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Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians

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Coordinates: 33°33′17″N 116°07′48″W / 33.55472°N 116.13000°W / 33.55472; -116.13000
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Torres Martinez Desert
Cahuilla Indians
Total population
4,146 people living on the reservation[1]
Regions with significant populations
United States (California)
Languages
English, Cahuilla language[2]
Religion
traditional tribal religion,
Christianity (Roman Catholicism and Protestantism)[3]
Related ethnic groups
Cahuilla[4]

The Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized tribe of Cahuilla Indians, located in Imperial and Riverside counties in California.[5][4] Their autonym is Mau-Wal-Mah Su-Kutt Menyil,[6] which means "among the palms, deer moon."[7] in the Cahuilla language.

Torres Martinez Indian Reservation

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The Torres Martinez Indian Reservation is a federal reservation in Imperial and Riverside Counties, with a total area of 24,024 acres (9,722 ha).[5] It was established in 1876[8] and was named for the village of Toro and the Martinez Indian Agency.[7] In 1905 as the Colorado River flowed into the area, most of the tribe packed their belongings and headed into the mountains as they were familiar with the reoccurring lake from their legends.[9] Nearly half of the reservation was eventually flooded by the formation of the Salton Sea.[10] In 1970, 42 of the 217 enrolled tribal members lived on the reservation.[4] As of the 2010 Census the population was 5,863.[11]

Government

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The tribe's headquarters is located in Thermal, California.[12] Their tribal administration as of January 2023 is as follows:

  • Tribal Chairman Thomas Tortez Jr.
  • Vice-Chairman Joseph Mirelez
  • Secretary Altrena Santillanes
  • Treasurer Elena Loya
  • Council Member Brandon Butcher
  • Council Member Gary Resvaloso
  • Council Member Proxy Desiree Franco[13]

Economic development

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The tribe owns and operates the Red Earth Casino in Salton City, California.[14]

Cemetery

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The tribe maintains a small (48 interments) cemetery on Martinez Road in Thermal.[15]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "California Indians and Their Reservations." San Diego State University Library and Information Access. 2012. Retrieved 1 Nov 2012.
  2. ^ Eargle, 111
  3. ^ Bean, 584-5
  4. ^ a b c Bean, 585
  5. ^ a b "California Indians and Their Reservations." Archived 2009-03-11 at the Wayback Machine San Diego State University Library and Information Access. (retrieved 17 May 2010)
  6. ^ "Home." Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. 2009 (retrieved 17 May 2010)
  7. ^ a b "Torres-Martinez Desert Band of Cahuilla". Gallery of Nations. Mid-America All-Indian Museum. Archived from the original on 2010-12-23. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  8. ^ Pritzker, 120
  9. ^ Arevalo, David (2023-09-29). "Land of Extremes: The Salt Water Saga: A Waterway of Surprises". Imperial Valley Press Online. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  10. ^ James, Ian; Roth, Sammy (2017). "Salton Sea: Two paths for long-term fixes at California's shrinking sea". The Desert Sun. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  11. ^ Staff, Website Services & Coordination. "US Census Bureau 2010 Census Interactive Population Map". www.census.gov. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  12. ^ Dirmann, Tina (2002-03-29). "Tribe Impoverished by Salton Sea Gets Windfall". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  13. ^ "Tribal Council." Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. 2019 (retrieved 12 Feb 2019)
  14. ^ "Red Earth Casino." 500 Nations. (retrieved 17 May 2010)
  15. ^ 33°33′37″N 116°09′09″W / 33.5603042°N 116.1525048°W / 33.5603042; -116.1525048USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)

References

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  • Bean, Lowell John. "Cahuilla." Heizer, Robert F., volume ed. Handbook of North American Indians: California, Volume 8. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1978. ISBN 978-0-16-004574-5.
  • Eargle, Jr., Dolan H. California Indian Country: The Land and the People. San Francisco: Tree Company Press, 1992. ISBN 0-937401-20-X.
  • Pritzker, Barry M. A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0-19-513877-1.

Further reading

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33°33′17″N 116°07′48″W / 33.55472°N 116.13000°W / 33.55472; -116.13000

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