On February 24, 2012 the BIA recommended to Pala's Executive Committee that it reverse its disenrollment decision.
Showing posts with label Agua Caliente Cupeno. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Agua Caliente Cupeno. Show all posts
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Guest Post - So, who is Robert Smith?
*By Guest Blogger
*I was emailed the post below by a guest. The views expressed in this post are the Guest Author's own. Whether or not all the alleged activities can be proven with facts will be up to the reader to decide. Those familiar with Pala will have knowledge of much of this.
Guest Post - So, who is Robert Smith?
The government and fools have chosen to refer to Robert Smith as Honorable. They do so even with the knowledge of his far-ranging criminal activities. They do this either because they are the beneficiaries of his ill-gotten gain or simply admirers of power without regard of it source.
Robert Smith is the grandson of Henry Smith, the son of a German Immigrant who homesteaded lands adjacent to the Mesa Grande Reservation. Henry Smith was a persistent German who pushed the BIA so hard that they finally gave him Indian status as being a quarter Indian from Mesa Grande. He married a Moro woman and had Robert Smith’s father, Victor Smith.
The Moro family was originally from Northern California. Adolpho Moro, who was half Wappo Indian and Spanish, moved to Warner Springs. Adolpho Moro’s real last name is unknown. The name Moro was confused by the census takers with the name Morio which was a prominent Cupeno family of the time. It is how the name Moro came to be in Warner Springs. Domingo Moro was Robert Smith’s other grandfather and who also was without any real ties to the Cupeno tribe.
There was a real confusion as to who the real Cupa people are. They were notably peace loving and sharing. They considered the hot spring, Cupanga, to be sacred and did not engage in its commercialization. They lived along the Agua Caliente Creek where they blended the hot water from the spring with the cool fresh waters of the creek for various purposes. The adobe village was not part of the true Cupeno village.
Several interlopers settled at Warner Springs in hopes of taking possession of the spring itself and benefiting from the hot spring baths and other tourist trades. These families included the Moros of Northern California, the Garras of Yuma or San Luis, Mexico, the Nolasquez families also of Mexico and the Barkers. Alexander Barker was a white man who married a Cahuilla woman and laid claim to the hot springs.
Domingo Moro filed an Indian Homestead no. 25506 and perfected his homestead in 1908 and therefore becoming a citizen Indian and surrendered his right to any benefits as an Indian person. The homestead is adjacent to the hot springs at Cupa. Domingo later sold the homestead for $20,000. Because of this action none of the heirs of Domingo Moro should have been allowed to participate in any benefits granted Indians.
So, these are some of the historical facts that surround Robert Smith. Most notably is the fact that he has no Cupeno blood. His mother is of San Felipe, a village that was known as a traditional enemy of the Cupeno people.
Is it possible that this tribal enmity survives even to this day? Yes, it is.
It is easy to justify your own wrongdoings when you consider that the acts are intended to harm your adversaries. It was common knowledge that Robert Smith’s mother was a thief and dishonest. She was a known drug dealer and used her sons to do the same. At one time, the people voted to ban the Smith brothers from ever participating in tribal government. This did not deter Robert Smith from seeking and gaining power within Pala.
He became the Fire Captain of Pala and used his office to intercept information vital to the people of Pala and this his how he began his political ascent. Cal-Mat often ignored the will of the people by making side deals with the Smith family so that they would favor some of the malfeasance at the sand and gravel operation. In exchange they were given money, televisions, VCR’s and other treasures of the day in exchange for their loyalty to Cal-Mat. The Smith family successfully blocked any raise in the royalties owed to the people for more than 10 years resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in loss to the people of Pala.
Robert Smith, after serving for a short period on the Executive Committee, was elected chairperson of Pala. Although being illiterate, Smith was and can masterfully manipulate people and resources to his complete advantage. He is willing to use any extreme necessary for his own personal benefit, including murder, and without any regard for the people. To him people are disposable and often in the way.
With the election of the Robert Smith as chair, began the criminalization of the Pala Executive Committee. He was often making side deals and if an Executive Committee member opposed him he just kept the deal secret. He stole thousands of dollars from acorn sand and the propane business. He gained complete control over the distribution of illicit drugs within the community, an enterprise which he continues to this day.
He has developed a solid following of loyalists who are dependent upon him for illegal drugs and jobs. This is bolstered even more by family loyalty and therefore giving him an invincible block of votes at meetings and elections. This has given Robert Smith free reign and even worse, complete sovereign power. His sovereign power is respected by the United States, the State of California, local governments, the Courts and without regard for the heinous crimes that he has committed.
So what crimes has Robert Smith committed. He is a known drug dealer. That career almost came to an end when an ATF sweep of known drug dealers resulted in the arrest of 66 people including Robert Smith. The drug ring was suspected in generating moneys for terrorist activities and providing support for terrorists overseas. It is said the Robert Smith avoided prosecution by turning state’s evidence and assisted in the locating of other suspected drug dealers in this operation.
Robert Smith is suspected of either committing or participating in the murder of eight people to include the murder of Rainey Williams and the campground murder. This does not include the murder of his constituent drug users that made the mistake of turning against him. Many would find them themselves victims of intended drug overdoses.
Robert Smith was caught red-handed taking bribes from the wake board project. It was also discovered that he and the treasurer were receiving $10,000 each per month for the race track deal with no benefit to the people.
Robert Smith engages in the daily management of the Pala Casino which is a violation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The Casino maintains two sets of books. The Black Book contains the accurate record of the Casino earnings and the Green Book is the numbers reported to the people. The Black Book revenues are skimmed and distributed to Robert Smith, Howard Dickstein and others.
The Casino self-banks the atm machines and therefore creates a digital highway to move moneys outside the casino and making them free of the NIGC jurisdiction. These moneys are not reported in the Green Book and the actual location of these transfers is not known to the people.
There are a series of illegal loans taken under the signature of Robert Smith and therefore obligating the people to pay back these loans. No one knows where the moneys go. That is except for Robert Smith.
