Remijo Lugo

This was emailed to me.  I guess it's another letter going around Pala.  On the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll both Margarita Brittain and Remijo Lugo are listed as 4/4.  But Pala's EC decided to ignore this in order to disenroll us.  If this is allowed to stand then anyone's blood line could be questioned.

Our elders decided over 50 years ago what the base roll of the tribe is and what the enrollment requirements were to be.  1/16 "Pala" blood and direct lineal descendent from the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll. Didn't matter if one was Yaqui, Cahuilla, Luiseno, or Kupa.  If you were part of the removal our elders decided you were part of the tribe.

Why over 50 years later has this changed?

Lugo Family Bloodline

1913 Pala Allotment Roll

Pala's Chairman Robert Smith Writes A Letter

The Chairman of the Pala Band of Mission Indians wrote a letter to the San Diego Reader in response to an article written by Siobhan Braun titled Can you find the big secret in this casino? Reservation’s reservations.

You can read all of Chairman Smith's letter here under the heading Attention to Detail:

San Diego Reader Editorial Inbox - Attention to Detail by Robert Smith

Part of Chairman Smith's letter reads:

"Additionally, the blood requirement to receive a land allotment in 1913 for any Native American was 50 percent. This was determined by the federal government, not by the Pala tribe."

Margarita Brittain received an allotment in 1913 along with all her children which makes her children 1/2.

Here is the 1913 Allotment roll.  Margarita Brittain is listed as 4/4 and her children as 1/2.  Thus all the disenrolled members of Pala are eligible for enrollment under Pala's Constitution as they posses 1/16 Blood of the Band.

1913 Pala Enrollment Approved by Secretary of the Interior by kupa821

Margarita Brittain 4/4

1913 Pala Enrollment Approved by Secretary of the Interior

Margarita Brittain 101

In the late 1950's, early 1960's Pala began organizing itself and establishing a government to government relationship with the BIA.  This was done in part so the tribe could pursue economic development.  At this time this consisted of pursuing Sand and Gravel operations.  There were probably other economic development plans as well that I am not aware of.

In order for the tribe to pursue economic development and distribute per capita payments membership had to be defined, an enrollment process established, and a base roll for the tribe needed to be created.

An Enrollment Committee was formed to discuss how this process should occur and what standards would be established.  Here are the 5 points they considered:


Pala Enrollment Committee - 5 points to be considered for enrollment

We can see from these 5 points that some but not all of these points were adopted. 1/16 was decided as the minimum blood degree. This standard was included in the Articles of Association and later in Pala's Constitution. But we know people moved from Warner's were not all considered fullbloods. Everyone listed on the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll are listed as full or half. Margarita Brittain is listed as full while her children are listed as half. If the standard of counting everyone that was moved from Warner's as fullblood was adopted then Margarita Brittain's children would have been counted as fullblood as well.

The original 1913 Pala Allotment Roll was a hand written document and did not contain blood degrees. But the alloting agent did make notes for all or some of the individuals. In addition the BIA also had Individual Family History cards for many as well as other documentation of blood degree.

An inquiry was made to the Department of the Interior about the blood degree of certain individuals including Margarita Brittain.  The Department of the Interior issued this letter in 1962:


1962 Feb 27 Letter from the Department of the Interior - Margarita Britten Full Blood Cupa Indian

The letter states that on December 5th, 1910 Special Alloting Agent Mr. L.W. Green recorded Margarita Brittain as a fullblood Cupa Indian.

We can see on Margarita Brittain's selection for Allotment that the agent was L. W, Green:

1911 Margarita Britten Selection for Allotment (Brittain)


We can see on the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll that Margarita Brittain is recorded as 4/4:


1913 Pala Enrollment Approved by Secretary of the Interior


However on the copy Pala had of the 1913 Roll that the tribe used for enrollment purposes someone circled 4/4 next to Margartia Brittain and wrote 1/2 next to it.  They wrote 1/4 next to her children.  The changes are not noted in anyway:


1913Nov3_PalaAllotmentRoll_PenandInkChange0001

In the mid-1970's this error was discovered.  In 1984 Pala's General Council voted to correct Margarita Brittain's blood degree to 4/4.

