Walkers Begin Nome Cult Trek Today, Retracing 1863 Trail of Tears

The following is a press release issued by the Mendocino National Forest:

The annual Nome Cult Walk from Chico to Round Valley begins this weekend and continues through Sept. 14. Forest officials advise motorists along the trail route – M4 Road, County Road 55 and FH7 into Eel River Station and Covelo – to be aware of the event this week and to drive slowly to ensure the safety of pedestrians. Caution signs will be posted at the entrance to the national forest, and the walkers’ support team will also have caution signs on their vehicles.

The planned schedule is:

• Sunday, Sept. 8, begin walk toward Orland
• Monday, Sept. 9, walk toward Newville Cemetery
• Tuesday, Sept. 10, walk to Black Bear Campground
• Wednesday, Sept. 11, continue to Log Springs
• Thursday, Sept. 12, walk to Wells Cabin
• Friday, Sept. 13, walk to Eel River Campground
• Saturday, Sept. 14, finish walk to Round Valley Indian Reservation

Participants in the 100-mile walk commemorate the forced removal of Native Americans in 1863, also called the Konkow Trail of Tears, by retracing their ancestors’ steps as part of an ongoing healing process. Of the 461 Native Americans who were forcibly marched from their homelands, only 277 people completed the journey.

The removal of Indians from Chico to the Nome Cult Reservation in 1863 is one of the many forced relocations following the establishment of reservations in northern California in the 1850s. Several different tribes were moved to the Nome Cult Reservation after it was established in Round Valley in 1856.

Today the commemorative Nome Cult Walk brings together many generations and members of several tribes in the area, including descendants of the Concow Maidu, the Round Valley Indian Tribes, Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California, Redding Rancheria, Grindstone Nomlaki, the Mechoopda Tribe, Pit River, Wintu, Nisenan and Greenville Maidu.

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