Rumors of Robert Smith’s illegal activities could fill a book. They are cleverly created and when challenged he simply screams sovereignty through his million-dollar attorneys. It is funny how attorneys are supposed to defend what is right but will often defend what is most money making. Oh yes, the attorneys are paid for by the people of Pala.
There are rumors of pay day type loan businesses which were established through a Montana Reservation contact. This was noted by several private jet flights to Montana. What business does the people of Pala have in Montana?
The Robert Smith “Black Credit Card” is a known commodity by vendors throughout the Temecula and San Diego County regions. The Black Card is the property of the people of Pala and whatever Robert charges on this card is obligated for payment by the people of Pala. If you don’t know what the status of a Black Card is it simply means that he charges any amount to the card without question. Yes, that means that he can charge a million dollars to the card and the people of Pala must pay the bill.
So why is it that the people of Pala remain loyal to Robert Smith? That is not entirely true. There have been wrinkles in Smith’s ascent to power. Former and well-respected chairman King Freeman often opposed Robert Smith. For this Robert Smith disenrolled many of King Freeman’s family and therefore rid himself of much of his opposition.
Robert Smith was openly opposed by the famous 11 who are now banned for life from participating in tribal government. The BIA refused to recognize the valid action by the people of Pala to remove Robert Smith from power. This was the final signal Robert Smith needed to fully realize that he can commit whatever crime he wants and not be punished.
Now his party of loyalists are governed by fear. Robert Smith can have you evicted from the Reservation just for looking at him wrong. He can have your house bulldozed. He can punish your relatives as a message that you better keep quiet and not talk about him. He can take away your per capita. He can have you fined for entering your own Reservation lands. He can destroy or block your road to your property. If none of this works, he will have you murdered just as he did in the Joe Scott incident.
All these activities are sanctioned by the Secretary of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Indian Gaming Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Inspector General, members of Congress, State and Local Governments, the District Attorney of San Diego County, the Sheriff’s Department of San Diego County, and the Courts.
So what hope is there for the people of Pala? Absolutely none. All the people can do is hope and pray for the demise of Robert Smith. Even that is proving to be difficult because his criminal cohorts are determined to keep him alive. He has had his veins and arteries scraped to remove blockages. We do not know if he has a real or artificial heart, kidney transplants or a liver transplant. We do know that he has undergone several medical procedures to keep him alive and able to continue his criminal activity.
The people of Pala are suffering a long and slow death. It is nauseating, suffocating, drowning, a slow poisoning, a death by a thousand cuts, deprivation and disregard. If you want to feel completely helpless and hopeless then just come to Pala. Correction! Come to Robert Smith’s Pala.
The people of Pala used to be good and caring. They still are. It may be too late for the people of Pala if Robert Smith is allowed to continue with his criminal activities. Yes, this is a cry for help. It is very doubtful that the agencies with the power to thwart Robert Smith will come forward. What is their price. I hear some sell us out for a mere ride on Robert Smith’s private jet while others are rewarded with retirement benefits beyond imagination.
The one known fact here is that Robert Smith will eventually die. We all do. How much damage will he cause before his death? As much as he can and as much as his mind can conceive. The people of Pala will be left penniless and no one will care because we let it happen to ourselves. Why would any taxpayer want to bail us out after we allowed Robert Smith to squander away billions of dollars? They won’t. Realize that. They won’t, and we will be done as people. Good bye to Pala.
*I was emailed the post below by a guest. The views expressed in this post are the Guest Author's own. Whether or not all the alleged activities can be proven with facts will be up to the reader to decide. Those familiar with Pala will have knowledge of much of this.
Guest Post - So, who is Robert Smith?
The government and fools have chosen to refer to Robert Smith as Honorable. They do so even with the knowledge of his far-ranging criminal activities. They do this either because they are the beneficiaries of his ill-gotten gain or simply admirers of power without regard of it source.
Robert Smith is the grandson of Henry Smith, the son of a German Immigrant who homesteaded lands adjacent to the Mesa Grande Reservation. Henry Smith was a persistent German who pushed the BIA so hard that they finally gave him Indian status as being a quarter Indian from Mesa Grande. He married a Moro woman and had Robert Smith’s father, Victor Smith.
The Moro family was originally from Northern California. Adolpho Moro, who was half Wappo Indian and Spanish, moved to Warner Springs. Adolpho Moro’s real last name is unknown. The name Moro was confused by the census takers with the name Morio which was a prominent Cupeno family of the time. It is how the name Moro came to be in Warner Springs. Domingo Moro was Robert Smith’s other grandfather and who also was without any real ties to the Cupeno tribe.
There was a real confusion as to who the real Cupa people are. They were notably peace loving and sharing. They considered the hot spring, Cupanga, to be sacred and did not engage in its commercialization. They lived along the Agua Caliente Creek where they blended the hot water from the spring with the cool fresh waters of the creek for various purposes. The adobe village was not part of the true Cupeno village.
Several interlopers settled at Warner Springs in hopes of taking possession of the spring itself and benefiting from the hot spring baths and other tourist trades. These families included the Moros of Northern California, the Garras of Yuma or San Luis, Mexico, the Nolasquez families also of Mexico and the Barkers. Alexander Barker was a white man who married a Cahuilla woman and laid claim to the hot springs.
Domingo Moro filed an Indian Homestead no. 25506 and perfected his homestead in 1908 and therefore becoming a citizen Indian and surrendered his right to any benefits as an Indian person. The homestead is adjacent to the hot springs at Cupa. Domingo later sold the homestead for $20,000. Because of this action none of the heirs of Domingo Moro should have been allowed to participate in any benefits granted Indians.
So, these are some of the historical facts that surround Robert Smith. Most notably is the fact that he has no Cupeno blood. His mother is of San Felipe, a village that was known as a traditional enemy of the Cupeno people.
Is it possible that this tribal enmity survives even to this day? Yes, it is.