In 1985 the tribe requested a Per Capita distribution.  At the time the Original Enrollment Ordinance required Department of the Interior approval of the rolls before a Per Capita Distribution could be made.  In 1986 the BIA recommended that the Secretary authorize the BIA to officially record Margarita Brittain's blood degree as 4/4:


1986 BIA Letter Authorizing The Secretary to Record Margarita Brittain as 4/4

This decision was appealed and in 1989 the BIA issued their Final Decision that Margarita Brittain is fullblood:

September 11, 1989 Department of the Interior Lettter to Pala Chairperson Patricia Nelson On Margarita Brit...

On the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll Margarita Brittain is 4/4

In the late 1950's and early 1960's Pala sought to organize itself.  Part of this process was establishing a government to government relationship with the BIA which meant establishing governing documents.  Pala worked to establish the Articles of Association as its governing document.

Pala also sought economic development.  Part of economic development involved per capita payments to its members from business enterprises.  In order for this to happen Pala had to establish an enrollment standard and the BIA had to approve the rolls. This lead to the establishment of Ordinance No. 1 which governed enrollments.

Pala decided to use the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll as the base roll for the tribe.  The original Pala Allotment Roll was hand written by alloting agents and did not have blood degrees.  In the 1960's Pala and the BIA reconstructed this roll to include blood degrees using notes from the Alloting agents, Individual Family History Cards, and other documents.

The Pala Enrollment Committee had 5 points to consider:


Pala Enrollment Committee - 5 points to be considered for enrollment

Notice the Pala Enrollment Committee recommended a minimum blood degree of 1/16.  This was because they wanted to look out for their grand children and great grand children.

Here is the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll as reconstructed in the 1960's.  Margarita Brittain is listed as 4/4 and her children as 1/2:

1913 Pala Enrollment Approved by Secretary of the Interior




Every name on the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll is listed as either 4/4 or 1/2.  This because one had to be at least 1/2 to receive an allotment at Pala.  Margarita's children received allotments.  Also note there is no distinction as to what type of blood degree each person had.  There was a mix of Indians living at Warner's and Indians already living at Pala.  As such Pala is a "Band" of Mission Indians which include Kupa, Luiseno, Kumeyaay, Cahuilla, and Yaqui.  Blood Degrees in the Articles of Association came to be known as "Pala Blood" rather than distinguishing from each group.

Here is Margarita Brittain's selection for Allotment:

1911 Margarita Britten Selection for Allotment (Brittain)

You will notice that the Alloting agent that signed Margarita's allotment selection was L.W. Green.

When Pala inquired into Margarita Brittain's blood degree in 1962 they received this letter from the BIA:
1962 Feb 27 Letter from the Department of the Interior - Margarita Britten Full Blood Cupa Indian


Notice that it was the alloting agent L. W. Green who made a record that Margarita Brittain was a fullblood Cupa Indian.

My copy of the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll came from my Grandmother, Pauline Pink.  This is the letter that she received with her copy of the roll:

1967 Jan 12 Letter to Pauline Pink Accompanying the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll

The 1913 Pala Allotment Roll

This is the letter the BIA sent my Grandmother, Pauline Pink, along with the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll

 1967 Jan 12 Letter to Pauline Pink Accompanying the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll


Here is the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll as prepared by the BIA

1913 Pala Enrollment Approved by Secretary of the Interior

Genocide By Paper

All up and down the State of California and in many other places across the United States disenrollments have been taking place for the last 7 to 10 years.  The increase in disenrollments seems to coincide with the rise of Indian Gaming.

Casinos have sort of created the Perfect Storm for disenrollments.  Every Indian Tribe is unique in how they organize and determine their membership.  But one thing each tribe seems to have in common are long standing feuds between family groups.  Prior to the casinos the bickering between families often took place in meetings and were resolved by elections.

