Roy Hall: Karuk Tribe seeks casino on Shasta Nation territory

The Karuk Tribe housing trust lands in Yreka should not be used for gaming.

Yreka lies entirely within the area described in Treaty R, signed with the Shasta people on Nov. 4, 1851, in Fort Jones. There is no historical connection between the Karuk Tribe and Yreka when the treaties were signed in 1851.

By the Karuk Tribe’s own admission, their 2004 map of tribal territory shows that Yreka is not within the Karuk aboriginal boundaries. Because the Karuk Tribe has no aboriginal ties to Yreka, those lands cannot be restored.

If they want a casino, they are totally within their rights to establish one between Clear Creek and Bluff Creek. Those are their recognized aboriginal lands as described in their treaty, a supplement to Treaty Q, signed Oct. 6, 1851, at Weitchpec. This is an attempt to rewrite history and establish historical ties to Yreka.