It is easy to justify your own wrongdoings when you consider that the acts are intended to harm your adversaries. It was common knowledge that Robert Smith’s mother was a thief and dishonest. She was a known drug dealer and used her sons to do the same. At one time, the people voted to ban the Smith brothers from ever participating in tribal government. This did not deter Robert Smith from seeking and gaining power within Pala.
He became the Fire Captain of Pala and used his office to intercept information vital to the people of Pala and this his how he began his political ascent. Cal-Mat often ignored the will of the people by making side deals with the Smith family so that they would favor some of the malfeasance at the sand and gravel operation. In exchange they were given money, televisions, VCR’s and other treasures of the day in exchange for their loyalty to Cal-Mat. The Smith family successfully blocked any raise in the royalties owed to the people for more than 10 years resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in loss to the people of Pala.
Robert Smith, after serving for a short period on the Executive Committee, was elected chairperson of Pala. Although being illiterate, Smith was and can masterfully manipulate people and resources to his complete advantage. He is willing to use any extreme necessary for his own personal benefit, including murder, and without any regard for the people. To him people are disposable and often in the way.
With the election of the Robert Smith as chair, began the criminalization of the Pala Executive Committee. He was often making side deals and if an Executive Committee member opposed him he just kept the deal secret. He stole thousands of dollars from acorn sand and the propane business. He gained complete control over the distribution of illicit drugs within the community, an enterprise which he continues to this day.
He has developed a solid following of loyalists who are dependent upon him for illegal drugs and jobs. This is bolstered even more by family loyalty and therefore giving him an invincible block of votes at meetings and elections. This has given Robert Smith free reign and even worse, complete sovereign power. His sovereign power is respected by the United States, the State of California, local governments, the Courts and without regard for the heinous crimes that he has committed.
So what crimes has Robert Smith committed. He is a known drug dealer. That career almost came to an end when an ATF sweep of known drug dealers resulted in the arrest of 66 people including Robert Smith. The drug ring was suspected in generating moneys for terrorist activities and providing support for terrorists overseas. It is said the Robert Smith avoided prosecution by turning state’s evidence and assisted in the locating of other suspected drug dealers in this operation.
Robert Smith is suspected of either committing or participating in the murder of eight people to include the murder of Rainey Williams and the campground murder. This does not include the murder of his constituent drug users that made the mistake of turning against him. Many would find them themselves victims of intended drug overdoses.
Robert Smith was caught red-handed taking bribes from the wake board project. It was also discovered that he and the treasurer were receiving $10,000 each per month for the race track deal with no benefit to the people.
Robert Smith engages in the daily management of the Pala Casino which is a violation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The Casino maintains two sets of books. The Black Book contains the accurate record of the Casino earnings and the Green Book is the numbers reported to the people. The Black Book revenues are skimmed and distributed to Robert Smith, Howard Dickstein and others.
The Casino self-banks the atm machines and therefore creates a digital highway to move moneys outside the casino and making them free of the NIGC jurisdiction. These moneys are not reported in the Green Book and the actual location of these transfers is not known to the people.
There are a series of illegal loans taken under the signature of Robert Smith and therefore obligating the people to pay back these loans. No one knows where the moneys go. That is except for Robert Smith.
Rumors of Robert Smith’s illegal activities could fill a book. They are cleverly created and when challenged he simply screams sovereignty through his million-dollar attorneys. It is funny how attorneys are supposed to defend what is right but will often defend what is most money making. Oh yes, the attorneys are paid for by the people of Pala.
There are rumors of pay day type loan businesses which were established through a Montana Reservation contact. This was noted by several private jet flights to Montana. What business does the people of Pala have in Montana?
The Robert Smith “Black Credit Card” is a known commodity by vendors throughout the Temecula and San Diego County regions. The Black Card is the property of the people of Pala and whatever Robert charges on this card is obligated for payment by the people of Pala. If you don’t know what the status of a Black Card is it simply means that he charges any amount to the card without question. Yes, that means that he can charge a million dollars to the card and the people of Pala must pay the bill.
So why is it that the people of Pala remain loyal to Robert Smith? That is not entirely true. There have been wrinkles in Smith’s ascent to power. Former and well-respected chairman King Freeman often opposed Robert Smith. For this Robert Smith disenrolled many of King Freeman’s family and therefore rid himself of much of his opposition.
Robert Smith was openly opposed by the famous 11 who are now banned for life from participating in tribal government. The BIA refused to recognize the valid action by the people of Pala to remove Robert Smith from power. This was the final signal Robert Smith needed to fully realize that he can commit whatever crime he wants and not be punished.
Now his party of loyalists are governed by fear. Robert Smith can have you evicted from the Reservation just for looking at him wrong. He can have your house bulldozed. He can punish your relatives as a message that you better keep quiet and not talk about him. He can take away your per capita. He can have you fined for entering your own Reservation lands. He can destroy or block your road to your property. If none of this works, he will have you murdered just as he did in the Joe Scott incident.
All these activities are sanctioned by the Secretary of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Indian Gaming Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Inspector General, members of Congress, State and Local Governments, the District Attorney of San Diego County, the Sheriff’s Department of San Diego County, and the Courts.
So what hope is there for the people of Pala? Absolutely none. All the people can do is hope and pray for the demise of Robert Smith. Even that is proving to be difficult because his criminal cohorts are determined to keep him alive. He has had his veins and arteries scraped to remove blockages. We do not know if he has a real or artificial heart, kidney transplants or a liver transplant. We do know that he has undergone several medical procedures to keep him alive and able to continue his criminal activity.
The people of Pala are suffering a long and slow death. It is nauseating, suffocating, drowning, a slow poisoning, a death by a thousand cuts, deprivation and disregard. If you want to feel completely helpless and hopeless then just come to Pala. Correction! Come to Robert Smith’s Pala.
The people of Pala used to be good and caring. They still are. It may be too late for the people of Pala if Robert Smith is allowed to continue with his criminal activities. Yes, this is a cry for help. It is very doubtful that the agencies with the power to thwart Robert Smith will come forward. What is their price. I hear some sell us out for a mere ride on Robert Smith’s private jet while others are rewarded with retirement benefits beyond imagination.
