Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians

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Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
Flag of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.gif
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians logo.png
Country United States
State California
County Riverside
Government
  Chair Reid D. Milanovich
  Vice ChairCandace Patencio Anderson
  Secretary/TreasurerSavana R. Saubel
  Tribal CouncilJohn R. Preckwinkle III
Virginia Siva-Gillespie
Area
  Land31.6102 sq mi (81.870 km2)
Population
 (2020)
  Total27,090
Time zone UTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone)
  Summer (DST) UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Area code(s) 760/442
Website https://www.aguacaliente.org
Agua Caliente Band
of Cahuilla Indians
Total population
2010: 410 alone and in combination [1]
Regions with significant populations
United States (California)
Languages
English, Cahuilla language [2]
Religion
Traditional Tribal religion, Catholic and Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Cahuilla people

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of the Cahuilla, located in Riverside County, California, United States. [3] The Cahuilla inhabited the Coachella Valley desert and surrounding mountains between 5000 BCE and 500 CE. With the establishment of the reservations, the Cahuilla were officially divided into 10 sovereign nations, including the Agua Caliente Band. [4]

Contents

Reservation

Agua Caliente Reservation in 1928 Aqua Caliente Reservation - NARA - 298622.jpg
Agua Caliente Reservation in 1928
Agua Caliente Band signage in downtown Palm Springs Agua Caliente Band signage downtown Palm Springs.jpg
Agua Caliente Band signage in downtown Palm Springs
Location of Agua Caliente Reservation 0020R Agua Caliente Indian Reservation Locator Map.svg
Location of Agua Caliente Reservation

The Agua Caliente Indian Reservation was founded on May 15, 1876 [5] through Executive Order signed by President Ulysses S. Grant covering 31,610 acres (12,790 ha). In 1877 and 1907 the Reservation was extended, to cover 32,000 acres (13,000 ha) of land. [6]

Since 6,700 acres (2,700 ha) of the reservation are in Palm Springs, California, the tribe is the city's largest collective landowner. The tribe owns Indian Canyons, located southwest of Palm Springs. The canyons are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [3] They also own land in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

Government

The tribe's headquarters is located in Palm Springs, California. They ratified their constitution and bylaws in 1957, [5] gaining federal recognition. For many years the band was headed by Chairman Richard M. Milanovich until his death on March 11, 2012. Their current tribal council is as follows: [7]

Language

Agua Caliente is one of three reservations where speakers of the "Pass" dialect of the Cahuilla were located, the other two being the Morongo Indian Reservation and Augustine Indian Reservation. Pass Cahuilla is a dialect of Cahuilla found within the Cupan branch of Takic languages, part of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Though revitalization efforts are underway, all dialects of Cahuilla are technically considered to be extinct as they are no longer spoken at home, and children are no longer learning them as a primary language. [8] The last native speaker of Pass Cahuilla died in 2008.

Programs and economic development

Tribal programs and family services

Tribal Family Services was established in 2003 to support social and educational programs for tribal members. Other services include cultural preservation, child development, and scholarships. [9]

The Jane Augustine Patencio Cemetery provides burial services. (Palm Springs artist Carl Eytel is one of the few non-Indians buried in the cemetery.)

Agua Caliente Cultural Museum

The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in Palm Springs was founded by the tribe in 1991. It houses permanent collections and archives, a research library, and changing exhibits, as well as hosting an annual film festival. [10]

Spa resort and casinos

Image of Agua Caliente Casino parking garage in downtown Palm Springs Agua Caliente casino.jpg
Image of Agua Caliente Casino parking garage in downtown Palm Springs

The tribe owns three major casinos. The first two are the Spa Resort Casino (now Agua Caliente Palm Springs) in downtown Palm Springs, California at the original hot springs [11] and the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, California. The resort at Rancho Mirage also includes a hotel, fitness center and spa, the Canyons Lounge, and seven different restaurants. [12] The Spa Resort Casino, opened in 2003, features gaming, the Cascade Lounge, and four restaurants. [13] The hotel in Downtown Palm Springs closed in 2014. [14]

Ground was broken on the third Agua Caliente casino on November 4, 2019. [15] It is located in Cathedral City, California and opened on November 25, 2020. [16] The tribe annexed 13 acres of land to build the casino. [17] The tribe is the only one in California to own more than one casino. [18]

Indian Canyons

Tahquitz Canyon southwest of downtown Palm Springs is accessible for hiking and guided tours. [19] The Indian Canyons (consisting of Palm Canyon, Murray Canyon, and Andreas Canyon) also accessible for hiking, horseback riding, and tours, are south of Palm Springs. [20]