Casinos however have given Indian Tribes tremendous resources to do many things.  They can hire law firms and business professionals to help grow their businesses.  They can hire lobbyists and send them to Washington D.C. to protect their interest.  They can work with State and Local governments on things such as road and infrastructure improvements.

The other by-product of all this is the consolidation of political power.  Leaders of tribes are well aware of their political opposition and disenrollments have become to tool of choice to quell any opposition.  There is also a financial component to disenrollments particularly for smaller tribes.  The less members a tribe has the more per capita distribution there is for the remaining members.  All of this leads to a Perfect Storm for disenrollments.

Original Pechanga's Blog has done a great job of documenting disernollments up and down the State of California.

The list is long and includes Pechanga, Redding Rancheria, San Pasqual, Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, Robinson Rancheria, and The Pala Band of MIssion Indians, among others.

Not surprising, the position of the U.S. Government has been "hands off" Indian Tribes.  The policy of the U.S. Government toward the Indigenous Peoples of America has long been eradication and assimilation.

Toward the end of the 19th Century the public's enthusiasm for the extermination of Native Ameicans waned.  The Calvary was no longer being sent in to slaughter tribes.  Instead, tribes were forced onto reservations.  Government Officials then set about essentially setting up tribal membership by blood quantum.  While blood quantum was not explicitly defined in the Dawes Act government officials did use long standing blood quantum laws for the purpose of determining who should receive allotments.

We can see this in the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll where those who received allotments were either 4/4 or 1/2.  No one less than 1/2 received an allotment including the children of Margarita Brittain.

In many ways blood quantum was just another way the U.S. Government could ensure the final destruction of Indian Tribes particularly smaller tribes.  It was a form of Paper Genocide.  Larger tribes still have many full blood and half blood members.  There is no risk of them interbreeding resulting in genetic disorders.  Larger tribes tend to have a larger blood quantum requirement - either 1/2 or 1/4 blood.

Smaller tribes have a much rougher time of it.  Their survival depends on pro-creation.  When Pala set out to organize itself as a tribe and determine its membership they were well aware of this conundrum.  Very few fullbloods were left of parenting age.  There was also the issue of blood in general.  Pala's membership consists of a mix of Indian Blood which includes Kupa, Luiseno, Cahuilla, Yaqi, and Kumeyaay.

Because of this mix "Pala Blood" was determined to be those on the 1895 and 1913 Pala Allotment Rolls.  No distinction was made between the various different types of Indians that resided at Pala.

Americans often think fondly and romanticize about the Iroquois concept of making plans for the 7th Generation.  In some respect the People of Pala did make plans for the future generations and did what they could to ensure their survival as a tribe.  As such the blood quantum was set to 1/16 so they could protect their grandchildren and great grand children.

And while this solution seemed to work for a time it was in effect kicking the can down the road.  The fullbloods and nearly all the half bloods have passed.  Pala is composed primarily of 1/4, 1/8, and 1/16 degree of Indian Blood.  These generations are struggling to keep the tribe moving forward into the future.

At a time when Indian Tribes up and down the State of California should be strengthening their membership and ensuring their survival tribes have instead turned to disenrollments.  In the short run this may seen like a good idea for a variety of reasons ranging from a consolidation of political power and increased financial benefit.

But over the long term it's tribal suicide.  Indian Tribes are finishing the job the U.S. Government could not complete and that is the eradication of tribes in general.  This is why in my opinion the U.S. Government is taking such an unprecedented hands off approach to Indian Tribes.  They see the long game.  They know eventually smaller tribes will destroy themselves.

Many tribes have already gone bankrupt, had their casinos put into receivership, and now struggle for survival.  There is nothing more Las Vegas and Wall St would like to see than for casinos to be out of the hands of Indians and into the hands of Las Vegas developers and investment bankers.

It's Paper Genocide and in many ways it was all set up by the U.S. Government which established blood quantum knowing it would eventually lead to the demise of the smaller groups of Native Americans.  Sure, larger tribes will survive but the odds of smaller tribes making it another 100 years grows less and less each year.