The one known fact here is that Robert Smith will eventually die. We all do. How much damage will he cause before his death? As much as he can and as much as his mind can conceive. The people of Pala will be left penniless and no one will care because we let it happen to ourselves. Why would any taxpayer want to bail us out after we allowed Robert Smith to squander away billions of dollars? They won’t. Realize that. They won’t, and we will be done as people. Good bye to Pala.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Friday, September 14, 2018
Tukumay
To quote a comenter:
"What are u mixed with white ? Mexican ? Obviously you don’t have enough blood. Bitch can you speak your language other than “Tukumay” haha Native is Native" - Anonymous
"What are u mixed with white ? Mexican ? Obviously you don’t have enough blood. Bitch can you speak your language other than “Tukumay” haha Native is Native" - Anonymous
tomorrow....
One of these tomorrows will hold a brighter future for Pala.
Who's Ready?
Monday, August 27, 2018
Historical Friction Between Old Pala Indians and Warner Ranch Indians
The document below is a piece of history describing friction that exists even up to this day between the multiple groups and one tribe residing at Pala. It's not just Old Pala Luiseno (Band) and Warner Ranch (Agua Caliente) Cupeno (Tribe). There are also Cahuilla (Band), Yaqui (Band), and Iipai (Band) living at Pala as well.
If you are confused about the difference between a Band and Tribe you are not alone. The BIA can't keep it straight either.
An example would be to consider Luiseno. Luiseno itself is a tribe. But there are many Bands of this tribe living all over Southern California on multiple reservations. The Pala Luiseno are a Band of the Greater Luiseno Nation.
The Cupeno are a tribe historically residing at Agua Caliente aka Warner's Hot Springs (Ranch).
The Cupeno as a tribe were forced onto land purchased adjacent to Old Pala's land.
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Attention True Agua Caliente Cupeno and Warner Ranch Evictees
Notice to all the True Agua Caliente Cupeno and Warner Ranch Evictees out there. Robert Smith is trying to organize people at Pala to go to protest a hearing about Warner's Hot Springs development.
This is laughable since Robert Smith is Chairman of the Luisenos.
Not only does Robert Smith claim to be the Chairman of the Luisenos but he also has a track record of harassing Agua Caliente Cupeno descendants. He lead the charge on disenrolling 168 Agua Caliente Cupeno. Later when Cupeno elders tried to hold a meeting they were punished and not allowed to ever vote or participate in meetings again.
Robert routinely orders Pala Security to harass Cupeno descendants. Many family members who live off the reservation cannot visit their family members who live on the reservation without fear of reprisal. Robert Smith takes action and fines Cupeno for just trying to visit their family and routinely threatens to take their per capita away.
Robert Smith destroys Cupeno land and refuses to pay what is rightfully owed.
Robert Smith has stolen the per cap of 168 Cupeno for the last 6 years. Hundreds of millions of dollars stolen. Robert Smith has altered the blood degrees of all the Cupeno trying to erase their memory.
Robert Smith now has the BIA changing Pala to Luiseno affiliation only.
Robert Smith and Theresa Nieto stole the Cupeno Children's Trust Funds.
Robert Smith and Leroy Miranda tried to play cute when they had opportunity to buy the Warner's Hot Springs Resort (Kupa). Instead of just buying Kupa, the ancestral homeland of the Cupeno, he and Leroy tried to buy membership shares so they could drive the resort into bankruptcy which they did. There they thought they would buy Kupa cheap but the judge refused to sell to them because of their actions.
It's a good thing the judge did that because Robert Smith hates the Cupenos. This is because Robert Smith is from San Felipe while now claiming to be Luiseno.
This is a sick joke that Robert Smith is playing where he would dare to organize a group to "save Kupa" when he could have bought Warner's 4 times and each time he balked. He routinely takes action to hurt Cupeno people with disenrollments, sanctions, fines, banishments, and evictions.
To all True Agua Caliente Cupeno and Warner Ranch Evictee Descedants please attend the meeting. See the flyer below. Do not let the Fake Cupeno Robert Smith continue to destroy our heritage!
And don't forget! Robert Smith is the one who put that fence around the Cal Rossi Trust next to Kupa. In the process he destroyed all sorts of Cupeno artifacts and violated the land.
Robert Smith is no friend of the Cupeno and should never be allowed to set foot at Kupa (aka Warner's Hot Springs/Agua Caliente) ever again let alone try to organize a protest?
What is Robert protesting? There is nothing more that Robert Smith loves than seeing the destruction of Cupeno sacred sites. Robert is probably secretly in favor of the developments and is just trying to shake the money tree of the owners.
Thursday, April 5, 2018
What Is The PBMI?
Indian History in the Pala Valley can get complicated. There were Pala Luiseno living in the Pala area prior to The Agua Caliente Cupeno Removal of 1903.
After the Agua Caliente Cupeno Removal in May of 1903 a separate lawsuit against the San Felipe Indians worked its way through the courts. In October of 1903 the San Felipe Indians were also moved to Pala.
As the allotment process began some other Indians not associated with either the Pala Luiseno, Warner Ranch Evictee Agua Caliente Cupeno, or the San Felipe Diegueno began to show up and got allotments..
There has always been tension between these groups particularly when it came to land use, allotments, and later on, membership.
The official name of Pala on the Federally Recognized list of Indian Tribes was Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation. That name got changed illegally to Pala Band of Mission Indians (PBMI).
So what is the PBMI? Luiseno? Cahuilla? San Felipe? Yaqui? Cupeno?
What are the People at Pala now? Is it just one group? Have all the other tribes been terminated?
After the Agua Caliente Cupeno Removal in May of 1903 a separate lawsuit against the San Felipe Indians worked its way through the courts. In October of 1903 the San Felipe Indians were also moved to Pala.
As the allotment process began some other Indians not associated with either the Pala Luiseno, Warner Ranch Evictee Agua Caliente Cupeno, or the San Felipe Diegueno began to show up and got allotments..
