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.

1951 Feb 7 Old Pala Dispute With Warner Ranch Indians by kupa7 on Scribd

HISTORY OF INDIANS IN THE PALA VALLEY

I was sent an article for consideration and asked if I would post it to the blog.  I decided I would.

The views, facts, and opinions expressed in the article below are strictly the views of  the [ANONYMOUS] author.  The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the [ANONYMOUS]  author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Pala Watch.

HISTORY OF INDIANS IN THE PALA VALLEY

*** By Anonymous ***

     On January 5, 1852, the United States took over California from the Spaniards and the
Temecula Treaty was signed by Indians in Southern California creating a government to
government relationship.

     The Treaty was signed separately by Palino Coo-hac-ish (for Old Pala) and Jose Noca
Chan-gah-lang-ish (for Agua Caliente).

     On December 27, 1875, President Ulysses S. Grant created, by executive order, 320
acres, located on the south side of the San Luis Rey River, for a reservation for the Old Pala
Luiseno tribe. At the same time he also created 960 acres for a reservation in Warner Springs for
the Agua Caliente tribe. This would become their ancestral homeland. Both reservations were
intended for permanent use and occupancy.

PEOPLE FROM OLD PALA

     Between 1891 and 1895, Old Pala made/gave allotments to its 15 adult members. Their
children were never allotted land but were still considered members of Old Pala.

     Old Pala is referred to as the Luiseno Band of Mission Indians. The Luiseno Band is
NOT a tribe. This name only recognizes them as Indians in the San Luis Rey Mission District.
They may be a band from the Kumeyaay.

     Old Pala is a reservation that never had any form of government or a tribal committee.
Robert Ardilla would act as Captain or Spokesman.

     After the 1903 arrival of Agua Caliente (Cupa) to the Pala Valley, many problems arose
between them and Old Pala.

     Shortly after their (Agua Caliente) arrival there was a death within their tribe. Old Pala
would not allow Agua Caliente (Cupa) to bury the dead in the cemetery next to the Old Pala
Mission. This prompted the Agua Caliente (Cupa) tribe to create their own cemetery called the
Cupa Cemetery.

     Another problem arose when members from Old Pala would deliberately let their
livestock destroy the crops of the Agua Caliente (Cupa) tribe. There was also an irrigation
schedule which allowed a specified amount oftime and water to be given to each crop grower.
Members from Old Pala would open the water valves at any time. This would limit the water
given to next crop grower cutting their time/water short and created a domino effect down the
line.

     In 1934, a secretarial election was held in Pala Valley with the purpose of joining Old
Pala and Agua Caliente (Cupa). This was voted down by both sides, leaving each one
independent from the other.

     In a letter to the BIA, dated March 4, 1940, Marion Scott requested to become a member
of the Rincon Reservation. She was denied because of her membership to Old Pala.
Sometime in the late 1940's or early l 950's, she (Marion Scott) requested to be enrolled
in the Agua Caliente (Cupa) rolls. The Cupa members did not want to let her in. But, after the
third request she was voted in, along with her whole family which would include Robert Ardilla.

     This should have never taken place and it was wrong for the Chairman to allow it. There
was no way for Marion to show she was a direct descendant of Cupa (Agua Caliente) and
according to the Articles of Association (for Agua Caliente) this was a requirement to be enrolled.

     BIA records from March 7, 1940 show that Marion Scott is an enrolled from Old Pala.
Since members cannot be enrolled in two different places does this mean she and Robert Ardilla
must relinquish their allotments to the Agua Caliente (Cupa) tribe? And, if so, would Agua
Caliente (Cupa) then have complete control of their allotments?

PEOPLE FROM AGUA CALIENTE (CUPENO/CUPA)

     On January 5, 1852, Jose Noca Chan-gah-lang-ish signed the Temecula Treaty. This created a
government to government relationship between the Agua Caliente (Cupa) Tribe and the United States.

     On December 27, 1875, President Ulysses S. Grant created, by executive order, 960 acres for a
reservation for the Agua Caliente tribe to live on as their ancestral homeland.

     Long before their removal to Pala, the Agua Caliente (Cupa) people have existed since prehistory
as an historic tribe and are not Mission Indians. They occupied their traditional homeland at Warner
Springs since the time of their creation.

     Five years after President Grant set aside their reservation lands at Warner Springs, President
Rutherford B. Hayes revoked this. This land revocation lead to the removal from Warner's Ranch.

     There were many sites considered when deciding where to send the Agua Caliente (Cupa) tribe: Rancho Santa Margarita (Camp Pendleton), Panky Ranch and Pala. Because Pala had a mission and the Agua Caliente Tribe had a small chapel near Warner's, Pala Valley was chosen.