I am often confronted by people who lament that many Indians these days do not know much about their language, their culture, or their religions.  When this happens I remind them that the U.S. Government prevented Indian Children from speaking their Native language, practicing their religion, or engaging in cultural activities.  It was forced assimilation and the whole purpose was to eradicate Native American Culture.

Now all the U.S. Government has to do is sit back and wait as Paper Genocide continues to ravage Indian Country finishing off the job the American People lost the stomach for 120 years ago. 

BIA Inaction Defies Logic

The history of the United States government versus the Indigenous People of America is long and sordid.  It runs the gambit from genocide, biological warfare, treaty violations, theft of land and resources, and cultural annihilation. 

As the Indian Rights movement took hold a move toward self governance was embraced by the Department of the Interior.  The BIA began working with tribes to help them set up tribal governments.  The goal was self reliance and economic development.  This however still did not stop the BIA or the U.S. Government from meddling in Indian Affairs when it suited them particularly when there were resources such as oil and uranium that the government wanted.

After 1950 a series of Supreme Court decisions handed more power over to the tribes under the heading of Sovereignty.  Still, this did not stop the BIA from overseeing tribal governments, approving their governing documents, and certifying their elections.

By the 2000's Indian Casinos grew to a multi-billion dollar a year industry.  With it came the mentality by the U.S. Government of "hands off" Indian Tribes.  Well, hands off those that have casinos anyway.

Armies of Jack Abramoff type lobbyists flooded Congress.  Their message was clear - "hands off Indian tribes.  Oh, and here is your check to help your re-election campaign".

Tribal Sovereignty was now viewed as powerful as kryptonite against Super Man.  The BIA has routinely for over 10 years now sat on their hands and claimed Tribal Sovereignty prevented them from getting involved in tribal affairs.

Tribal Officials emboldened by the in-action of the BIA have since run amok all over California disenrolling and banishing any members who dare challenge their political power.  Even in cases where it is clear to all that disenrollments should not have happened the BIA claims Tribal Sovereignty and sits on their hands.

Tribal Officials armed with powerful attorneys go to court with one document and one statement for the courts - Tribal Sovereignty - Hands Off.

So now we have this situation at Pala where the Federal Government through the BIA recognizes Margarita Brittain as 4/4 and recommending that disenrolled Pala members continue to be enrolled at Pala. Yet the BIA refuses to get involved beyond a toothless recommendation.

The BIA has in effect allowed the Pala Executive Committee to overturn the BIA's final decision that Margarita Brittain is 4/4.

What's more, the BIA has allowed the Pala Executive Committee to alter the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll which clearly lists Margarita Brittain as 4/4 and her children as 1/2.  In order to get an allotment one had to be at least 1/2 degree of Indian Blood.  If Margarita's children were not 1/2 they would not have received an allotment.  The BIA in 1913 was not exactly looking to hand out allotments to just anyone.  They made sure those that received them were entitled to them.

I do not understand how the BIA can sit idly by claiming Tribal Sovereignty while the Pala Executive Committee violates their 1989 final decision on Margarita Brittain and in effect alters the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll.  If the BIA wanted to they could get involved.  There are more than enough violations committed by the Pala Executive Committee to justify involvement.

The Pala Executive Committee has made a complete mockery of Tribal Self Government and Pala's Governing Documents.  So why does the BIA continue to turn a blind eye not just to Pala but to several tribes up and down the State of California? 

Why does the rise of inaction by the BIA seem to coincide with the rise of Tribal Casinos?

Margarita Brittain - Fullblood Kupa Indian

This is an informational booklet on Margarita Brittain.  She was a fullblood Kupa (Cupa, Cupeno) Indian from Warner's Hot Springs.  Her and her children were removed from the village of Kupa at Warner's Hot Springs in 1903 during the Cupeno Trail of Tears.  Margarita and her children received allotments at Pala and became part of the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

162 of Margarita Brittain's descendents were wrongly disenrolled from their tribe by Pala's Executive Committee.  The preponderance of evidence demonstrates Margarita Brittain was a fullblood Kupa Indian and her descendents are entitled to be enrolled at Pala.   The BIA Agrees.


