On Saturday, October 9^th, SYRCL members are invited to the Maidu “Calling Back the Salmon Ceremony” on the Yuba River.  In 2006, this traditional salmon ceremony was conducted on the Yuba River for the first time in over 150 years, and begins at dawn on the Lower Yuba River and concludes with an afternoon community salmon feast at Bridgeport Crossing of the South Yuba River.

“Back in 2006, we joined with the Tsi-Akim Maidu to support the revival of this ceremony as an action for both cultural and salmon restoration.  Now we’re five years in to this work, we have involved dozens of other environmental and indigenous rights groups, and I’ve come to see the primary purpose of the ceremony as one of acknow-ledgement, healing, and reciprocity.   Healing among people, land and water are preconditions for returning salmon to the upper Yuba Rivers, and coming together in the Calling Back the Salmon ceremony is the healing action for restoring our home watershed,” states Jason Rainey, SYRCL executive director.

The day begins with a sunrise ceremony near Parks Bar on the lower Yuba River (~7:15am, meeting/parking under the Hwy 20 Bridge on the south side of the river) all supporters of the tribe and salmon are invited.  Maidu salmon hunters will then proceed downstream and return later in the morning to the sunrise ceremony site.  The honored salmon will then be transported upstream by “spirit runners” and members of the public who are encouraged to serve as “support runners.”  The salmon is taken around and upstream of Englebright Dam—a debris dam operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers that presently blocks salmon from over 100 miles of critical upstream habitat—and the runners are expected to arrive at Bridgeport crossing at the South Yuba River State Park between 11am and 1pm.

The public is invited to arrive at Bridgeport at 11am for sacred indigenous music and songs.  Children’s activities are also planned.  After the honored salmon arrives on the site, and the traditional Maidu salmon ceremony is conducted, the Tsi-Akim Maidu will offer a community picnic of barbequed salmon and roasted vegetables.    Full details available at www.callingbackthesalmon.com.

The Calling Back the Salmon ceremony is part of Indigenous Peoples Days from October 8^th – 11^th, a weekend of ceremony, celebration and stories hosted by the Tsi-Akim Maidu at locations throughout Nevada County, with some programming airing on KVMR radio.  Details at www.indigenouspeoplesdays.org.

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Events, Yuba Salmon by miriamlimov