There has always been tension between these groups particularly when it came to land use, allotments, and later on, membership.
The official name of Pala on the Federally Recognized list of Indian Tribes was Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation. That name got changed illegally to Pala Band of Mission Indians (PBMI).
So what is the PBMI? Luiseno? Cahuilla? San Felipe? Yaqui? Cupeno?
What are the People at Pala now? Is it just one group? Have all the other tribes been terminated?
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Old Pala
There's an Old Pala that has existed probably long before there was even a Pala but that's another story. There were and still are indigenous people living around Old Pala. They are called Luiseno. They were Mission Indians under the jurisdiction of the San Luis Rey Mission. They are a band of Luiseno. There are many Luiseno bands around Southern California. Many people at Pala have a mix of Luiseno blood. The Luiseno reservations are Soboba, Pechanga, Pala, Pauma, and Rincon.
In 1852 the Pala Luiseno singed a treaty with the U.S. Government. They were granted a reservation in 1875. In 1895 some Pala Luiseno were allotted land. This land was and continues to be recorded separately as part of the Old Pala Reservation.
There is another Tribe of indians called the Agua Caliente Cupeno. These were not Mission Indians. By all accounts they were hard working self sufficient people. The traditional homeland of the Cupeno is the village at Kupa also known as Warner's Hot Springs and before that Agua Caliente.
The Agua Caliente Cupeno continued to reside on their ancestral homeland until 1903 when due to a Supreme Court ruling the Cupeno were forced off their land. The U.S. Government in all its wisdom decided purchasing land right next to the Old Pala Luiseno Reservation was a good idea. There were other tracts of lands considered such as Monserate but in the end the old Salmons Ranch was purchased for the Cupeno.
There was a provision in the law that said something like the land was purchased for the Agua Caliente Cupeno (Warner Ranch Evictees) and other landless indians that had no home. This created sort of a land grab as people just showed up at Pala.
In May of 1903 several villages around Kupa were moved to Pala. In October of 1903 another tribe was forced to move to Pala. These were the San Felipe Indians, Iipay or Digueno. This was a separate lawsuit and separate removal.
One Cupeno legend is of Kisily Pewish. His mother was Luiseno from Soboba and Father was Cupeno. One day the "Southerners" or Digueno massacred everyone at the Village of Kupa except for Kisily Pewish and his Mother. They went back to Soboba where, just to short hand the story, Kisily grew up and retook Kupa from the Southerners by killing them all with the help of his magical bear and his mother.
So, the BIA in its infinite wisdom decided putting the Agua Caliente Cupeno next to the Pala Luiseno and then mixing in Iipay was a good idea.
Initially the BIA tried accounting for all the Indians separately. There are Luiseno, San Felipe, Cupeno, Cahuilla, and Yaqui all at Pala as well as some others. But as time went on to make administration easier on themselves the BIA just tried to say everyone was Pala. But tensions always arose and continue to this day among the different tribes and bands at Pala.
The Agua Caliente Cupeno historically have governed themselves through Custom and Tradition through Family Relationships. This continues to this day. However, in the 1960's the BIA forced the indians at Pala to abandon any official relationship with their blood lines and tried to merge all the blood into one calling it "Pala Blood" or blood of the band. This was an association of bands and tribes and not one tribe.
The problem with this, and the BIA knows it, is that it is against the law for one tribe to determine the membership of another (see Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez). This is precisely what is going on at Pala to this day. We have non-Cupenos deciding who are members. They are even changing blood degrees against the recommendations of the U.S. Government. What gives them a right to change anyone's blood degree?
Further, in the 1960's, the Cupeno at Pala knew there were several tribes at Pala. Thus they pushed to be included in Enrollment Ordinance No. 1 a provision not allowing tribal members to belong to more than one tribe. See below Section 1c.
The Agua Caliente Cupeno have always pushed for Kupa blood to be counted and the BIA has always denied it. Now, the BIA has changed the name of the Old Pala Luiseno to the Pala Band of Mission Indians illegally. That means technically Pala is now a 132 acre reservation with 800 acres of grazing rights all the rest belonging to the Agua Caliente Cupeno as well as other Warner Ranch Evictees. But for whatever reason the BIA does not see it that way. Go figure.
In 1852 the Pala Luiseno singed a treaty with the U.S. Government. They were granted a reservation in 1875. In 1895 some Pala Luiseno were allotted land. This land was and continues to be recorded separately as part of the Old Pala Reservation.
There is another Tribe of indians called the Agua Caliente Cupeno. These were not Mission Indians. By all accounts they were hard working self sufficient people. The traditional homeland of the Cupeno is the village at Kupa also known as Warner's Hot Springs and before that Agua Caliente.
The Agua Caliente Cupeno continued to reside on their ancestral homeland until 1903 when due to a Supreme Court ruling the Cupeno were forced off their land. The U.S. Government in all its wisdom decided purchasing land right next to the Old Pala Luiseno Reservation was a good idea. There were other tracts of lands considered such as Monserate but in the end the old Salmons Ranch was purchased for the Cupeno.
There was a provision in the law that said something like the land was purchased for the Agua Caliente Cupeno (Warner Ranch Evictees) and other landless indians that had no home. This created sort of a land grab as people just showed up at Pala.
In May of 1903 several villages around Kupa were moved to Pala. In October of 1903 another tribe was forced to move to Pala. These were the San Felipe Indians, Iipay or Digueno. This was a separate lawsuit and separate removal.
One Cupeno legend is of Kisily Pewish. His mother was Luiseno from Soboba and Father was Cupeno. One day the "Southerners" or Digueno massacred everyone at the Village of Kupa except for Kisily Pewish and his Mother. They went back to Soboba where, just to short hand the story, Kisily grew up and retook Kupa from the Southerners by killing them all with the help of his magical bear and his mother.
So, the BIA in its infinite wisdom decided putting the Agua Caliente Cupeno next to the Pala Luiseno and then mixing in Iipay was a good idea.
