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Not to be confused with Pachanga.

The Pechanga Band of Indians, also known as Payómkawichum (the People of the West), stand as 1 of 6 federally recognized tribes of Luiseño Indians; currently located in Riverside County, California.[4] The modern understanding of the tribe, Pechanga, meaning "the place where water drips," comes from the displacement of the tribe during their eviction from Temecula in 1875, resulting in movement towards a secluded valley near a spring called Pecháa'a (pechaq for "to drip").[5]

History

Pre-European Contact

Acting as a self-governing population, the Payómkawichum inhabited much of present-day Southern California. Primarily occupied alongside the Kumeyaay nation, Luiseño ancestral territory stretched far, as such loose ownership of land expanded as far north as present-day Riverside, east as present-day Hemet, as south as present-day Carlsbad, and as west as San Nicolas Island.[6] The Pechanga lived in permanent, cone-shaped structures throughout the region, relying heavily on the land around them and the people in their community.[7]

Post-Contact (1797-1834)

The arrival along the Pacific coastline, led by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, established a period of mission work in the area, forcing the Pechanga, alongside other tribes, to be relocated at colonizer transgression. Missions were established throughout the area, with the most controversial to Luiseño bands being the Mission San Luis Rey de Francía, completed June 13, 1798, due to the land built upon being Luiseño ancestral territory.[8][9] Increasingly exasperated with the situation, the Luiseño did not rebel against the Cabrillo-led mission movement, likely because of their rather friendly and warm nature.[10]

Government

Pechanga Tribal Council

The Pechanga Band is headquartered in Temecula, California, part of the historic territory associated with their historic ancestors. Today the tribe has a constitution, adopted in 1978, and is governed by a democratically elected, seven-person council, including the Tribal Chairperson. For each elected position, general elections are held every two years, with vacancies resulting in impromptu special elections, when necessary.[11] In the event of a voting tie, they would be the deciding vote. The current tribal administration is as follows.[12]

Elected Officials
Member Position First Elected
Mark A. Macarro Tribal Chairman 1992[13]
Catalina R. Chacon Councilwoman 2012
Robert "RJ" Munoa Councilman 2012
Marc Luker Councilman 2004
Raymond Basquez Jr. Councilman N/A
Michael Vasquez Councilman 2016
Joseph "Joe" Murphy Councilman 2022
Louise Burke Tribal Secretary 2011
Amy Minniear Treasurer 2022

Reservation

Location of Pechanga Reservation

The Pechanga Reservation is a federal Indian reservation located near Temecula, California. Established in 1882, 6,724 acre land is divided into four main tracts, being Main Reservation, Kelsey Tract, Zone 5, and Great Oak. Topographically, the reservation sits at elevations from 1,100 feet to 2,600 feet, with the peak located in the southeast of the land. Surrounding the reservation are multiple mountain features. In the east, Wild Horse Peak and Agua Tibia Mountain. In the south, Pala Mountain. In the west, Mount Olympus and Gavilan Mountain. In the north, the Santa Rosa mountain range encloses the area.[14]

Economic development

The Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians owns and operates Pechanga Resort & Casino and its restaurants (Bamboo, Blazing Noodles, Blends Coffee & Wine Bar, The Buffet, The Great Oak Steakhouse, Journey's End, Kelsey's, Paisano's Italian, Pechanga Cafe, Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar, The Lobby Bar & Grill, and the Temptations Food Walk).[15][16] This operation has been highly profitable, yielding more than $200 million a year.

The Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians owns and operates the publisher Great Oak Press.

Citizenship Requirements

Further information: Tribal disenrollment and Impact of Native American gaming

The 1978 Pechanga Constitution states that members must prove "descent from original Pechanga Temecula people."[17] In 1996, however, the tribal council tightened the rules, declaring that members had to have an ancestor from the subset of Temecula who relocated to the Pechanga valley where the reservation was established. Such tightened rules via the council led to waves of dis-enrollment from 2004 to 2006, with Pechanga officials holding historical residence and descent in the Temecula area as dire in qualification.[17]

Pechanga members moved away in some cases because of economic reasons, but maintained ties to the reservation; including being involved in the nation's activities and development. As with other tribes that have conducted dis-enrollments, which have increased since the late 20th century, controversy has arisen over the application of the 1996 requirements to people of established membership and participation in the nation. Reducing the number of members has increased financial returns paid within the nation from the lucrative casino operations.[17] Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro has noted that courts have consistently upheld tribes' sole responsibility for determining their citizenship, and that dis-enrollment action was not related to money or politics.[18]

Problems Regarding Citizenship

In several cases, the Pechanga have dis-enrolled families who were descended from historic ancestral Temecula, long identified as Pechanga. Such cases involve individuals who participated in the nation, with several members working in a variety of roles for the nation and the casino. In 2005, Rick Cuevas and his family, having lived on the Pechanga reservation as enrolled members of the tribe, were questioned of Native heritage due to Cuevas' great-grandmother, Paulina Hunter. Such woman stood as an original landowner of Pechanga, but denouncement of her Pechanga enrollment created a ripple effect, resulting in 105 of her living descendants becoming stripped of their Pechanga identity.[19] Such choice would result in the denial of membership profit from the Pechanga casino, resulting in a near $120,000 a year check per living member.[20] In 2006, Michael Madariaga and his family experienced a similar situation from their local government, stripping them of their identity with the Pechanga. With the Pechanga questioning the Madariaga family's lineage, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History anthropologist, John Johnson, was hired to trace his ancestry back to origination. Even with success, the Pechanga rejected the evidence, resulting in Madariaga losing tribal benefits, even pulling money out of his retirement fund to support his then 89-year-old grandfather's prostate cancer expenses, which was previously covered via the tribe's health insurance plan.[21]

Surrounded by accusations of internal greed, the Pechanga find themselves in controversy regarding membership.[22] As of 2012, not much action has ensued regarding Pechanga action with enrolled members.

