Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
Native Cahuilla and Chemehuevi Indians in Southern California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
| 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] |
Torres Martinez Indian Reservation
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] Following the flooding, in 1909, 3,000 new unflooded acres were added to the reservation.[11] In 1970, 42 of the 217 enrolled tribal members lived on the reservation.[4] As of the 2010 census the population was 5,594.[12][better source needed]
Government
The tribe's headquarters is located in Thermal, California.[13] Their tribal administration as of January 2023[update] is as follows:
- Tribal Chairman Joseph Mirelez
- Vice-chairman RoseMarie Morreo
- Secretary Tina Jimenez
- Treasurer Elena Loya
- Council Member Desiree Franco
- Council Member Gary Resvaloso
- Council Member Proxy Lupe Sanchez[14]
Demographics
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[15] | Pop 2010[16] | Pop 2020[17] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 111 | 89 | 45 | 2.68% | 1.59% | 1.30% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 7 | 4 | 5 | 0.17% | 0.07% | 0.14% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 152 | 109 | 140 | 3.67% | 1.95% | 4.05% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 37 | 20 | 22 | 0.89% | 0.36% | 0.64% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.05% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.81% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 16 | 13 | 29 | 0.39% | 0.23% | 0.84% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3,821 | 5,359 | 3,185 | 92.16% | 95.80% | 92.21% |
| Total | 4,146 | 5,594 | 3,454 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Economic development
The tribe owns and operates the Red Earth Casino in Salton City, California.[18]
Cemetery
The tribe maintains a small (48 interments) cemetery on Martinez Road in Thermal.[19]
Notable tribal citizens
- Ruby Modesto (1913–1980), medicine woman, traditionalist, educator