Pechanga Indian Reservation
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (467 reservation population (2011) 1,370 enrolled members (2006)) |
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( California) |
|
| Languages | |
| English, Luiseño | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Luiseño people |
The Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians is a federally recognized tribe of Luiseño Indians based in Riverside County, California where their reservation is located. As of 2006, there were 1370 members of the nation.
There are five other federally recognized tribes of Luiseño bands based in southern California, and an organized band that has not received federal recognition as a tribe.
The Pechanga Band is headquartered in Temecula, California, part of the historic territory associated with their historic ancestors. Today the tribe has a constitution, adopted in 1978, and is governed by a democratically elected, four-person council. The current tribal administration is as follows.
The Pechanga Reservation is a federal Indian reservation located in Temecula, California. Population on the 4,394-acre (1,778 ha) reservation is about 467; most of the 1370 members (as of 2006) live off the reservation. The Pauma and Yuima Reservation was established in 1882 for the historic Temecula, from whom the Pechanga are descended.
The Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians owns and operates Pechanga Resort Casino Temecula and its restaurants (Bamboo, Blazing Noodles, The Buffet, The Great Oak, Journey's End, Kelsey's, Paisano's Italian, Pechanga Cafe, The Seafood Grotto, and Temptations Food Walk), located in Temecula. This operation has been highly profitable, yielding more than $200 million a year, with estimated returns of $290,000 to each tribal member.
The tribe's constitution in 1978 said that members must prove "descent from original Pechanga Temecula people." In 1996 the tribal council tightened the rules, declaring for the first time that "members had to have an ancestor from the subset of Temecula who relocated to the Pechanga valley" where the reservation was established. In cases of disenrollment of large families in 2004 and 2006, Pechanga officials have said they were enforcing rules of membership that required historical residence as well as descent from known Temecula.
Pechanga members moved away in some cases because of economic reasons, but maintained ties to the reservation; including being involved in the nation's activities and development. As with other tribes that have conducted disenrollments, which have increased since the late 20th century, controversy has arisen over application of the 1996 requirements to people of established membership and participation in the nation. Reducing the number of members has increased financial returns paid within the nation from the lucrative casino operations. Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro has noted that courts have "consistently upheld tribes' sole responsibility for determining their citizenship" and that the disenrollments were not related to money or politics.
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