Sacred Island Returned to the Wiyot Tribe, 160 Years After it Was Stolen

"With five words, it became official — Duluwat Island is being returned to the Wiyot people, for whom it is the physical and cultural center of the universe, a sacred piece of land with the power to bring balance to all else," reports Thadeus Greenwood.

The actions of Eureka, California in returning 200 acres of land stolen from the Wiyot Tribe are described in the article as unprecedented, culminating with the vote and the subsequent signing of a deed of trust transferring ownership to the tribe.

"The emotional ceremony saw multiple generations of local residents gathered in the Adorni Center to witness the historic vote, many wiping tears from their eyes," according to Greenwood.

According to Greenwood, the tribe first approached the city in 1970 about repatriating the island, but the process took decades to complete. "In 2000, through a series of fundraising events that ranged from Indian taco sales to art auctions, the tribe raised more than $100,000 to purchase 1.5 acres of the island from the city, a parcel that included the sacred village site of Tuluwat. Four years later, the city gave the tribe another 40 acres of the island, which for decades was commonly known locally as 'Indian Island.'"

A follow up article by Greenwood, along with Jennifer Fumiko Cahill, explores the potential for Eureka's action to provide a model for other communities looking to make similar restitutions. Yet another article by Shane Reiner-Roth provide additional details and links to national coverage of the story.