California returning 2,800 acres of ancestral land to Shasta Indian Nation

California is making an effort to return more than 2,800 acres of ancestral homeland to the Shasta Indian Nation in the northwestern end of the state, the governor’s office said in a statement on Tuesday.

The land transfer is part of the state’s efforts to reconcile with Native communities that have suffered from centuries of discrimination and exploitation.

The total 2,820 acres are part of land associated with the removal of several dams along the Klamath River, which for decades interrupted migrating salmon and many traditions of Native populations who relied on the same waters.

The Shasta people lived for centuries in the area that is now northern California and southern Oregon.

“Having access to our ceremonial sites, including the site of our First Salmon Ceremony, is critical to the spiritual and emotional health of our people. The ceremony has not taken place since the lands were taken by eminent domain for the construction of Copco dam over 100 years ago. This is transformative and the beginning of restorative justice for our people,” Shasta Indian Nation Chairperson Janice Crowe said in a statement provided by the governor’s office.

In recent years, Native American tribes have been reclaiming ancestral lands either by purchasing them or through agreements with local, state and federal governments.

In March of this year, the Yurok in Northern California became the first Native Tribe to manage tribal land with the National Park Service.

In 2019, California formed the Truth and Healing Council, a body made up of officials from the state government and Native tribes, that collaborates on various programs and initiatives.