Initially the BIA tried accounting for all the Indians separately. There are Luiseno, San Felipe, Cupeno, Cahuilla, and Yaqui all at Pala as well as some others. But as time went on to make administration easier on themselves the BIA just tried to say everyone was Pala. But tensions always arose and continue to this day among the different tribes and bands at Pala.
The Agua Caliente Cupeno historically have governed themselves through Custom and Tradition through Family Relationships. This continues to this day. However, in the 1960's the BIA forced the indians at Pala to abandon any official relationship with their blood lines and tried to merge all the blood into one calling it "Pala Blood" or blood of the band. This was an association of bands and tribes and not one tribe.
The problem with this, and the BIA knows it, is that it is against the law for one tribe to determine the membership of another (see Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez). This is precisely what is going on at Pala to this day. We have non-Cupenos deciding who are members. They are even changing blood degrees against the recommendations of the U.S. Government. What gives them a right to change anyone's blood degree?
Further, in the 1960's, the Cupeno at Pala knew there were several tribes at Pala. Thus they pushed to be included in Enrollment Ordinance No. 1 a provision not allowing tribal members to belong to more than one tribe. See below Section 1c.
Click to Enlarge
The Agua Caliente Cupeno have always pushed for Kupa blood to be counted and the BIA has always denied it. Now, the BIA has changed the name of the Old Pala Luiseno to the Pala Band of Mission Indians illegally. That means technically Pala is now a 132 acre reservation with 800 acres of grazing rights all the rest belonging to the Agua Caliente Cupeno as well as other Warner Ranch Evictees. But for whatever reason the BIA does not see it that way. Go figure.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
The Cupeno Removal - Part 4
Part 4 on the Cupeno Removal by Jeff Smith at the San Diego Reader is out.
Here is a link to the article:
At a certain point, the Cupeño stopped looking back. 10 This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part four of four by Jeff Smith
Here is an excerpt:
During the meal, Inspector Jenkins’s head count totaled 97. Manuella Sibimoat was missing. When a Union reporter asked why the old woman would flee, Isabella Owlinguish said that when she and Manuella were young, they were held prisoners at Pala. “It was a revolting story,” wrote the reporter, “like a tale out of the middle ages.”
After she spoke, Isabella “threw off her shawl and shouted ‘see!’ and showed great calloused marks on her thin shoulders. ‘These we had to keep fresh our memories of Pala mission! What we suffered there how many years ago I cannot say, fifty, sixty, maybe more. Bearfoot could not forget. She would not look again upon that place… Does the white man think it strange that we did not want to come?’”
Full Article:
At a certain point, the Cupeño stopped looking back. 10 This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part four of four by Jeff Smith
Here is a link to the article:
At a certain point, the Cupeño stopped looking back. 10 This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part four of four by Jeff Smith
Here is an excerpt:
During the meal, Inspector Jenkins’s head count totaled 97. Manuella Sibimoat was missing. When a Union reporter asked why the old woman would flee, Isabella Owlinguish said that when she and Manuella were young, they were held prisoners at Pala. “It was a revolting story,” wrote the reporter, “like a tale out of the middle ages.”
After she spoke, Isabella “threw off her shawl and shouted ‘see!’ and showed great calloused marks on her thin shoulders. ‘These we had to keep fresh our memories of Pala mission! What we suffered there how many years ago I cannot say, fifty, sixty, maybe more. Bearfoot could not forget. She would not look again upon that place… Does the white man think it strange that we did not want to come?’”
Full Article:
At a certain point, the Cupeño stopped looking back. 10 This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part four of four by Jeff Smith
Thursday, May 12, 2016
The Cupeno Removal - Part 3
Part 3 of a 4 part series by Jeff Smith at the San Diego Reader is out. It is titled:
Against the Inevitable - This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part three of four
Here is an excerpt:
#
On April 19, Cecilio Blacktooth and three other tribesmen rode to San Bernardino to buy horses. “We will never give in,” he told the Los Angeles Herald, “but will perish gladly if the last sight we see is our Agua Caliente.
“Some will scatter to other tribes, but the old men and women would not leave and have begged to be taken above Warner’s Ranch in the mountains…to look down upon the graves of their ancestors.” Pala is “so barren,” he added, “not even rabbits will live there.”
Blacktooth didn’t mention that at least 15 Luiseño Indian families already did. They lived on allotments assigned by the government ten years prior. The relocation would force them to share a reservation with another tribe.
#
Read the full article at this link:
Against the Inevitable - This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part three of four
Against the Inevitable - This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part three of four
Here is an excerpt:
#
On April 19, Cecilio Blacktooth and three other tribesmen rode to San Bernardino to buy horses. “We will never give in,” he told the Los Angeles Herald, “but will perish gladly if the last sight we see is our Agua Caliente.
“Some will scatter to other tribes, but the old men and women would not leave and have begged to be taken above Warner’s Ranch in the mountains…to look down upon the graves of their ancestors.” Pala is “so barren,” he added, “not even rabbits will live there.”
Blacktooth didn’t mention that at least 15 Luiseño Indian families already did. They lived on allotments assigned by the government ten years prior. The relocation would force them to share a reservation with another tribe.
#
Read the full article at this link:
Against the Inevitable - This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part three of four
Thursday, April 7, 2016
The Cupeno Removal Part 2
Jeff Smith at the San Diego Reader continues with his 4 part series on the Cupeno Removal.
Here is a link to part 2:
In search of the unwanted, This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part two of four
Here is an excerpt:
#
On April 5 the San Diego Union ran a headline: “WARNER’S RANCH INDIANS SAY THEY WILL NOT MOVE TO THE NEW RESERVATION; THINK THEY WOULD STARVE.” The Cupeños are almost all united against the move, the story said, and will “scatter to the hills rather than go to Pala to starve.”
Lummis told officials in the Department of the Interior that Pala was the tribe’s second choice for a home.
