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Human Remains Repatriated to Wiyot Tribe
T
he U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District and the University of California at Berkeley recently repatriated 20 human remains believed to be lineal descendants of the Wiyot Tribe and 136 historical, traditional and culturally important objects that belong to the Wiyot Tribe. “We have been working to return the remains of our relations for years. We are thankful to finally be able to welcome them home,” said Ted Hernandez, cultural director and tribal historic preservation officer for the Wiyot Tribe. The collection of Wiyot remains and historical items was uncovered in 1946 during construction of the Humboldt Bay jetties, which were built by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, and have since resided in the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at U.C. Berkeley. Research conducted by Statistical Research Inc. for the Corps found the human remains were likely to be lineal descendants of the Wiyot people, based on ethnographic, linguistic, osteological and archaeological data. Through further
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research conducted by U.C. Berkeley in 2021, it is believed the remains were those of likely victims of the massacre on Tuluwat Island, which took place Feb. 26, 1860, when white settlers attacked numerous Wiyot villages, killing hundreds of Wiyot people, mostly women and children. The release states that Corps and U.C. Berkeley first consulted with numerous tribes concerning the collection in September of 2007. “Information supplied by the Wiyot Tribe and other federally recognized tribes with Wiyot composition supported the research of the two agencies. The tribe recognized that the human remains belonged to the Wiyot and then requested the return of the remains and associated funerary items,” the release states. “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District and U.C. Berkeley agreed to follow the process of repatriation pursuant to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (a federal law enacted by Congress in 1990 to ensure the return of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony to lineal
Testing Shortage: Humboldt County health officials warned of a looming shortage in testing supplies as the North Coast faces an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the highly contagious Omicron variant. Health Officer Ian Hoffman said, if needed, the county will prioritize those who are sick for limited testing resources, noting that communities throughout the country are facing the same issue as demand for testing has skyrocketed. POSTED 01.19.22
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It’s McGuire for the Majority North Coast state Sen. Mike McGuire stepped into a new title Jan. 19, becoming the Senate’s majority leader, moving him up the Capitol ladder to become the secondhighest ranking member of the upper house of the California Legislature. First elected to the Senate in 2014, McGuire served as assistant majority leader for the last three years before being tapped by Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins for the new post. POSTED 01.19.22 Submitted
descendants, Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations).” It was unclear which of the two organizations should conduct the repatriation because, at the time of the excavation, neither party could clearly determine who owned the land where the remains were discovered. But, rather than delay the process for years, and at the request of the
Families Allowed to High School Games: The Humboldt-Del Norte League announced new guidelines for spectators at local high school sporting events, easing a previously imposed temporary ban to allow up to four family members to attend games beginning Jan. 24. HDNL Commissioner Jack Lakin said family members need to enter games as a group and follow masking requirements inside in a continued effort to slow spread of COVID-19.
Wiyot Tribe, the two parties conducted the repatriation jointly. “This a tremendous day for us,” said Hernandez. “It reflects the commitment of the University to find ways to make repatriation happen, to work constructively with our tribe, and agency partners.” — Iridian Casarez POSTED 01.24.22
Fatal Crash: The California Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the fatal head-on crash on State Route 255 near Woodley Island shortly before 9 p.m. on Jan. 24 that killed Dwayne Faughn, 49, of Scotia and sent three others — including a 6-year-old girl — to the hospital with major injuries. CHP says it is still unclear why Faughn’s 2000 Lexus, which was travelling northbound, collided head-on with a 2020 Jeep. POSTED 01.25.22
POSTED 01.21.22
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Digitally Speaking
They Said It
The percentage of Humboldt County’s cumulative COVID-19 case count 23 months into the pandemic that had been confirmed through the first 25 days of January, as the Omicron fueled surge continued. According to a state database, 28 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Humboldt as of Jan. 25. POSTED 01.25.22
“Mother Nature always has a wild card up her sleeve. We are just fortunate that this one wasn’t deadly. But, like our earthquake wake-up call on Dec. 20, the next event could be more significant.”
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Comment of the Week
— Humboldt State University geology professor emeritus and local earthquake and tsunami expert Lori Dengler on the Jan. 15 tsunami advisory on the North Coast after a volcanic eruption near Tonga. Read the full story at www.northcoastjournal.com. POSTED 01.22.22
“Please be careful. We don’t want any more suffering.” — Marian Hoyle commenting on a Journal Facebook post of a story about a sneaker wave warning along the north Coast throughout the day on Jan. 23, advising residents not to be “fooled by an ocean that looks calm.” POSTED 01.23.22
northcoastjournal.com • Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022 • NORTH COAST JOURNAL
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