Legislation introduced to transfer public lands to trust held by Karuk Tribe
California elected officials would like to move forward with transferring public lands in Siskiyou and Humboldt counties into a public trust for the Karuk Tribe.
Sens. Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein, both of California, have expressed support for the Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam Sacred Lands Act (KASL Act), which was first introduced by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Raphael) earlier this year.
The legislation would transfer about 1,000 acres from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the U.S. Department of Interior to be held in trust for the Karuk Tribe, which would re-establish the Tribe as the steward of these landscapes, which are viewed as sacred by the Karuk Tribe.
"The Karuk people have been the stewards of these lands since time began,” said Josh Saxon, executive director for the Karuk Tribe. “The only change in stewardship of these lands after the transfer is the elevation of the Tribe’s ability to ensure our ceremonies are conducted without interruption or interference.”
The Karuk Tribe should have “unrestricted access” to the lands, said Padilla in a statement. “Restoring these lands to the stewardship of the Karuk Tribe is a long overdue moral imperative.”
About 95% of the tribe’s aboriginal territory is currently held by the federal government, undermining the Karuk people’s “ability to exercise traditional practices that have been passed down since time immemorial,” Huffman said in a statement.
“This bill seeks to return sacred ground to the Karuk Tribe, correcting an historic injustice. I’ve had the immense privilege and honor of visiting Katimiîn and its surrounding acres – these places are not only majestic, they are central to Karuk history, religion, culture, and identity.”
Tribal ceremonies, education and social gathering have taken place on the land, said Saxon, adding, he is not aware of the land currently being used for farming, ranching or timber harvesting.
"The area proposed in the legislation is the center of the Karuk World,” said Saxon.
Skip Descant is a freelance journalist. He’s written for newspapers in California, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. He lives in downtown Yreka.