Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation

Last updated
Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation
Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation logo.png
Total population
200
Regions with significant populations
United States (California)
Languages
English, Serrano
Related ethnic groups
other Serrano people

The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is a federally recognized tribe [1] of Serrano people in San Bernardino County, California. [2] [3]

Contents

They are made up of the Yuhaviatam clan of Serrano people, who have historically lived in the San Bernardino Mountains. [4] The tribe was formerly named the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. [5]

The other federally recognized Serrano tribe is the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, located in San Bernardino County, California.

Government

The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is headquartered in Highland in San Bernardino County. [6] The tribe is governed by a democratically elected, seven-person tribal council. [4] Their current tribal chairperson is Lynn Valbuena. [6]

Reservation

Location of San Manuel Reservation 3445R San Manuel Reservation Locator Map.svg
Location of San Manuel Reservation

San Manuel Reservation [7] is a federally recognized Indian reservation in San Bernardino County. Originally, it was 658 acres (266 ha) in size, [3] but has expanded to 800 acres (320 ha). Established in 1891, the reservation was named for Santos Manuel, a prominent tribal leader. [4]

Economic development

Businesses

The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation employ more than 7,000 employees in the Inland Empire region of California. [4] They own and operate Yaamava' Resort & Casino, Serrano Buffet, The Pines, Chingon's Kitchen, Tutu's Food Court, and Big Mo's, all located in San Bernardino.

Philanthropy

In December 2016, the tribe arranged the lighting of their Arrowhead landmark, a California Historical Monument, for 14 nights, in honor of the 14 victims killed by domestic terrorists the year before in San Bernardino. [8] Together with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians of Southern California, the San Manuel Band made a "joint donation totaling $600,000 to the San Bernardino United Relief Fund shortly after the shooting last year." [8]

In 2019, the tribe made a donation of $25 million to the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. [9] In honor of the donation, the fifth floor of the children's hospital is slated to be named the San Manuel Maternity Pavilion. In 2020, the band made a $9 million gift to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The gift will be used for education and innovation related to tribal gaming operations and law. [10]

In 2025, the tribe endowed $3 million to the public university, California State University San Marcos. This built on a previous endowment from 10 years before which went towards the launch of the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center. [11]

Casinos

The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation own and operate Yaamava' Resort & Casino which was renovated in 2016.

On October 4, 2021, at Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas 2021, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation won the "Responsible business of the year" award and were runners-up for the "property of the year award" for the Yaamava Resort & Casino. [12]

On December 17, 2021, The tribe purchased Palms Casino Resort near the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, for $650 million. [13] [14] Palms Casino Resort subsequently became the first Las Vegas resort to have a Native American owner. [15]

Education

The reservation is served by the San Bernardino City Unified School District.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation". U.S. Department of Indian Affairs. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  2. ↑ "San Manuel Reservation." Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine SDSU: California Indians and Their Reservations. 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 Pritkzer 143
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Tribal Government." Archived 15 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  5. ↑ Indian Affairs Bureau (12 January 2023). "Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs". Federal Register. 88: 2112–16. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Tribal Directory." National Congress of American Indians. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  7. ↑ San Manuel Reservation: 34°09′23″N117°13′03″W / 34.15639°N 117.21750°W
  8. 1 2 ICTMN Staff, "14 Victims, as Many Lights: San Manuel Band Rekindles Famed Arrowhead to Mark San Bernardino Massacre", 2 December 2016; accessed 2 December 2016
  9. ↑ "Loma Linda University Children's Hospital receives $25 million gift from San Manuel Band of Mission Indians". 21 February 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  10. ↑ "$9 Million Gift Galvanizes Tribal Gaming and Law Programs at UNLV". UNLV News Center. 21 February 2020.
  11. ↑ "Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation's $3 Million Tribal Endowment Ignites New Era of Indigenous Excellence at CSUSM". Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation's $3 Million Tribal Endowment Ignites New Era of Indigenous Excellence at CSUSM. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
  12. ↑ "Revealed: The winners of the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas 2021". Gaming America. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  13. ↑ Horwath, Bryan (December 22, 2021). "New owners of Palms to former employees: 'We want you back'". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Palms celebrates 1st anniversary under new ownership". Las Vegas Review-Journal . 28 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  15. ↑ Velotta, Richard N. (December 16, 2021). "Gaming Commission OKs license for tribe to own, operate Palms". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 23, 2021.

References

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