By order of the City Manager and request of Mayor Kim Bergel, all flags at City facilities will be lowered
to half-staff on February 26 in solemn remembrance of the Wiyot people who lost their lives in the
February 26, 1860 massacre on Tuluwat Island in Humboldt Bay.
This act of remembrance follows the historic apology issued by former Mayor Frank Jager to the
Wiyot Tribe for the horrific events that occurred 166 years ago.
In February 1860, citizens from Eureka participated in what has been described as a massacre of
unfathomable proportions. On that winter night, Wiyot people gathered on Tuluwat Island were
attacked during the World Renewal Ceremony — a sacred ceremony meant to bring healing to the
Earth. Scores of mostly women and children were killed. The ceremony was never finished.
In 2019, the City of Eureka returned Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot Tribe, continuing a process that
began with the initial transfer of land in 2004. The return of Tuluwat marked a significant step toward
healing and reconciliation, and in recent years the Wiyot people have completed the World Renewal
Ceremony on their ancestral land.
“Lowering our flags to half-staff is a visible act of remembrance and respect,” Mayor Bergel said. “We
cannot undo the profound harm caused in 1860, but we can continue the work of truth-telling,
reconciliation, and partnership. We honor the lives lost, we acknowledge this painful chapter in our
City’s history, and we reaffirm our commitment to stand alongside the Wiyot people today and into the
future.”
The City of Eureka encourages community members to reflect on this history and to support
ongoing efforts that promote understanding, respect, and equity for Indigenous communities.
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