Photo of a Wappo woman from the Edward S. Curtis collection. Photo from Library of Congress / Digitization by Northwestern University Library
The Mishewal Wappo Tribe of California will continue to fight for federal recognition despite losing a major decision in court, Chairman Scott Gabaldon said. The tribe was listed for termination under the California Rancheria Act of 1958. A lawsuit filed in 2009 claimed the Bureau of Indian Affairs did not carry out the process in a rightful manner. Judge Edward J. Davila, however, determined that the tribe waited too long to go to court. A 19-page decision issued on Monday said the suit should have been filed no later than 1967. “It’s just another bump on the road to the end result of getting our sovereignty,” Gabaldon told The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat in response to the ruling. “We are going to appeal this thing as far as we can go.” The next step would be the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Get the Story:
Wappo tribe leader vows to fight ruling denying federal recognition (The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat 3/26)
Judge rules against Wappo tribal recognition lawsuit (The Napa Valley Register 3/25)
Federal court rules for Napa County, against Wappo tribe (The Vallejo Times-Herald 3/25)
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