Culture

Pechanga Dancer at 2013 Pow Wow

Language

Between Luiseño tribes, language remained the same. Deriving from the Takic languages, the tribe's dialect finds classification in the Cupan languages sub-division, similar to that of the Cupeño, Cahuilla, and Nicoleño Uto-Aztecan languages.[23] Before European contact along California's coast in 1792, historians expect that 3,000-4,000 first-language individuals inhabited the land. In the 21st century, that number has reduced to zero, leaving present-day Luiseño individuals and Pechanga tribe members the task in reviving their native language.[24]

Festival / Pow Wow

Though a majority of Pechanga tradition is kept confidential within the tribe, public displays of tradition allow for insight regarding such Native culture. On January 6, 2023, the Pechanga announced their return to festivities, with Pow Wow returning for the first time since 2015, due to construction of the resort/casino's expansion efforts and also the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] During such festivity, small hand-held rattles are used to introduce rhythm and syncopation for the performer, with such items often made from turtle shell, deer hoof, or cocoons.[26] Dance and attire remain in alignment with Pechanga tradition, however limited public knowledge on such area of culture leaves no current depiction of symbolic meaning beyond physical appearance. Such traditional values are accompanied with modern technology and production, with pyrotechnics and fireworks making appearances during the closing of such celebration.[25]

Media

A majority of public media depicting the Pechanga tribe comes from displays of the Pechanga Resort & Casino, displaying the 275,000 sq ft space.[27] Such advertisements often include overviews of the game opportunity, as well as incoming performers.

The Pechanga Resort garners attention across the region, however such publicity is not the only representation present from Pechanga Natives. On November 6, 2022, the Pechanga tribe made an appearance at a Los Angeles Clippers basketball game, performing a halftime performance for their contest against the Utah Jazz. Led by the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Bird Singers, the group performed traditional song and dance, presenting the story of Tribal creation through the Pechanga perspective.[28] Such an opportunity stands alone as one of the few notable Pechanga tribe depictions in popular media, with no current film or coverage surrounding the Native population at the time.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Pechanga Indian Reservation." SDSU: California Indians and Their Reservations. 2011. Retrieved 1 Nov 2012.
  2. ^ " "Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians - 2017 Project." 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  3. ^ Pritzker 131
  4. ^ "Pechanga Band of Indians - HISTORY". www.pechanga-nsn.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
  5. ^ "Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians | NativeAmerica.travel". nativeamerica.travel. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  6. ^ "Pechanga Band of Indians - Traditional Sites". www.pechanga-nsn.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  7. ^ Parks, California State. "California State Parks". CA State Parks. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  8. ^ "San Luis Rey de Francía – California Missions Foundation". californiamissionsfoundation.org. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  9. ^ "History". Pauma Tribe Community. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  10. ^ Luiseño Traditions: Culture, Clothes, Shelter (Diania Caudell, from the Luiseño Mission Indians). Retrieved 2024-04-30 – via www.youtube.com.
  11. ^ "Pechanga Band of Indians - Pechanga Tribal Council". www.pechanga-nsn.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  12. ^ "Pechanga Band of Indians - Elected Officials". www.pechanga-nsn.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  13. ^ "Bio". Mark Macarro. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  14. ^ Macarro, Mark (December 17, 2013). "2012 Annual Fine Particle (PM2.5) Standard Designation Recommendation for the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians" (PDF). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved April 30, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ "Temecula Restaurants at Pechanga Resort Casino | Pechanga".
  16. ^ "Pechanga Resort Casino Temecula", 500 Nations. Retrieved 29 Oct 2012.
  17. ^ a b c Vince Beiser, "A Paper Trail of Tears How casino-rich tribes are dealing members out", Harper's, 6 August 2006, hosted at site of Tania Thorne, University of California Irvine, Archived 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ Emily Bazar, "Native American? The tribe says no", USA Today, 29 November 2006, accessed 8 June 2014
  19. ^ "A Paper Trail of Tears". archive.uscstoryspace.com. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  20. ^ Sahagun, Louis (2004-01-31). "Tribe Wants to Deal Out 10% of Its Members". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  21. ^ "Native American? The tribe says no - USATODAY.com". usatoday30.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  22. ^ "Casino Tribe Outcasts Claim They Were Unfairly Expelled Over Greed - CBS Los Angeles". www.cbsnews.com. 2012-05-16. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  23. ^ Heizer, Robert F. (1978). Sturtevant, William C. (ed.). "California". Handbook of North American Indians. 8: 550–563.
  24. ^ Kroeber, Alfred Louis; Grace, George William (1960). The Sparkman Grammar of Luiseño. University of California Press. ISBN 9780598202055.
  25. ^ a b Green, Ciara (December 30, 2022). "Vibrant Color, Deep Culture, Rich Heritage, Unique Cuisine - All Part of the Experience at the 20th Pechanga Pow Wow January 6-8, 2023". Pechanga Newsroom.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ "Rattle | National Museum of the American Indian". americanindian.si.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  27. ^ "Pechanga Resort & Casino - Temecula, CA Meeting Venues and Event Space | Cvent". www.cvent.com. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  28. ^ Pechanga x LA Clippers - Native American Heritage Night. Retrieved 2024-04-30 – via www.youtube.com.

References

  • Pritzker, Barry M. A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0-19-513877-1

External links

33°26′51″N 117°03′48″W / 33.44750°N 117.06333°W / 33.44750; -117.06333

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pechanga_Band_of_Indians