The Cahuilla Tribe has lived in Southern California for over 2,000 years. They traditionally lived on native California plants and have nine federally recognized reservations. Today, they operate casinos, hotels, banks, and real estate.
The Cahuilla Tribe is a Native American group that has lived in Southern California for over 2,000 years. Their traditional lands border the San Bernardino Mountains to the north, the Colorado Desert to the east, the Borrego Springs and Chocolate Mountains to the south, and the San Jacinto Plains and Palomar Mountains to the west. There are approximately 12,000 members of the Cahuilla tribe today, many of mixed ancestry, and nine federally recognized Cahuilla reservations in the California counties of Imperial, Riverside, and San Diego.
The Cahuilla tribe traditionally lived on native California plants, especially the California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera), which they cultivated. They used palm leaves to cover the roofs of their houses, and to make baskets and sandals. Explorer Juan Bautista de Anza Bezerra Nieto was the first European to make contact with the Cahuilla in 1774, but the tribe continued their traditional way of life during their missionary period in California, as European settlers tended to avoid the inland desert where they lived.
The California Gold Rush, which began in 1848 and continued into the 1850s, brought huge numbers of people to California, including the traditional lands of the Cahuilla tribe. The California Senate refused to grant the Cahuilla tribe control of their lands in 1852, and shortly thereafter the territory was divided to facilitate railroad construction. The Cahuilla Reservations, comprising a small percentage of their traditional lands, were established by the federal government in 1877. Today, the Cahuilla Indians are active in the economy of inland Southern California, operating casinos and hotels, banks and real estate.
Most of Cahuilla’s reserves are in Riverside County. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation operates a cultural museum and two casino hotels, the Spa Resort Casino and the Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage. The Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, based in Coachella, is the smallest federally recognized Native American tribal nation, with only eight members. They operate the Augustine Casino and established the first solar power system on California Indian Territory.
The Cabazon Band of Mission Indians also operates a cultural museum and the Fantasy Springs Resort Hotel and Casino. The Morongo Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians of the Morongo Reservation has one of the oldest Indian gaming facilities in the United States, the Morongo Casino, Resort and Spa. Other Cahuilla reservations in Riverside County are the Ramona Band, or Village of Cahuilla Mission Indians of California, and the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians.
The Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians of the Los Coyotes Reservation is located in San Diego County and includes members of the Cahuilla and Cupeno tribes. The Cahuilla Indians of the Torres-Martinez Desert have both Cahuilla and Chemehuevi members and are found in Imperial and Riverside counties. The group operates Red Earth Casino in Salton City.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
