Redding Rancheria

The Redding Rancheria is a federal reservation in Shasta County, northern California. They are a leader in the development of their people in their traditional homelands.^[1] The Bureau of Indian Affairs purchased the land that is now considered the Redding Rancheria in 1922. The purpose of this purchase was to provide a Indigenous people made homeless by land disposession a place to camp and live.

Description[]

The Redding Rancheria consists of Wintu, Achomawi (Pit River), and Yana Indians.^[1] Redding Rancheria was recognized as a tribe following a four-year lawsuit filed by Tillie Hardwick in 1979. It is located in the northern Sacramento Valley, near Redding.^[1]

Government[]

The Redding Rancheria has a constitution, adopted in 1989, signed by Bob Foreman the First tribal chairman. It is governed by seven Councilors and three Alternate Councilors elected by the membership. The current^[when?] tribal administration is as follows.

• Tribal Chairman – Jack Potter Jr.
• Vice Chairman – Michelle Hayward
• Secretary – Patty Spaulding
• Treasurer – Hope Wilkes
• Council Member – Jason Hayward Jr.
• Council Member – Tony Hayward Sr.
• Council Member – Laine Hayward
• 1st Alternate – Jason Hayward Sr.
• 2nd Alternate – Nicole Wilkes
• 3rd Alternate –

Economic development[]

The Redding Rancheria's Win-River Resort & Casino is located on California State Route 273, near Interstate 5 between Redding and Anderson.^[2]

Membership dispute[]

The Redding Rancheria's 1989 constitution states that it shall consist of all lineal descents of the 17 original distributees, who are listed on the plan of distribution dated October 8, 1959, which furthermore made the land a reservation.

In 2002 the lineage of the Foreman family was in question following a letter from a dying elder expressing that the late Virginia Timmons had no children. Meaning the enrollment of Lorena, once a member of the tribal council, along with the descendants was being challenged. In September of 2003, the tribe held an evidentiary hearing and later an anonymous vote by all adult members of the tribe. The constitution states, "All members of the Redding Rancheria who are eighteen (18) years of age or older shall be qualified voters in elections and General Meetings," although this was not the case for the descendants of Timmons as the family was not given the chance to vote on the disenrollment.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs wrote a letter in support of the family to the tribe and tribal chair Tracy Edwards. The letter, a rare bit of support from the federal government and glimmer of hope for disenrollees, still wasn’t enough. Even with the mountain of evidence the Redding Rancheria was still requiring DNA.

The Foremans presented family records, witnesses, testimony from two anthropologists specializing in California Native Americans, and proof that their family members' names were listed as related on the 1928 California Judgement roll (a state census that recorded all Native people). The family contacted a world-renowned DNA scientist, known for helping to identify victims of the 9/11 terror attacks at the World Trade Center. Virgina Timmons, the family’s matriarch whose belonging to the tribe was undisputed, was the first to be exhumed. She had been buried so long that they were unsure if a DNA sample could be obtained, but a bone sample yielded some. Virginia’s DNA was tested against a living descendant. The results came back 99.9% positive. The DNA results were presented to the tribe. The Foremans thought it was bulletproof. But after two years of fighting, the family was notified that they would officially be disenrolled following a vote from the general tribe.

Education[]

The ranchería is served by the Cascade Union Elementary School District and .

See also[]

• Indigenous peoples of California
• Pit River tribes

References[]

External links[]

• Redding Rancheria website
• Redding Rancheria Disenrollment
• The Redding Rancheria Documentary: "With the Strength of our Ancestors" — on Redding Rancheria's website.
• Trail Of Tears- Foreman Family
• L.A. Times Article - Redding Rancheria

Coordinates: 40°30′24″N 122°23′01″W / 40.50667°N 122.38361°W / 40.50667; -122.38361

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