Margarita Brittain Booklet

What Are The New Membership Requirements For Pala?

For over 50 years the membership requirements for the Pala Band of Mission Indians was that one had to be a lineal descendent of someone on the 1913 rolls and be at least 1/16 blood of the band.

All 162 disenrolled members of Pala meet the membership requirement.  The BIA agrees that all 162 members should be enrolled.

Margarita Brittain is listed as 4/4 on the 1913 Pala Allotment Rolls. Her children are listed as 1/2.

Over 50 years of Custom and Tradition, the Articles of Association, and even the Pala Constitution list membership requirements as being a descendent of someone on the 1913 rolls and possessing at least 1/16 blood of the band.

So what has changed?  Are there new membership requirements?  People of Pala should be concerned since it seems the membership requirements have changed.  The Pala Executive Committee is going against over 50 years of Custom and Tradition, the Articles of Association, and the Pala Constitution by disenrolling 162 of its members.

It now appears anyone can be disenrolled or enrolled based on a vote by the Executive Committee.  Is this really what the tribe wants?

Documents

Just reposting some of the key documents here.  The links will take you to the full document.

1962 Feb 27 Letter from the Department of the Interior Stating Margarita Britten Full Blood Cupa Indian

The Father of Margarita Brittain - Pelegrino Ortega

Robert Smith Acknowledges that the Daughter of Margarita Brittain is 1/2 Degree Indian Blood

11 Sept 1989 BIA Final Decision Margarita Brittain is Fullblood

1967 Jan 12 Letter to Pauline Pink Accompanying the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll

1913 Pala Enrollment Approved by Secretary of the Interior

BIA Enrollment Specialist Elsie Lucero Affidavit - Father of Margarita Brittain is Pelegrino Ortega

1921 July 22 Sworn Testimony Carolina Nolasquez at the Probate Hearing for Merced Nolasquez

Bureau of Indian Affairs Pacific Regional Director Recommends All 162 Disenfranchised Pala Members Be Enrolled

In 1984 Pala General Council Votes Margarita Brittain Is Fullblood

In the late 1950's and early 1960's Pala sought to organize its tribal government.  Part of this organization was laying down a frame work for how the tribe would determine its membership.  Pala decided to go by the 1913 Pala Allotment Rolls which were reconstructed from various BIA documents including notes made by Special Allotting Agent Mr. L. W. Green.

This reconstructed type writen 1913 Pala Allotment Roll became the base roll of the Pala Band of Mission Indians.  On this roll Margarita Brittain is listed as 4/4 blood degree.  Someone at some unknown time made pen and ink changes to the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll.  They circled 4/4 next to Margarita Brittain and wrote 1/2 next to the 4/4.  This pen and ink change was not noted in anyway.  On the BIA copy of the 1913 Roll Margarita Brittain was listed as 4/4.

In the late 1970's this error was discovered and descendents of Margarita Brittain began seeking to correct this mistake.  By 1983 the BIA was preliminarily agreeing that Margarita Brittain was 4/4.  This decision was later appealed and after over 6 years of investigation in 1989 the BIA issued its final determination that Margarita Brittain is fullblood.

5 years prior to the BIA ruling in 1984 Pala's General Council voted to correct Margarita Brittain's blood degree to 4/4.

Here are the minutes from that 1984 General Council meeting:


1984 Pala General Council Votes To Correct Margarita Brittain's Blood Degree To Fullblood


Pala also made an announcement in their newsletter to let Brittain Descendents know Margarita Brittain's blood degree was corrected.  Here is that announcement:


Pala Newsletter Announcement That Margarita Brittain Is Fullblood

Why Are The Brittain Descendents Being Held to a Higher Standard Than Other Pala Tribal Members?

