We Are Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation

Since time immemorial, our people have lived on lands today known as Yolo, Solano, Colusa, Lake and Napa Counties. Centered in Yolo County’s Capay Valley, our Northern California homeland is at the heart of our culture and heritage.

The story of our people is not one story, but many—passed down through spoken word from generation to generation over thousands of years. These oral traditions begin in mythical time, when Coyote, Hawk, and Turtle created the earth and the first Patwin village. Our language and stories carry within them everything sacred to us: our values, our teachings, and our deep connection to the land.

Patwin stories are rooted in place. They unfold across our ancestral landscape, filled with the animals, plants, and natural features characteristic of our region. Between the lines, they offer a glimpse into how our ancestors lived, revealing a way of life in harmony with the natural world.

Our Patwin ancestors lived in villages across a vast territory that stretched from Sonoma Valley in the west to the Sacramento River in the east and from south of Clear Lake in the north to San Pablo Bay in the south. They traveled between villages for ceremonies, trade, and connection. These ancient footpaths eventually formed the basis for modern routes, such as California State Route 16, which is now the main road along Cache Creek.

Our land was once rich with wildlife and native plants: tule elk and antelope grazed in the valleys, salmon ran in the rivers, and oak groves spread across the grasslands. Our ancestors lived sustainably—hunting, fishing, and gathering acorns, clover, wild oats, manzanita berries, and other native foods.

We cared for the land through traditional ecological practices, such as controlled burns, which rejuvenated the grasses for grazing animals and increased the yield of native seeds and wildflowers.

This is our story. It is a story of place, of survival, and of deep knowledge passed through time. It lives on in our language, our people, and our land.

PRESERVING AND PROTECTING OUR CULTURE
For the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, success means more than a thriving community and strong enterprises—it also means revitalizing our language and traditions and protecting our cultural and sacred sites from disturbance and desecration.

The mission of our Cultural Resources Department is to identify, preserve, and protect the Patwin language, culture, and sacred places, ensuring they endure for future generations.