Pechanga Custom and Oral tradition

Most recently before his death, Antonio Ashman in a sworn affidavit said he knew Paulina as a member of the Band. He also swore that Paulina stayed at the home of Michelle and Salvador Quiliq and heard they were related. He also stated Paulina was called Aunt by Martin Berdugo, another recognized member of Pechanga. This is recorded oral recognition that the CPP faction says Paulina Hunter did not have.

The enrollment committee also finds that Paulina was given a land allotment on the Pechanga reservation as a Temecula Indian. This confirms Paulina’s status as a Temecula Indian.

The record of decision regarding the descendants of Paulina Hunter says that because John Miller under the Act of May 18, 1928 (45 Stat. L 602), a direct descendant of Paulina Hunter states that his Grandmother “was allotted as a Pechanga Mission Indian, but his Grandmother and Great Grandparents were of the San Luis Rey Mission Indians.”

This statement somehow outweighs hundreds of other documents the enrollment committee has possession of detailing the Hunters as recognized members of the Pechanga band by tribal elders who were alive at the time the reservation was established.


If this reasoning stands true, then the following people have the same problems as the Hunters and should be held to the same standards.


1928 Application Blood Pechanga Descendant

Salazar, Petronilla ---San Luiseno Frances Miranda


Leyva, Maximinio ----Mission- San Luis Rey
Ruth Masiel
Irene Scearce
Jennie Miranda
Raymond Basquez

Casas, Louisa Ayal----- Full blood San Luiseno

Bobbie LaMere

The Journey at Pechanga Continues

Our critic has posted this AGAIN. I would like to address this issue AGAIN.


Anonymous said...


Tribes determine their own membership in their own forum. The false accusations by the non-members against tribes and their leaderhip along with the attacks on the disenrollment process mislead others. The disenrolles lost their membership simply because they did not have the facts on their side. The disenrollments resolved longstanding questions about the membershsip qualifications of the disenrollees. Please note, Dear Reader, that the disenrollees always talk about money and seldom the plain facts leading to their ouster. The disenrollees try to cloak their plight and the cause of it by bringing up violations of human rights and civil rights. No violations happened. Instead, a tedious, thoughtful, serious internal process took place, resulting in the removal of individuals subject to disenrollment. This outcome corrected errors in the membership roll. For their own peace of mind, the non-members must endeavor to put the past behind, and go on with their lives as Americans.


On my Cousins blog Original Pechanga we are called losers by another Anonymous poster.

In that thread exchange there are some very good questions we would liked answered if you can.

I don’t see anyone talking about money now. Just plain facts, as we posted on the side bar of this blog.

Curry: Human and civil rights abuses not acceptable

Rebecca Curry of Lake County News has an excellent Op-Ed piece on Civil Rights and the many California Tribes abuses of the Indian Civil Rights Act.In the summer of 2007, The Lake County Democratic Club and the Lake County Democratic Central Committee voted unanimously to endorse the California Native American Justice and Equal Economic Opportunity Legislative Initiative.The resolution to support this Legislative Initiative was introduced to Lake County Democrats by Mr. Robert Edwards, a disenrolled member of the Enterprise Rancheria No. 1, of Maidu Indians. Mr. Edwards was Vice Chair of the Tribal Council. He and 70 other members of Enterprise Rancheria No. 1 were disenrolled in the winter of 2003.We had hoped that our support, that a public endorsement and by notifying our legislators of the importance of this issue, that we would signal our belief that this action should result in enforcement of the legislation that allows American Indians the same civil rights, as well as the right to due process enjoyed by all Americans.That legislation is the Native American Civil Rights Act that was enacted by Congress in 1968.We support reform of the Indian Civil Rights Act in such a way that this would be possible. Our hope was to provide some of the 3000+ Indians in California who are being victimized by corrupt tribal governments the right to due process at the state and federal level.The state of California must move to enact legislation that will insert the enforcement of the Indian Civil Rights Act into the gaming compacts.The situation has now come to crisis in Lake County.I am concerned about the possible violation of Indian civil rights happening at Robinson Rancheria.When citizens voted for Indian gaming in California, they voted with the understanding that gaming revenues would improve the conditions of tribal people in the areas of jobs, health, education and general welfare on the Rancherias.IN what appears to be a “form of genocide” that is being committed by the tribal government at Robinson Rancheria, tribal people have lost jobs and health benefits, loss of elders assistance including a senior meal program, loss of education benefits, and the loss of tribal cultural identity as a member of one’s tribe.I have asked our state and federal legislators open an investigation on the growth of human and civil rights violations in Indian country, so that these civil rights issues can be addressed.I am urging citizens in Lake County to contact our state and federal legislators to follow suit.Read the rest at the link above. Thank you Rebecca for speaking out.