The Brittain Descendents are being held to a much higher standard than any of the other tribal members at Pala.  Why is this the case?  Ok, we all have some theories so insert your own here.

On the surface is the claim that we do not know who Margarita's father is.  We do know who her father is.  Her father is Pelegrino Ortega.  We also know from the sworn testimony of Carolina Nolasquez that Margarita and Merced had the same father.  Thus, if you really believe we do not know and cannot prove who Margarita's father is then the same must hold true for Merced.

As discussed in the comments on the prevoious post the documents provided there layout how the Pala 1913 Allotment Roll was created.  A hand written document of the allotment roll was used to establish the base roll of the tribe.  This hand written document did not have roll numbers or blood degrees.  The BIA then used other documents such as Family History Cards and notes made by Special Alloting Agent Mr. L.W. Green to reconstruct the base roll of the tribe with allotment numbers and blood degree.

On this reconstructed roll Margarita Brittain is listed as 4/4.  Her children are listed as 1/2.  To get an allotment one had to be at least 1/2.  You will notice looking at the 1913 rolls that everyone is either 4/4 or 1/2.

In the early 1960's Pala's Enrollment Committee set out to develop criteria for how Pala would determine its membership.  A statement was issued by the Enrollment Committee that goes over 5 points for considering enrollment.  You can read that statement below:

Pala Enrollment Committee - 5 points to be considered for enrollment

You will notice how the Pala Enrollment Committee was looking at considering anyone who was removed from Warner's to be counted as full bloods.  Whether this policy was officially adopted or not I do not know.  If it was officially adopted then I would think my Great Grandfather James Brittain who was part of the removal would be counted as 4/4 and not 1/2.

Others on the 1913 Rolls do appear as 4/4 that are not 4/4 Kupa which suggests that some deference was given to those who were removed from Warner's.

Case in point is Rocinda Nolasquez.  She was not 4/4 Kupa.  Her Grandfather Sylvario Nolasquez was "Mexican Indian" (Yaqui).  We can see this on her 1928 Application here:


Rocinda Nolasquez 1928 Application

Most of us who were removed from the Pala tribe starting in June 2011 have no real idea why the tribe considers us disenrolled.  The first 8 to be disenrolled received letters suggesting the 1928 application for Juana Regetti Freeman was the reason.  The remaining 154 disenrolled on February 3rd 2012 received no explanation or reason for the disenrollment.

We know from prevoious BIA documents that the BIA stated the 1928 applications for Margarita Brittain's chidren were tampered with and were not to be relied on for considering blood degree.

We also know Robert Smith requested the 1928 applications for Margarita's Children on June 2nd, 2011 and June 23, 2011.  See the following letter addressed to Robert Smith from the BIA:


13 July 2011 Robert Smith Request 28 Applications for Brittain Descendents


If Robert Smith and the rest of Pala's Executive Committee (Enrollment Committee) now wishes to use the 1928 Applications for determining membership in Pala then why didn't Robert Smith request the 1928 applications for everyone?

Clearly based on this new standard Rocinda Nolasquez should be considered 1/4 Kupa not 4/4.  If we trace her mother's blood it's posisble Rocinda could be 3/4 but I am not familiar with her mother's ancestry.

A commenter wrote this earlier:

"Also, Rocinda Nolasquez grandfather was Sylvario Nolasquez. Her father was Salvador Nolasquez. Her mother's lineage was called foreign in Jane Hills notes...although her mother was Native. Roscinda would have been 1/4 Kupa if we do not count her mother's Indian blood. Rocinda would have been as much as 3/4 American Native if we add her mothers blood."

There are many many other tribal members who would not meet the membership requirements of Pala if the 1928 applications were used to determine Pala Membership.

So, is this the new standard at Pala even though the BIA has stated the 1928 applications are fraught with errors?  Is this the new standard even though one of Pala's original Enrollment Committees wanted to consider anyone removed from Warner's as full blood?

If this is indeed the new standard Pala Tribal Members need to beware.  Robert Smith can at any time request the 1928 applications for your ancestors and remove you from the tribe in a moment's notice.  The descendents of Sam Barker and Remijio Lugo should be concerned as should many others.

