CHIEF CALEEN SISK on the Fight for Free and Wild Salmon Rivers /47

Ayana is joined by Chief Caleen Sisk, spiritual leader of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe of Northern California, to explore how the forces of industrial society have attempted to tame and exploit living waters, and how these Indigenous stewards are facing the subsequent ecological predicament.

Upon learning that the extinct Chinook salmon of her territories had survived a world away in New Zealand, Caleen has led an unprecedented effort with Maori and federal fish biologists to return Chinook to the McCloud River watershed in California. Since assuming leadership responsibilities in 2000, she has focused on maintaining the cultural and religious traditions of the Tribe as well as advocating for California salmon restoration, the Human Right to Water and the protection of Indigenous sacred sites.

Chief Caleen Sisk

Chief Caleen Sisk is an internationally known speaker on traditional tribal and spiritual issues, having spoken on diverse topics such as spiritual medicine ways, the spirit of water, global warming, sacred site protection and more. She is also a leading voice in raising awareness about poor human rights conditions suffered by federally unrecognized tribes and unrepresented Indigenous peoples globally. She is a regular speaker at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and is also the Spiritual and Environmental Commissioner for ENLACE Continental, an international network of Indigenous women. Additionally, she received her B.A. from Chico State University, CA and received her teaching credential from CSU, Chico.

For more than 30 years, Chief Caleen Sisk was mentored and taught in traditional healing and Winnemem culture by her late great aunt, Florence Jones, who was the tribe’s spiritual leader for 68 years. Her traditional teachings and training comes from an unbroken line of leadership of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe. Strongly rooted in her spirituality and her family, she cares deeply for her Winnemem people and for oppressed people around the world.

♫ Music is "Mountain Song” by Nicole Reynolds and Maori and Winnemem Songs from the Dancing Salmon Home Documentary

Take Action

Join us in helping to pay the substantial legal fees associated with charges leveled at Chief Caleen after she announced her campaign for California State Assembly in 2018—as the first indigenous woman to run for office in the district. Although Caleen did not win the election, we know how important Caleen’s leadership is, and we continue to stand alongside her as she and her lawyers work to address these charges.

Please donate to this historic effort to bring back the long-lost Chinook salmon.
Learn about the journey at run4salmon.org

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