Golf courses

The tribe also maintains two golf courses in Indian Canyon which are open to the public. [21]

Proposed downtown Palm Springs arena

In June 2019, it was announced that the tribe and entertainment company Oak View Group planned to build a privately funded arena on tribal land in downtown Palm Springs with the intent of the arena serving as the home ice for the expansion Seattle Kraken's American Hockey League affiliate. [22] The arena was planned to begin construction in February 2020, but was suspended in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. By September 2020, OVG's negotiations with the tribe had come to a halt and the agreement was ended. The Oak View Group chose to build their arena elsewhere. [23]

Notable tribal members

See also

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral City, California</span> City in California, United States

Cathedral City, colloquially known as "Cat City", is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. Situated between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, the city has the second largest population, after Indio, of the nine cities in the Coachella Valley. Its population was 51,493 at the 2020 census, a slight increase from 51,200 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cahuilla</span> Native American people, living in the inland areas of southern California

The Cahuilla, also known as ʔívil̃uqaletem or Ivilyuqaletem, are a Native American people of the various tribes of the Cahuilla Nation, living in the inland areas of southern California. Their original territory included an area of about 2,400 square miles (6,200 km2). The traditional Cahuilla territory was near the geographic center of Southern California. It was bounded to the north by the San Bernardino Mountains, to the south by Borrego Springs and the Chocolate Mountains, to the east by the Colorado Desert, and to the west by the San Jacinto Plain and the eastern slopes of the Palomar Mountains.

Agua Caliente, Aguas Calientes or Aguascalientes may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cahuilla Band of Indians</span> Native Cahuilla Indians in Southern California

The Cahuilla Band of Indians is a federally recognized tribe of Cahuilla people located in Southern California. They were formerly the Cahuilla Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Cahuilla Reservation.

Golden Checkerboard (1965) is a book by Ed Ainsworth about the mid-20th century economic conditions of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of Palm Springs, California and the history of the 99-year lease law, which enabled them to commercially develop tribal-owned lands. It focuses on Indio Superior Court Judge Hilton McCabe, who is described as "The Little White Father of the Indians of Palm Springs", and recalls the steps taken by McCabe to set up conservatorships and leases that would give the tribe investment opportunities and economic self-sufficiency. The title of the book refers to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians' reservation checkerboard pattern, originating from land grants to the Southern Pacific Railroad as an incentive to build rail lines through the region, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed an Executive Order granting "San Bernardino Base and Meridian, Township 4 South, Range 4 East, Section 14" to the Agua Caliente Indians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mission Indians</span> Indigenous peoples who were forcibly relocated to missions in Southern California

Mission Indians are the indigenous peoples of California who lived in Southern California and were forcibly relocated from their traditional dwellings, villages, and homelands to live and work at 15 Franciscan missions in Southern California and the Asistencias and Estancias established between 1796 and 1823 in the Las Californias Province of the Viceroyalty of New Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa</span> Casino resort in Rancho Mirage, California

The Agua Caliente Casino is a gambling facility, run by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, in Rancho Mirage, California. The facility has over 45,000 square feet (4,200 m2) of gambling floor. The casino completed a 16-story, 173-foot (53 m) hotel tower which opened on April 18, 2008. The tower is the third-tallest building in the Inland Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm Springs, California</span> City in Riverside County

Palm Springs is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately 94 square miles (240 km2), making it the largest city in Riverside County by land area. With multiple plots in checkerboard pattern, more than 10% of the city is part of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation land and is the administrative capital of the most populated reservation in California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians</span> Indian tribe in California, United States

The Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized Cahuilla band of Native Americans based in Coachella, California. They are one of the smallest tribal nations in the United States, consisting of only 16 members, seven of whom are adults.

The Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized tribe of Cahuilla Indians, located in Riverside County, California. They were formerly known as the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians.

The Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized tribe of Cahuilla Indians, located in Imperial and Riverside counties in California. Their autonym is Mau-Wal-Mah Su-Kutt Menyil, which means "among the palms, deer moon." in the Cahuilla language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morongo Band of Mission Indians</span> Native Cahuilla and Serrano Indians in Southern California

The Morongo Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized tribe in California, United States. The main tribal groups are Cahuilla and Serrano. Tribal members also include Cupeño, Luiseño, and Chemehuevi Indians. Although many tribes in California are known as Mission Indians, some, such as those at Morongo, were never a part of the Spanish Missions in California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agua Caliente Cultural Museum</span> Anthropology museum in Palm Springs, California

The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum is a culture and history museum located in Palm Springs, California, United States, focusing on the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Coachella Valley.

