La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians

The La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians are a federally recognized tribe of Luiseño Indians, located in northern San Diego County, California, United States.[3] There are five other federally recognized tribes of Luiseño in southern California. La Jolla has four Tribally Owned Enterprises, The La Jolla Trading Post, The La Jolla Trading Post Casino, The Zip Zoom Zipline, and The La Jolla Indian Campground.

La Jolla Band
of Luiseno Indians
Flag of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians
Total population
700 enrolled members[1]
Regions with significant populations
United States (California)
Languages
Luiseño, English, and Spanish
Related ethnic groups
other Luiseño people[2]

Government

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The La Jolla Band are headquartered in Pauma Valley, California. They are governed by a democratically elected, five-member tribal council, who serve two-year terms. The current administration is:

  • Wendy Schlater, Honorable Chairwoman
  • Jack Musick Sr., Honorable Vice-chairman
  • Delia Gutierrez, Honorable Secretary
  • Larriann Musick, Honorable Treasurer
  • John Paipa, Honorable Council Member.

Reservation

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Location of La Jolla Indian Reservation

The La Jolla Indian Reservation (33°15′52″N 116°52′32″W / 33.26444°N 116.87556°W / 33.26444; -116.87556) was established in 1875 by executive order of President Ulysses S. Grant. The reservation is 9,998 acres (4,046 ha), with a population around 390.[3] There are about 700 enrolled tribal members.[1]

Much of the reservation land in the eastern Palomar Mountains is undisturbed wilderness. The San Luis Rey River flows through the reservation.[1] The California montane chaparral and woodlands habitats includes diverse native plants, such as Coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia), which provide acorns for traditional foods such as wiiwish.

The reservation contains a public campground, which is open from April to October. The La Jolla Indian Campground features include three miles (4.8 km) run of inner tubing down the San Luis Rey River.[4]

Origin of the name

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The reservation is located in North County, San Diego, far from the neighborhood of La Jolla in the city of San Diego. There is no evidence of any connection between the two. It is likely that the name La Jolla comes from a misspelling of the Spanish term hoya, referring to a hallow formed in the earth.[5][6]

History

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Reservation after fires, November 10, 2007. Landscape shows a wall built in the first half of the 20th century by the La Jolla tribe to prevent erosion and flooding from washing away their burial grounds

In 2007 the Poomacha Fire (or Mt. Palomar Fire) began as a structure fire on the La Jolla Indian Reservation; it got established on Palomar Mountain, joined the Witch Fire, and entered the Agua Tibia Wilderness. Because of steep terrain, it continued to burn after all other October 2007 fires were put out, finally being fully contained on November 9, 2007.[7] The fire damaged 92% of the reservation. State and federal agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, provided aid to the tribe in a regional collaboration to rebuild and restore facilities. All of the residents were able to return to the reservation by the end of 2008.[8][9]

Tribal programs and initiatives

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On March 6, 2011, the tribe worked with the LA84 Foundation and the Nike N7 Foundation to dedicate a new basketball court on the Reservation. The court will be used by La Jolla's young men and women, as well as for games and tournaments organized by Inter-Tribal Sports.[10][11]

The tribe completed a new wastewater treatment facility and has broader plans for management of this issue. The Environmental Protection Agency's Tribal Border Infrastructure[12] program funded construction of this facility, the second such facility in San Diego County, to treat septage from septic tanks on the Reservation. The La Jolla Tribe is also addressing the operation of septic systems by implementing a Tribal Collaborative for On-Site Wastewater Management. With support from EPA, the San Diego Foundation,[13] Indian Health Service, Rural California Assistance Corporation,[14] and Walking Shield,[15] the Collaborative intends to implement an on-site wastewater management plan for La Jolla and other participating Tribes. This will ensure improved water quality for the San Luis Rey River watershed and reduce the overall cost of on-site wastewater management.[16]

Bibliography

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

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Tribal History". La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
  2. ^ Pritzker 131
  3. ^ a b "California Indians and Their Reservations". San Diego State University Library and Information Access. 2010. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
  4. ^ "La Jolla Indian Campground". Archived from the original on February 20, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  5. ^ Gudde, Erwin Gustav (February 12, 1960). "California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names". University of California Press. p. 158. Retrieved February 12, 2022 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Bright, William (1998). 1500 California place names: their origin and meaning. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 47. ISBN 9780520212718.
  7. ^ "Late October, 2007 California Wildfire Web Pages". FIRESCOPE: FIrefighting RESources of California Organized for Potential Emergencies. November 9, 2007. Archived from the original on October 31, 2007. Retrieved November 10, 2007.
  8. ^ "Volunteerism, help of friends speed recovery of La Jolla tribe". San Diego Union-Tribune. August 15, 2008. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
  9. ^ "Trial by Fire: The La Jolla Indian Disaster Regional Collaboration & Tribal Partnerships". San Diego Union-Tribune. April 28, 2010. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
  10. ^ "Inter-Tribal Sports". Facebook. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  11. ^ "NEWS: La Jolla Reservation Basketball Court Dedication". May 3, 2011. Archived from the original on May 5, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  12. ^ "Tribal Border Infrastructure Program 2010 – Region 9 : Grants". EPA. Archived from the original on June 25, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  13. ^ "The San Diego Foundation". Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  14. ^ "Rural California Assistance Corporation". Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  15. ^ "Walking Shield". Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  16. ^ "Tribal Accomplishments & Issues Report 2007" (PDF). Native American Environmental Protection Coalition. May 22, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 27, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
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