that we are born from Mount Shasta, where the first world was created. From this sacred place, the Wintun people migrated throughout the region, each group taking responsibility for caring for their specific lands and waters. For the Winnemem Wintu, this means safeguarding the Middle Water, maintaining balance with the salmon, the river, and the surrounding ecosystem. Salmon are central to our identity, not just as a food source but as spiritual relatives. Their health reflects the health of the land and waters we call home.

 

Colonial expansion, genocide, and the construction of Shasta Dam have forever altered our homelands, flooding our villages and sacred sites. Yet, the Winnemem Wintu people remain resilient. We work tirelessly to preserve our language, ceremonies, and traditions while speaking up for our salmon relatives and advocating for the restoration of our ancestral lands. Through Run4Salmon, a 300-mile prayer journey, we continue to call the Chinook salmon back home, bridging ancestral teachings with contemporary environmental advocacy.

 

We are a small tribe with a big responsibility. While we adapt to the modern age, we remain deeply rooted in our timeless role as caretakers of the sacred. Every step we take, every action we perform, is in service to the lands, waters, and spirits that have sustained us for generations. Through our work, we strive to uphold our sacred duties, honor our ancestors, and ensure that future generations can continue this essential relationship with the natural world.

 

The Winnemem Wintu people are not just a part of history—we are here, present, and actively carrying our responsibilities forward. We invite you to join us in honoring the Middle Water and supporting our mission to restore the balance of life in our homelands. Together, we can protect the sacred and build a future where nature, culture, and community thrive as one.