The Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation is a federally recognized Tribal Nation located in southwestern Colusa County, California. The Nation’s current population stands at 297 enrolled tribal citizens, residing primarily within a four-county service area that includes and surrounds Colusa County. The Cortina Indian Rancheria, the Nation’s federally recognized trust land, was established on June 26, 1907, by order of the Secretary of the Interior. The original order set aside 160 acres of land for the exclusive use of the Tribe, followed by an additional 480 acres, bringing the total land base to 640 acres held in trust. On December 15, 2018, the Tribe’s voters amended the Constitution and Bylaws of the Cortina Band of Wintun Indians. Through this process, the Tribe adopted the Governing Law of the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation and restored the Nation’s traditional name, while retaining “Cortina Rancheria” as the official name of the federal trust land. The Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation’s ancestral village, hunting, and land management territories spanned more than 400 square miles, encompassing oak forests, chaparral-covered foothills, canyons, creeks, and valley plains. Today, standing shoulder to shoulder with our sister Patwin Tribal Nations, the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation helps to protect over 3,500 square miles of shared ancestral Patwin territory, honoring the lands that have sustained our people for countless generations. The Nation identifies by its traditional name, Kletsel Dehe, meaning Home of the Ground Squirrel Tribe, and by the specific name Kletwin, meaning Ground Squirrel People. The Nation honors and remembers thirteen villages that historically comprised the villages of the Kletwin peoples in the Colusa County territories: Klet, Ko-Te-Nah, Nik-me, Shoo-Koo-ee, Ke-der Hlab-be, Loo-Kus, Bah-kah-'Hhlab-be, Cho-Che, Wi-Ko'Sel, Oo-Le, Mun-Maht-Lah, To-e-de-he, and Yakut. The Seal of the Nation carries deep symbolic meaning. At its center there are four acorns pointing in the four directions, honoring our primary traditional food source. Surrounding them is a basket design known as the Stairway to Heaven pattern. Flanking this are two sets of thirteen diamonds, representing the Nation’s thirteen traditional villages. The next ring contains the name "Cortina Rancheria" and the establishment year, 1907, our first federally recognized name. Encircling all of this is our current name, Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation, bracketed by four directional diamonds to honor balance in all directions. The Seal features the Nation’s primary colors: red, black, and white. Thank you for visiting our website and allowing us to share a part of our history with you.
