Former Yocha Dehe chairman dies of COVID-19
Marshall McKay, former chairman of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, has died of COVID-19.
A statement issued by the Yocha Dehe Tribal Council on Thursday called McKay “a resolute protector of Native American heritage here, within our own homeland, but also throughout California and Indian Country.”
McKay, who was born in Colusa, served on the Yocha Dehe Tribal Council from 1984 to 2015 and spent a decade as chairman. During that time, the tribe was a key partner with Yolo County on a number of fronts and a benefactor to many local nonprofits.
“Marshall’s leadership was marked by a stalwart dedication to the preservation and promotion of Native American arts and culture, the affirmation of sovereign tribal governance, and the international effort to protect the rights of all indigenous people,” the tribal council said.