Elem Pomo Tribe steps up efforts to reacquire ancestral land

The Elem Pomo Tribe of California is seeking local and federal support to reacquire Rattlesnake Island, the ancestral Pomo village.

The 58-acre island was stolen from the tribe in the 1800s, administrator Jim Brown said. A non-Indian man bought the land and wants to build two cabins and a standalone bathroom there.

The tribe opposes the effort and is seeking support from Lake County to regain ownership of the land. Brown also met with Rep. Mike Thompson (D-California) to discuss the issue.

"We basically want it for our religious ceremonies," Brown told The Lake County Record-Bee. "We want to put our original roundhouse back up."

Get the Story:
Rattlesnake rights (The Lake County Record-Bee 6/24)

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