Let me state for the record that I do not wish to see anyone else removed from Pala.  I just want Pala to stand on Custom and Tradition, the Articles of Association, and the Constitution which clearly state the 1913 Allotment Rolls are the base roll for the tribe.  You have to be at least 1/16 blood of the band and a lineal descendent from the 1913 rolls to be a member of Pala.

This is what our elders wanted.  This is what they established.  By creating this new standard Robert Smith and the Executive Committee have put the entire tribe in peril.

If you have been told you have nothing to worry about because the Executive Committee won't disenroll you don't believe it.  They said the same thing to many families in the summer of 2011.  They told many of the Brittain Descendents they had nothing to worry about they were not getting disenrolled.

Look where we are today.  We know Robert Smith requested the 1928 applications for Margarita's children as early as June 2011 well before the enrollment committee told people they were not disenrolling anyone else.

The tribe is in serious jeopardy of being torn apart and reduced down to half the size it is today.  The General Council should seek to remedy this situation as soon as possible before more people are disenrolled.  It is already rumored that Pala is looking to disenroll 60 more people.  Are you next?

The Pen and Ink Changes on the 1913 Pala Allotment Rolls

One of the sources of the continued persecution of the descendents of Margarita Brittain is a copy of the 1913 Pala Allotment Rolls Pala had in its possession in the formative years of its tribal government.

In the 1950'a Pala began formally organizing itself as a tribe and establishing a government to government relationship with the BIA.  Part of this process was establishing the governing documents of the tribe - the Articles of Association.

Pala was also exploring economic development.  They began looking at leasing out some of their land to Sand and Gravel operations.  This was to help provide funding for the tribal government and per capita payments to its members.

Before per capita payments could be made Pala would have to define how it determined its membership and adopt a distribution plan.  Pala decided it would use the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll as the base roll of the tribe.  To be a member one must show lineal descent from the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll and poses at least 1/16 "Pala" blood based on that roll.  This has been enshrined in Pala's governing documents for over 50 years and has been custom and tradition for at least as long.

Sometime in the late 1950's or early 1960's some unknown individual used a pen to circle the 4/4 for Margarita Brittain's blood degree and wrote next to it 1/2. This unknown person then wrote 1/4 next to all her children.

This pen and ink change was made despite the fact that in 1962 a letter was sent to the Pala Enrollment Committee clearly stating Margarita Britten (Brittain) was full blood.

When this occurred and who made the pen and ink changes is largely unknown. Pala then went on to recognize this pen and ink change until the error was discovered. An appeal was then made to the tribe and the BIA to restore Margarita Brittain's blood degree. This is all referenced in the 1989 letter from the Department of the Ineterior to Pala Chairperson Patricia Nelson

The BIA found that the pen and ink change did not appear on the original roll housed in Washington D.C. Further, they found no record or reference justifying the change.

When the Pala Enrollment Committee asked for documentation to verify our blood degree I included a copy of the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll sent to my Grandmother Pauline Pink. I have included here the letter sent to her along with the complete roll. I heard by rumor that the Pala Enrollment Committee claimed the roll to be a forgery of some sorts or that it was tampered with.

I have the original document. It is no forgery which is clear to anyone who sees it. I have uploaded a full copy of that roll.

Further, the only way an individual could obtain an allotment was to be either full blood or half. All of Margarita's children were given allotments. Thus, how can any of them be considered anything but at least 1/2 Indian Blood? As usual, logic does not apply when we consider who sits on the current Pala Enrollment Committee and logic certainly does not apply to Pala's current Chairman, Robert Smith.

Robert Smith has been Chairman of Pala for over 20 years. People of Pala - do you not think it is time for a change in leadership? 1913Nov3_PalaAllotmentRoll_PenandInkChange0001 1967 Jan 12 Letter to Pauline Pink Accompanying the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll 1913 Pala Enrollment Approved by Secretary of the Interior