The majority of tribal members are from the Mattole and Wiyot tribes; however, the Hoopa, Yurok and Tolowa tribes are present as well by way of marriage or interrelations.

The Tribe is federally recognized and owns and operates Bear River Casino Resort, Pump & Play, Bear River Tobacco Traders, Bear River Recreation Center, Bear River Family Entertainment Center, Tish-Non Housing and North & South Basayo Villages in Fortuna, CA.

Today, Bear River Band encourages the belief that “Working together as one toward common good will bring prosperity to all.”

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Due to the newness of the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria as a federally recognized Indian Tribe, services provided by the Tribe to its members are limited. It is the direction of the Tribe to secure grants to develop and expand programs such as education, health, social services, housing, employment, economic development and cultural rejuvenation.

“We will work together to bring deep time cultural knowledge forward as we work to create a healthier future for the lands and cultures of this state,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero.

I am proud that our tribe is gaining more recognition and forming partnerships with agencies like California State Parks. These collaborations help us protect our ancestral lands and show respect for our sovereignty, which is essential for our community’s growth and cultural preservation.

I think I am most excited for the preservation of our language. I remember as a child learning about the passing away of our last fluent elders. We've come a long way to reclaim our dignity and preserve what we can of our culture.

“I realized that native people were always making plans for our future and that we never gave up on our land or where we came from,” Baldy said. “That is the story I want people to know. I know that the story of Tuluwat, which people often refer to as Indian Island, has been one of a massacre for most people, but for me it has only been a place for world renewal.” - Cutcha Risling Baldy, Ph.D, the Native American Studies department chair at Humboldt State University

There are mixed opinions on whether to celebrate or to mourn when returning home to Duluwat. Some folks celebrated our success in returning our ceremonial lands, thinking of it as a way to make peace with the terrible things that have happened. They are optimistic for the future of our youth.

Some folks, like myself, are reminded of how brutal our slaughter really was. In my opinion, this was an act of great evil. I think the difference is in how you choose to remember the ancestors, how you choose to move forward in whatever that way may be. My opinion might differ because I'm of the opinion that our genocide is ongoing, perhaps I feel like it is too early to tell if we are safe to celebrate.

The Tribe has been in the process of cleaning up the debris and pollutants left on the village site since its purchase. A vast majority of the metal and wood debris has been removed, all but three of the structures were demolished, and the most contaminated soil was excavated. The next steps are to finish the sheet piling for erosion control, rebuild the dock and bulkhead, and install a geotextile and soil cap over the site.

The Natural Resources Department has spearheaded several ongoing restoration activities at the Wiyot village site of Tuluwat on Indian Island in Humboldt Bay. The overarching project, the Indian Island Cultural and Environmental Restoration Project (IICERP), is very complex because of the multiple cultural and environmental conditions that exist at the site: historic injustice, insensitive ecosystem and manipulation, archeological & cultural significance, environmental contamination, and physical isolation all play a part in the project execution.

Dear Wiyot, Tribal Members

It is with great pleasure that I present the Wiyot Tribe 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. The

development of the plan has been in the making for many months and included Tribal Staff and Tribal

Council. We are excited to provide this document as a roadmap to be used for Wiyot Tribe over the

next five years, which has been shaped by community-wide input and collaboration.

Over the past five years, Wiyot Tribe has worked diligently and realized many successes. A

couple of our success have been the return of Tuluwat city of Eureka. The building of 4 new homes on

the reservation and possibly adding more to our community. It is through the development of this new

plan that we aim to build on these past successes. It will guide our path forward, clarifying our mission

and vision while articulating our culture, goals, and strategies.

Through the strategic planning process, we have identified six strategies to address to improve

staff efficiency and functioning in the work environment health needs of the Wiyot Tribe over the next

five years. The strategies include: To improve staff efficiency and functioning in the work environment

12, expand applicable programs in the Tribal Community, improve the financial condition of the

Tribe, unite and protect tribal sovereignty, create a comprehensive communication plan for the Tribe,

and to protect and expand land resources.

The strategies presented, along with their associated goals, ensure that we will move closer

toward accomplishing our mission to provide top quality communication with our Tribal members and

others we serve over the next five years. We, as a community, have identified these strategies to

ensure our future for many years to come. I would like to thank all the stakeholders who provided input

throughout the strategic planning process. It would not have been successful without your participation

and engagement.

Sincerely,

Ted Hernandez

Chairman

Wiyot Tribe