TULE RIVER INDIAN RESERVATION — A crowd of tribal members, elders, leaders, supporters, and partners gathered high in the Sierra foothills on Wednesday to celebrate a historic moment generations in the making — the return of Yowlumni Hills to the Tule River Indian Tribe of California.

What was once known as Hershey Ranch has officially been restored to tribal stewardship, marking the reclamation of more than 14,000 acres of ancestral land adjacent to the existing reservation. The acquisition expands the Tule River Tribe’s land base to roughly 56,000 acres, making it one of the largest tribal land holdings in California.

“This land belongs to us as a people,” said Tule River Tribal Chairman Shine Nieto. “We thank everyone who helped us get the land back.”

The ceremony opened with words o

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