“Not true!” said Josephine Babbitt, schoolteacher at Kupa for 12 years. “They had no second choice.” Babbitt told the Cupeños that Lummis was a liar. She also pointed out that, while he said the Cupeños would have “a valley all their own,” they must share the reservation with another tribe: 76 Pala Indians already lived there.
Read the full article here--> In search of the unwanted, This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part two of four
Here is a link to part 2:
In search of the unwanted, This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part two of four
Here is an excerpt:
#
On April 5 the San Diego Union ran a headline: “WARNER’S RANCH INDIANS SAY THEY WILL NOT MOVE TO THE NEW RESERVATION; THINK THEY WOULD STARVE.” The Cupeños are almost all united against the move, the story said, and will “scatter to the hills rather than go to Pala to starve.”
Lummis told officials in the Department of the Interior that Pala was the tribe’s second choice for a home.
“Not true!” said Josephine Babbitt, schoolteacher at Kupa for 12 years. “They had no second choice.” Babbitt told the Cupeños that Lummis was a liar. She also pointed out that, while he said the Cupeños would have “a valley all their own,” they must share the reservation with another tribe: 76 Pala Indians already lived there.
Read the full article here--> In search of the unwanted, This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903, part two of four
Thursday, March 31, 2016
The Cupeno Removal
There is an article in the San Diego Reader about the Cupeno Removal of 1903.
Here is a link and an excerpt:
This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903 The blackest of crimes committed against Warner Ranch Indians.
By Jeff Smith, March 30, 2016
Visitors to the Indian village at Kupa were often struck by the silence. No loud voices, no sudden shouts. Even children played quietly. A stillness spread from the bowl-shaped Valle de San Jose below, past Warner’s Ranch, and up to where Cupeños busied themselves with the tasks of the moment — tasks their people had performed since time for them began.
#
On May 13, 1901, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the California Supreme Court’s decision: J. Harvey Downey and his stockholders legally owned Agua Caliente — aka Kupa. It did not matter that the Cupeños lived there centuries before the Spanish came. In the original case, Barker vs. Harvey, attorneys for John Downey, J. Harvey’s uncle, argued that no natives were on the site in 1844, when John J. Warner obtained the land grant. And they never filed a claim to the Board of Land Commissioners in 1851.
#
Courts from San Diego to Washington DC read “vacant and abandoned” to mean no Indians were on the property. But in 1893, Warner said that wasn’t true. Eighty-five years old and gravely ill, Warner gave a deposition at his home in Los Angeles. The southern half of the valley was abandoned, he said, not the northern, which included Agua Caliente/Kupa. He “never heard of them being displaced.” The original grant even stipulated that he could not interfere with roads and other usages,” meaning the native village.
#
Read the full article at the link below.
This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903 The blackest of crimes committed against Warner Ranch Indians.
Here is a link and an excerpt:
This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903 The blackest of crimes committed against Warner Ranch Indians.
By Jeff Smith, March 30, 2016
Visitors to the Indian village at Kupa were often struck by the silence. No loud voices, no sudden shouts. Even children played quietly. A stillness spread from the bowl-shaped Valle de San Jose below, past Warner’s Ranch, and up to where Cupeños busied themselves with the tasks of the moment — tasks their people had performed since time for them began.
#
On May 13, 1901, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the California Supreme Court’s decision: J. Harvey Downey and his stockholders legally owned Agua Caliente — aka Kupa. It did not matter that the Cupeños lived there centuries before the Spanish came. In the original case, Barker vs. Harvey, attorneys for John Downey, J. Harvey’s uncle, argued that no natives were on the site in 1844, when John J. Warner obtained the land grant. And they never filed a claim to the Board of Land Commissioners in 1851.
#
Courts from San Diego to Washington DC read “vacant and abandoned” to mean no Indians were on the property. But in 1893, Warner said that wasn’t true. Eighty-five years old and gravely ill, Warner gave a deposition at his home in Los Angeles. The southern half of the valley was abandoned, he said, not the northern, which included Agua Caliente/Kupa. He “never heard of them being displaced.” The original grant even stipulated that he could not interfere with roads and other usages,” meaning the native village.
#
Read the full article at the link below.
This land is mine: The Cupeño removal of 1903 The blackest of crimes committed against Warner Ranch Indians.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
From Where to From There
How many generations need to pass before someone can claim to be instead of from where but to from there?
I wonder about the 3rd generation Englishman living in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1690 making the claim that he is "from there" while standing next to a member of the Wampanoag Nation. Was he really from there or was he from England?
Picture the Pala Valley prior to European Contact. Who livered there? There were indigenous people living all along what is now called the San Luis Rey River. These people are now referred to as the Luiseño. But that's not what they called themselves until the Spanish came.
The Spanish put all the Indians living along what they called the San Luis Rey River and into the Temecula Valley under the jurisdiction of the San Luis Rey Mission. They called them Luiseño. But that's not what they called themselves.
Today the Luiseño Nation is spread among several bands throughout Southern California. There are 6 Federally Recognized Bands: The La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, The Pala Band of Luiseño Indians, The Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, The Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, The Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, and The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians.
The territories we refer to today as California, Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico were under Spanish control until Mexican Independence in 1820. After which the territories came under Mexican Rule. The United States fought a war against Mexico and acquired the territories under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed in 1848.
The United States all of a sudden found themselves having to administer to all the various tribes in California. In Northern California this was not so bad for the U.S. Government as many of the tribes were simply slaughtered. The people living there at the time did not need pesky Indians standing between them and their gold. Southern California was a bit more complicated.
In Southern California many of the various tribes played an integral part of the economy. They often worked as farm hands and helped raise cattle. The owners of the large Ranchos around California often employed the Natives in one fashion or another and relied heavily on their labor. No doubt they were overworked and underpaid which lead to them being integral to the economy.
In 1851 the U.S. Government signed treaties with the various tribes in Southern California. In 1875 a reservation was established at Pala for the Luiseño living there. About 40 miles east of Pala the Cupeno were living at their village of Kupa also known as Warner's Hot Springs aka Agua Caliente in Rancho Valle de San Jose (Warner's Ranch). The Cupeno should have obtained title to their land under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo but the U.S. Government never informed them they only had one year to make this claim.