     Over 700 acres were purchased from ranchers in the Pala Valley for the removal and placement
of the Agua Caliente tribe.

     When the Agua Caliente (Cupa) tribe arrived in Pala in 1903 they were put in tents until the prefabricated homes would arrive. These homes came from New York, traveling around the Cape to San Diego and eventually make their way by wagon to Pala.

     Pala was set up like the village at Warner Springs. The head of each household was given an allotment for a home, 1.75-2 acres on the irrigation system, and 5-6 acres of land for dry farming.

     One question arises: Why did their (Agua Caliente) tribal name not come with them? They
became referred to as Pala Band, Pala Band of Mission Indians or Pala Band of Luiseno Indians.

     Why are we referred to as Pala Band of Mission Indians (PBMI)? If Robert Smith can make this
change, why not change it to Agua Caliente Indian Reservation like it was when they were moved from Warners? And furthermore, why is Robert being referred to as Chairman of the Luiseno Band of Mission Indians? He has no authority to be their spokesman.

     Remember, Agua Caliente was a recognized tribe, not a band. How do they lose their tribal name
simply from moving from one location to another? If it's that simple to rename the tribe PBMI it should be just as simple to give them their correct name back. Pala Band of Mission Indians is not a tribe.

     About two weeks after Agua Caliente's arrival, the people from Puerta la Cruz and San Felipe,
who had originally refused to leave the Warner Springs area, were moved to Pala by way of horse and
wagon owned by Remijio Lugo.

     Remijio Lugo was also put on the Cupa rolls. This would also be a mistake. He claims he was
born in Sulfer Springs, Cahuilla and is a member of Morongo. He would also not be able to show his
direct descent from Agua Caliente (Cupa), which is a requirement for enrollment with them.

     This brief history explains why we all hear that this family or that family do not belong on the
rolls.

     There are many members that serve the tribe that need to understand their history. It may upset a
lot of people but it is something that should be known.

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

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

Agua Caliente Cupeno v Washburn JSR

Margarita Brittain

1962 Feb 27 Letter from the Department of the Interior - Margarita Britten Full Blood Cupa Indian
1967 Jan 12 Letter to Pauline Pink Accompanying the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll
1913 Pala Enrollment Approved by Secretary of the Interior
1911 Margarita Britten Selection for Allotment (Brittain)
Robert Smith Acknowledges that the Daughter of Margarita Brittain is 1/2 Degree Indian Blood
September 11, 1989 Department of the Interior Lettter to Pala Chairperson Patricia Nelson On Margarita Brit...
Pala Enrollment Committee - 5 points to be considered for enrollment

Two Indian Workers Attract Attention RIverside County Fair 1916 October 10th to 14th

The Good Old Days

Some commenters have lamented they wish Pala could go back to the good old days. They say the casino has brought nothing but trouble and caused all this fighting.  There is probably some truth to that but I think we have to be honest with ourselves about just how good those good old days were.

I remember in the early 1990's people would fight over a $300/year or $500/year per capita check.  Some would try to make it to where you had to live on the reservation in order to receive a per capita check.

I remember constantly hearing those that live off the reservation being put down as less Indian and asked why they wouldn't come back to live on the reservation.  Then after the casino was build some did come back to live on the reservation only to be told they don't belong.

But we can go much farther back than that.  Tensions existed between Old Pala and those removed from Warner's.  There was a time when it was thought there were two reservations at Pala - One for the Kupa and one for Old Pala.  This still exists to this day where you can read articles where it refers to Robert as Chairman of the Pala Band of Luiseno Indians and others where he is referred to as the Chairman of the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

The Federally Recognized name of Pala is Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation.

We can see some of those tensions described in this letter from the BIA.

7 Feb 1951 Pala H.W Gilmore Letter BIA District Agent to Area Director Mr. James B .Ring

Even before the removal the Kupa were embattled in years of legal proceedings trying to keep their land.

How far do we need to go back before we get to the good old days?  When the Spanish arrived and just declared they owned the land but let the Kupa live on it?  When land ownership of Warner's was transferred and somehow the Kupa were allowed to remain but had to work as serfs?

Should we go all the way back to pre-European contact?  Ok, let's go all the way back to the story of Kisily Pewish where all the Kupa except for him were massacred.  Good old days?

Did the good old days ever exist?  I am sure there were moments of time - stretches of a few years here and there - where things were pleasant.  For the rest of the time Warners's and Pala have been in turmoil for hundreds of years.  If it wasn't being conquered by the Spanish then it was being turned over to U.S. authorities after the Mexican American War.  It was having land taken and traditional culture squelched.

