Press Releases

September 27, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAIDU TRIBE REVIVAL OF ANCIENT SALMON CEREMONY TO HIGHLIGHT INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY WEEKEND ACTIVITIES

Tribal and Community Groups Organize Ceremony and Activities with Healing Theme

On the weekend of October 7-9, 2006, tribal groups and community organizations invite the public to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day weekend in Nevada County, California. These groups have joined together to heal the legacy of the Gold Rush and its adverse effects on the California Indian people. Elder Fred Coyote Downey leads a Sunrise Ceremony each day.

Led by Elder J.D. Smith, Saturday's celebration features a Maidu "Calling Back the Salmon" Ceremony, a first in over 150 years on the South Fork of the Yuba River. For this ceremony, a special salmon will be speared in the main stem of the Yuba River, then relayed by runners "upstream" above Englebright Dam to Englebright Reservoir. From there the Salmon will be transported via boat to Bridgeport State Park on the South Fork of the Yuba River, and again carried by foot to a ceremonial area at Bridgeport State Park. The public is invited to this free event at the Park. Guests will also enjoy salmon, music and storytelling. For information on the relay contact the South Yuba River Citizens League at (530) 265-5961 or www.yubariver.org or www.callingbackthesalmon.org

On Sunday, the public is invited to Nevada County Land Trust Burton Park, 16200 Lake Vera Purdon Road in Nevada City from 10am - 6 pm. Enjoy dance, singing and music by Native American Music Female Artist of the Year Yolanda Martinez, from New Mexico and others.

On Monday, activities continue at the Miners Foundry at 325 Spring Street in Nevada City. Highlighting the day are panel discussions, storytelling, drumming and a grand community dinner at 5:00 pm which will honor Chairman Richard Prout of the Colfax-Todd's Valley Consolidated Tribe, for bringing respect and kindness to our past gatherings. KVMR, 89.5 FM, will broadcast the entire day's activity live.

This Inter-Tribal and Inter-Community gathering is sponsored by the Colfax-Todd's Valley Consolidated Tribe, the Tsi-Akim Maidu Tribe and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. Additional sponsors include the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), the Sierra Fund, the Sierra Nevada Deep Ecology Institute, the Yuba Watershed Institute, the Yuba Watershed Institute, the Sierra Nevada Deep Ecology Institute, the Nevada County Land Trust, Booktown Books, Native TANF, Nevada County Indian Education, California State Parks, The Miners Foundry, Community Radio KVMR-FM 89.5 FM. and KZFR-FM 90.1 in Chico

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FOR MORE INFORMATION OR FOR TICKETS TO OCTOBER 8 AND 9 ACTIVITIES, PLEASE CONTACT THE TSI AKIM MAIDU TRIBAL OFFICE at (530) 274-3599 or E-MAIL at tsiakim@aol.com

TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW, CONTACT MICHAEL BEN ORTIZ, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY MEDIA LIAISON
AT (530) 277-3423