Culture

BROOKS, CA (December 30, 2020) – With deep sadness, the Tribal Council of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation announces the death of Marshall McKay following his battle with COVID-19.

Speaking as one, the Yocha Dehe Tribal Council issued the following statement:

Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation now has authority by the US Department of Interior to manage our own cultural resources. The Tribe has designated Cultural Resources Director Reno Franklin as Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. In this role, Franklin and Yocha Dehe assume many of the functions of the State Historic Preservation Officer, giving us more authority than ever before to manage our own historic and cultural resources.

On Jan. 29, 2010 at 9:30 am, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) President, Jefferson Keel, will deliver the 9th annual State of Indian Nations address. The speech, being delivered on the same day as President Obama’s first State of the Union address, will include directives on Indian Country’s priorities for the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress; economic development; healthcare; the protection of American Indian tribal sovereignty; and homeland security.

Students from Yocha Dehe Wintun Academy were involved in a 2,400 ft. hedgerow planting at Ponotla Piht Ranch on Nov. 16^th, 2009. The planting included a mix of native shrubs, grasses and trees. The Tribe has completed many restoration projects in the riparian areas it owns but this is the first native planting in its agricultural areas. The Tribe plans more restoration work on its farm for 2010.

The Yocha Dehe tribal community and government gathered at the 42nd annual celebration of Native American Day in Sacramento.

About 300 gathered at the capitol building, including many Californian tribes, residents and legislators. 

Tribal Chairman Marshall McKay addressed the importance of the holiday and Yocha Dehe youth spoke to the crowd in their traditional dialect, Patwin. 

We are now officially the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.

Yocha Dehe provided $1.5 million to help establish the first foundation supporting Indigenous arts.

The Native Arts & Cultures Foundation is dedicated to supporting, developing and revitalizing the diversity of artistic expression in American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities across the United States.