Tahquitz is a spirit found in the legends of the Cahuilla, Kumeyaay and Luiseño Native American people of Southern California. Accounts of the legend vary significantly, but most agree that Tahquitz represents evil or death, and his spirit makes its home on Mount San Jacinto. Some accounts report that he steals people and/or their souls and devours them on the mountain. Tahquitz manifests himself in the form of fireballs, lightning, meteors and thunderous sounds on the mountain and in the canyons.

Agua Caliente Casino may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tahquitz Canyon</span> Canyon near Palm Springs, California

Tahquitz Canyon is located in Palm Springs, California on a section of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation. The canyon descends from the Riverside County San Jacinto Mountains. It was continually inhabited for at least 5,000 years by the Native American Cahuilla people, and is one of many canyons of cultural significance to the Cahuilla. Today it is a nature preserve open to the public that is overseen by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tahquitz Falls</span> Waterfall in Tahquitz Canyon

Tahquitz Falls is a waterfall on Tahquitz Creek in the west skirt of the city Palm Springs, in the U.S. state of California. The waterfall is located in lower Tahquitz Canyon, a short distance upstream from the visitor center. The name of the canyon and its waterfall is from the spirit Tahquitz, a Cahuilla native of the Agua Caliente folklore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tahquitz Creek</span> River in California, United States

Tahquitz Creek is a small stream in Riverside County, California. The stream originates near Saddle Junction on the east slope of Mt. San Jacinto, and works its way down the mountain towards Palm Springs, where it flows into Tahquitz Canyon. The stream forms a small waterfall at the end of the canyon, which can be accessed by a hiking trail maintained by the Agua Caliente Indian tribe as part of the reservation, on which the canyon lies. The stream is named for the mythical shaman Tahquitz, who, according to Cahuilla legend, was given powers by Mukat, the creator of all things. The creek runs down an oblongated drainage area of approximately 18 square miles ranging in elevation from over 10,500 feet (3,200 m) down to 350 feet (110 m) at Palm Springs.

Reid D. Milanovich is a Cahuilla politician. Since April 2022, he has served as the Chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Riverside County, California He has served five terms on the tribal council.

References

  1. "2010 Census CPH-T-6. American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2010" (PDF). www.census.gov. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  2. Eargle, 111
  3. 1 2 California Indians and Their Reservations. Archived September 30, 2013, at the Wayback Machine San Diego State University Library and Information Access. 2009. Retrieved Nov 1, 2012.
  4. "Cultural History". Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Pritzker, 120
  6. Nuttall, Arewen (Summer 2019). "Section 14: The Agua Caliente Tribe's Struggle for Sovereignty in Palm Springs, California". American Indian. Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  7. "Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians". Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  8. Hinton, 28, 32
  9. "Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians". Archived from the original on October 16, 2011.
  10. About the Museum Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. (retrieved May 10, 2010)
  11. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Agua Caliente Spring; at 33°49′24″N116°32′43″W / 33.82333°N 116.54528°W
  12. Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage 500 Nations (retrieved May 10, 2010)
  13. Spa Resort Casino Palm Springs 500 Nations. (retrieved May 10, 2010)
  14. Descant, Skip. "Spa Resort Casino: Palm Springs hotel and spa to close". The Desert Sun. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  15. "Agua Caliente Casino – Cathedral City Groundbreaking Ceremony Announcement". October 30, 2019.
  16. "Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City opens quietly in time for Thanksgiving". KESQ. November 25, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  17. "Cathedral City Casino Notice of Preparation of EIR" (PDF).
  18. Johnson, Risa. "Agua Caliente's Cathedral City casino: Everything we know so far". The Desert Sun. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  19. Agua Caliente Band: Tahquitz Canyon Archived November 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  20. Agua Caliente Band: The Indian Canyons Archived January 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine , for information on each canyon.
  21. "Indian Canyons Golf Resort". indiancanyonsgolf.com.
  22. "Seattle NHL franchise to have AHL affiliate in Palm Springs". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  23. "Seattle Kraken delays AHL franchise by 1 year". ESPN . September 16, 2020.
  24. "The Brightest Stars from New-York to Los Angeles" (PDF). palmspringswalkofstars.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012.

Further reading

33°47′02″N116°31′57″W / 33.78389°N 116.53250°W / 33.78389; -116.53250