It was being made against the law to speak your language and forcing their children to speak English. It was being forced to give up their traditional religious practices in exchange for Catholicism.  It was many things from the exploitation of cheap labor and the outright theft of land along with its natural resources.

Were there ever good times?  I am sure there were times that had their moments of good.

As for the good old days which ones do we go back to?

Warner's Hot Springs Renovations Slowly Progress

Pacific Hospitality Group bought Warner's Ranch and Hot Springs (Kupa) last year.  They found the property in worse shape than they anticipated.  The renovations are going slow and going to cost over $50 million dollars.  But they hope to have the golf course open by summer.  No mention of the Kupa in the article.  I guess our homeland is lost forever this time.

UT San Diego - Warner Springs golf course to reopen

By J. Harry Jones4:25 P.M.MARCH 18, 2014

WARNER SPRINGS — Although renovations at the historic Warner Springs Ranch resort are progressing slower than hoped since the property emerged from bankruptcy last year, the resort’s golf course and clubhouse are scheduled to reopen under new ownership this summer.

Go Here to read more UT San Diego - Warner Springs golf course to reopen

Warner Springs Ranch Bankruptcy Sale

It appears Warner's Ranch will be sold off - click links to read the articles

CBRE Appointed Exclusive Agent For Sale Of Warner Springs Ranch

San Diego – October 23, 2012 – CBRE’s Golf & Resort Group has been authorized by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to professionally market Warner Springs Ranch for sale on behalf of the debtor, Warner Springs Ranchowners Association, in accordance with a Section 363 Bankruptcy Sale, including the use of a Stalking Horse Buyer and provision for overbids.

More Here 

SHUTTERED RESORT TANGLED IN LAWSUITS, HARD FEELINGS Sale of Warner Springs Ranch fell through, leading to Chapter 11 bankruptcy 

1886 Agua Caliente Census (Warner's Ranch)

Here is the 1886 Census for Agua Caliente.  Margarita and her children are on page 4.


1886 Agua Caliente Census

More Census Records

1897 Agua Caliente (Warner's Ranch) Census
Margarita is on Page 4 along with her children.


1897 Agua Caliente (Warner's Ranch) Census


1898 Agua Caliente (Warner's Ranch) Census
Margarita is on Page 4 along with her children.


1898 Agua Caliente (Warner's Ranch) Census

1899 Agua Caliente (Warner's Ranch) Census
Margarita is on Page 5 along with her children.


1899 Agua Caliente (Warner's Ranch) Census

Census Records

I have a lot of census records.  I will probably be posting them over the next several days.  The early ones can be hard to read as they are hand written.  Also, the spelling of names can vary in each census.  There really was no english spelling for Indian names and Indian words.  It had to be invented.

As such, in looking at the records one will often see that a name is spelled the way it sounded.  An example would be Sibimooat.  There are many variations on the censuses including C.B. Mooat, Sevemootim, and Sibimooat.  Anthropologists often spell it as Sivimuat wtih the plural being Sivimuatem.

Another is Owlinguish which sometimes appears as Awlwingewish.  There's also alternative spellings to first names such as Michella and Miguella.

First up is the 1887 Census for Agua Caliente (Warner's Ranch).   Margarita appears on page 4 as Margarita Sauvelim* (also spelled elsewhere as Sauvil, Saubel) and is listed as a Widow.  Her children are listed as daughter Michalla, Esperanza, and Santiago (James).

*Note - earlier I mistook the name on the census to be Sevemooat but as a commenter pointed out the census taker spelled Sevemooat differently than the last name of Margarita. On closer look the last name is closer to Sauvelim.  On the census when I zoom in close it seems to be spelled Sauvmalin or Savumalin.  It's hard to tell if the 3rd to last letter is an l or a b.  It's hard to tell if the last letter is an n or an m.  Savumabin could also be it.  It appears the census taker was trying to spell phenetically Sauvelim which is also Sauvel and Saubel.   

1887 Agua Caliente (Warner's) Census


Next is the 1895 Agua Caliente Census (Warner's Ranch)

Margarita is on page 4 and is listed as page 4 Margarita Awlwingewish with children Miguella, Esperanza, Maria Antonia, and Santiago.


1895 Agua Caliente Census Warner's Ranch

Next is 1896 Agua Caliente Warner's Ranch.  Margarita is on page 4 listed as page 4 Margarita Owlinguish with children Miguella, Esperanza, Maria Antonia, Santiago, and Martha.
1896 Agua Caliente Warner's Ranch