“The Creator put salmon in the rivers for a reason,” says Caleen Sisk, tribal chief and spiritual leader of the Winnemem Wintu. Among the most ardent defenders of what writer Timothy Egan has called “the silver flash of life,” there is no stronger voice than that of Caleen Sisk. (See “The Good Fight” in this issue.) But her compelling words resonate not only on behalf of salmon, but for the oppressed everywhere, whether human or in nature.
Following her great-aunt, who was the leader of the Winnemem Wintu for 68 years, Caleen assumed this position in 2000. Few individuals carry out as ambitious an agenda. She is a constant presence at rallies, conferences, panels, ceremonies, and other venues, where her compelling and powerful words express what is at stake, for Caleen and the Winnemem still face endless struggles to correct past injustices, fight against new ones, and restore some semblance of what used to be.
She champions the right of indigenous people to their spiritual and cultural values, which have been trampled throughout history. She fights to protect the human right to clean water — seen by the Winnemem in all of its forms as sacred. She speaks often in international settings, including the United Nations, where her portrait is displayed.
In August 2014, she was one of five indigenous leaders from North America who spoke at the eighty-fifth session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, convened in Geneva, Switzerland. She addressed the injustice perpetrated by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs in not recognizing the federal status of many long-standing American tribes, thus depriving them of benefits that should be accorded to them. This includes the Winnemem Wintu, which is still not federally recognized as a legitimate tribe, mainly due to bureaucratic ineptitude.
Most dear to her heart and soul are the place the Winnemem call home, the McCloud River, and her lost relatives, the salmon. Her paintings are yet another way for her to tell the story of salmon and how it is their life’s mission to return to the McCloud, where the Winnemem wait to greet them once more. Her art reflects her optimism and determination that the salmon will indeed find their way home.
So living among us is one of the world’s greatest defenders of salmon, free-flowing waters, and the rights of indigenous people. Caleen Sisk graces us all with her presence, voice, and indomitable spirit.
Caleen’s paintings are used in Winnemem communications and are available as cards. Shown here is Nure har Kok (plenty of salmon going home).
