Mount Shasta
"The Winnemem Wintu come from Mount Shasta. This fact makes us people of nature. It also is the foundation of our religion, provides us our place of worship, and makes us responsible for the care of the mountain, which we do through prayers, songs, and dances. We have other places, too, like Cold Spring Mountain that was made by the great Creator for the Wintu Tribe to take care of. "
"In return, the mountains and sacred places take care of the people by sending the healing spirits, herbs and medicines, and by teaching the doctoring ways. Our trails once formed a spider web on our sacred mountain and the many sacred places that must hear us sing and listen to our prayers. Unfortunately, today many huge areas have been lost due to clear-cut logging methods and strip-mining techniques, and land developers who support the non-Indian life styles and economy. "
"Wintu spiritual elders have known and continue to this day to teach the history of the places and their spiritual significance in the practices of the tribe's spiritual existence. They know the powers the Creator bestowed on Mount Shasta and the history and use of each of the many sacred sites dotting the mountainside. Each spiritual doctor and initiate must know the importance of each place; the uses of the herbs and plants found at each site; the spirits who inhabit each place and how to communicate to those spiritual beings: the rocks and springs and the trees."
"The mountains are sad when the Wintu cannot come to hold ceremony, dance, pray and sing. When the Wintu can no longer perform our religious jobs, the Creator has said the world will be thrown out of balance. "
"We fight on, however, because if we are to lose, there will be no place in the world where you will find Wintu people and Mt. Shasta."
Caleen Sisk-Franco and Mark Franco
Winnemem Statement of Fact,
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Thanks to Caleen Sisk-Franco, Mark Franco, Gary Mulcahy and All of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Sacredland Film Project and Carol, for photo.
