WASHINGTON DC June 22, 2022 – Today US Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein (both D-Calif.) introduced the Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam Sacred Lands Act to transfer ownership of sacred lands from the United States Forest Service (USFS) to the Department of the Interior to place these lands in trust for the benefit of the Karuk Tribe, a federally recognized tribe. This bill would place approximately 1,000 acres of federal lands located in Humboldt and Siskiyou counties in trust for the Karuk to allow uninterrupted access to the sites, which the Karuk have used for ancestral ceremonies for centuries. These lands are considered the center of the Karuk world and are central to the culture, religion and identity of the tribe. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) has already introduced the bill in the House.

“The cultural and spiritual significance of the sacred lands of Katimiîn is central to the history and identity of the Kaurk tribe”, said Senator Padilla. “The Karuk people deserve unlimited access to these ancestral sites in order to practice and preserve their customs for future generations. Returning these lands to the stewardship of the Karuk tribe is a long overdue moral imperative.

“The Karuk have been performing ceremonies on the sacred land of Katimiin for many generations – these areas are an integral part of their customs and culture,” said Senator Feinstein. “Although the tribe has a federal permit to access the land for ceremonies, this access is not guaranteed. This bill will ensure that the tribe retains access to these lands in the future.

“Stewardship of the natural resources of land, wildlife, plants and water is central to the culture and identity of the Karuk people. Yet 95% of their Aboriginal territory is currently under federal management, which undermines the tribe’s ability to practice traditional practices that have been passed down from time immemorial,” said Rep. Jared Huffman. “This bill seeks to return sacred land to the Karuk tribe, correcting a historic injustice. I had the immense privilege and honor of visiting Katimiîn and its surrounding acres – these places are not only majestic, they are at the heart of Karuk history, religion, culture and identity. . Placing them in trust ensures that the Karuk culture and way of life can endure for future generations.

“The Karuk Tribe truly appreciates the efforts of Senator Feinstein and Padilla to protect our sacred sites. The return of these lands will ensure that future generations of the Karuk people are free to exercise their religious freedoms as their ancestors have done since the dawn of time,” said Karuk President Russell “Buster” Attebery.

Background:

• The Karuk tribe have lived and conducted ceremonies in the ancestral lands known as the Katimiîn since time immemorial. According to the Karuk tradition, Katimiîn is the center of the world and it is there that the annual ceremonies of world renewal of the tribes end. This area is critical to the intergenerational teaching and learning necessary to ensure that future generations of Karuk know and understand Karuk culture and customs.

• The majority of Karuk Aboriginal Territory is currently occupied by the Six Rivers and Klamath National Forests. Currently, the tribe has a Special Use Permit with the USFS that allows access to Katimiîn for the ceremony, but access is not guaranteed and the tribe has often been disturbed at private ceremonies in recent years.

• The Karuk deserve these lands to return to tribal ownership so that the tribe can manage the land’s natural resources, practice religious ceremonies without interruption, and preserve the tribe’s culture for generations to come.

In addition to the Karuk tribe, the bill is supported by Humboldt County, the Northern California Tribal Presidents Association, Western Klamath Restoration Partnership, California Native Plant Society, and Sierra Forest Legacy.

A copy of the invoice is available HERE. A map of the Katimiîn region can be found HERE.