Instead The Cupeno had to fight for their inherent right to live on their ancestral homeland. Juan Jose Warner was given title to the land in 1844. After the Mexican American War Juan Jose had to refile his claim to the land as all land owners had to do at the time. Eventually former California Governor Downey ended up with title to the land and started eviction procedures against the Cupeno in 1892. Downey died and the new owners continued on with the eviction procedures.
The case went all the way to the Supreme Court where it was ordered that the Cupeno be removed from Warner's Hot Springs. Suitable land was to be bought for the Cupeno to live on. But the Cupeno at the time felt no land could compare to their home. The original plan was to force the Cupeno on to land purchased at Monserrate Ranch near Fallbrook. The Sequoya League told Congress there was no water at Monserrate. So the search began for more suitable land.
Eventually the U.S. Government settled on land adjacent to the existing Pala Luiseño Reservation. In 1903 the forced removal of the indigenous populations living at and around Warner's Hot Springs began. There were several Indian villages in the Rancho Valle de San Jose besides the Cupeno. These other villages were Luiseño at Puerta la Cruz and Puerta Chiquita, and the Iipai (Digueno) villages of Mataguay, San José, and San Felipe. The Cupeno resided at their main village at Kupa.
In May of 1903 the Cupeno were forced off their ancestral land and on to land at Pala along with the other villages except San Felipe. In September of 1903 the San Felipe who had their own separate court case to retain title to their land, lost their battle, and were also forced on to Pala. At the same time other Mission Indians showed up, namely Cahuilla, as the land at Pala was also purchased for landless or homeless Indians.
So who lives at Pala? A mix of various tribes including the Cupeno, Luiseño, Iipai, Cahuilla, and Yaqui. Who is from there? Old Pala Luiseño are from there. Everyone else was forced there. How many generations need to pass before everyone else becomes from there? Some people apparently think they are more from there than others even though none of them are really from there to begin with. How do we get to from where to from there?
I wonder about the 3rd generation Englishman living in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1690 making the claim that he is "from there" while standing next to a member of the Wampanoag Nation. Was he really from there or was he from England?
Picture the Pala Valley prior to European Contact. Who livered there? There were indigenous people living all along what is now called the San Luis Rey River. These people are now referred to as the Luiseño. But that's not what they called themselves until the Spanish came.
The Spanish put all the Indians living along what they called the San Luis Rey River and into the Temecula Valley under the jurisdiction of the San Luis Rey Mission. They called them Luiseño. But that's not what they called themselves.
Today the Luiseño Nation is spread among several bands throughout Southern California. There are 6 Federally Recognized Bands: The La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, The Pala Band of Luiseño Indians, The Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, The Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, The Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, and The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians.
The territories we refer to today as California, Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico were under Spanish control until Mexican Independence in 1820. After which the territories came under Mexican Rule. The United States fought a war against Mexico and acquired the territories under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed in 1848.
The United States all of a sudden found themselves having to administer to all the various tribes in California. In Northern California this was not so bad for the U.S. Government as many of the tribes were simply slaughtered. The people living there at the time did not need pesky Indians standing between them and their gold. Southern California was a bit more complicated.
In Southern California many of the various tribes played an integral part of the economy. They often worked as farm hands and helped raise cattle. The owners of the large Ranchos around California often employed the Natives in one fashion or another and relied heavily on their labor. No doubt they were overworked and underpaid which lead to them being integral to the economy.
In 1851 the U.S. Government signed treaties with the various tribes in Southern California. In 1875 a reservation was established at Pala for the Luiseño living there. About 40 miles east of Pala the Cupeno were living at their village of Kupa also known as Warner's Hot Springs aka Agua Caliente in Rancho Valle de San Jose (Warner's Ranch). The Cupeno should have obtained title to their land under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo but the U.S. Government never informed them they only had one year to make this claim.
Instead The Cupeno had to fight for their inherent right to live on their ancestral homeland. Juan Jose Warner was given title to the land in 1844. After the Mexican American War Juan Jose had to refile his claim to the land as all land owners had to do at the time. Eventually former California Governor Downey ended up with title to the land and started eviction procedures against the Cupeno in 1892. Downey died and the new owners continued on with the eviction procedures.
The case went all the way to the Supreme Court where it was ordered that the Cupeno be removed from Warner's Hot Springs. Suitable land was to be bought for the Cupeno to live on. But the Cupeno at the time felt no land could compare to their home. The original plan was to force the Cupeno on to land purchased at Monserrate Ranch near Fallbrook. The Sequoya League told Congress there was no water at Monserrate. So the search began for more suitable land.
Eventually the U.S. Government settled on land adjacent to the existing Pala Luiseño Reservation. In 1903 the forced removal of the indigenous populations living at and around Warner's Hot Springs began. There were several Indian villages in the Rancho Valle de San Jose besides the Cupeno. These other villages were Luiseño at Puerta la Cruz and Puerta Chiquita, and the Iipai (Digueno) villages of Mataguay, San José, and San Felipe. The Cupeno resided at their main village at Kupa.
In May of 1903 the Cupeno were forced off their ancestral land and on to land at Pala along with the other villages except San Felipe. In September of 1903 the San Felipe who had their own separate court case to retain title to their land, lost their battle, and were also forced on to Pala. At the same time other Mission Indians showed up, namely Cahuilla, as the land at Pala was also purchased for landless or homeless Indians.
So who lives at Pala? A mix of various tribes including the Cupeno, Luiseño, Iipai, Cahuilla, and Yaqui. Who is from there? Old Pala Luiseño are from there. Everyone else was forced there. How many generations need to pass before everyone else becomes from there? Some people apparently think they are more from there than others even though none of them are really from there to begin with. How do we get to from where to from there?
Friday, January 8, 2016
Agua Caliente Cupeno vs Kevin Washburn Joint Status Report
Agua Caliente Tribe of Cupeno Indians vs. Assistant Secretary Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn Joint Status Report
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