Google Mark Macarro

After you read this watch the video on the side bar without a tribe. Follow up by google search
Mark Macarro!




For the new readers and the news media who come to this site: Chairman Mark Macarro has crossed over from being a valued spokesman for Indian Gaming, the face of Prop. 5 and 1A, into the realm of corrupt politician. He once claimed to the press that he was there to do the will of the people. He has not followed the will of the people and, in fact has corrupted that will. Now, he has refused to carry out the will of the people and is actively acting against their will by continuing disenrollment of families. Corrupt Mark Macarro has shamed the position of Tribal Chairman and sullied the good name of Pechanga. Mark is definitely CORRUPT. He led the tribe to give $4 million to Cruz Bustamante, illegally it turned out, in CB's campaign for governor. He is more concerned about the bones of the dead, rather than the tribal members a splinter group has ousted from their rightful place in Pechanga society. Mark Macarro is CORRUPT because has led the Council to rule AGAINST the will of the Tribe. In July 2005, The Tribe voted in overwhelming numbers to stop ALL disenrollment. Mark Macarro corrupt leader has led the Tribal Council, which includes one WHITE MAN with no Indian blood (Russell "Butch" Murphy)to disenroll a family of true Pechanga blood. Murphy has acted against the band many times and has tried to cheat Pechanga members since the 70's. Murphy's cohorts in that theft included members of the Enrollment committee, who refuse to follow the guidelines for enrollment, mandated by the tribe. In closed session, without informing the Band, Mark Macarro CORRUPT spokesman has authorized the Enrollment Committee to continue proceedings against the Hunter family, descendents of Original Temecula Pechanga Person, Paulina Hunter. This happened almost 2 years TO THE DAY that they disenrolled the ancestors of the chief of Pechanga’s, Pablo Apis. Paulina Hunter is an allottee, whose lineage was proven by the Pechanga Band's own hired investigator, one of the most respected archaeologists in California. Hunter's lineage was ALSO proven in 1915 by Tribal members in sworn depositions before the United States Government by Pechanga Tribal members who needed translators. These depositions were taken before some members of the Masiel/Basquez family "appeared" on Pechanga census rolls in the 40's. Only Mark Macarro CORRUPT leader of the band would let this continue. For what reasons, you news media should look into. Is it personal? Does he want Hunter land? Does he think he has a chance to get it? Is it something he wants his Washington lobbyist wife to have? Mark Macarro, CORRUPT Tribal Spokesman, has chosen NOT to do the right thing and follow the will of the people. Mark Macarro, CORRUPT is the right word for you. STEP DOWN from your position, wipe the stain of corruption from the Tribe. Mark Macarro Corrupt.... can't say one without the other and that's a disgrace to his father's good name. Mark Macarro has also authorized the payment for legal defense for those "members who caused irreparable harm to the Manuela Miranda descendents. This is outside the scope of their authority. Those members acted outside of tribal business, for their own gain. Please, all who view this, click on this post often, so that the page views will bring up CORRUPT when Mark Macarro is searched for on Google. Also, when you do a GOOGLE SEARCH put in MARK MACARRO CORRUPT

Tribes or Clubs??

It seems to me that families or clans of tribes were defined by our ancestors. The make of the families or clans defines a tribe. When people disrespect our ancestors by trying to change the make up of our tribes, under the cloak of sovereignty or disenrolling entire clans under the chatter that they are defining their membership, it is no longer a tribe but a club. The real reason that disenrollment issues are on the rise is because of the political power struggles within tribal communities, and here in California you can add millions of dollars. The greed has overwhelmed tribal communities, and the struggles of some to stay in political power have blinded many to the true Indian way. Support all your brothers and sisters. Many clans were adopted in the Indian way, especially hundreds of years ago before any of us were here. Is it ironic that our ancestors faced a government that wanted to suppress them, keep them from speaking their language and practicing their spiritual traditions? Now over 100yrs later people are being suppressed by their native brothers and sisters. Tribal factions who would rather expel entire clans instead of building tribal communities, and the only way to do it is through misinformation and false propaganda. Our ancestors did not stick together to watch what is happening today, families to be torn apart from the inside.

Sophia Madariaga, Pechanga Resident Passes

Sophia Madariaga passed away on February 8, 2009. She was the wife to Lawrence Madariaga, Pechanga tribal member, eldest of the Hunter family. Sophie was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She always had a smile and enjoyed having her children and grandchildren around. Living on the Pechanga reservation for over 60 yrs. she could tell you many stories of the families who came and went. She always had an open door to all those that came by. When our own children left Sophia’s house they were usually fed and could feel the love the family had for each other. Sophia will be greatly missed by all whose life she has touched. Rest in Peace Sophia.

Attention Pechanga CPP!

Our Cousin 'Aamokat has some very valid points and would like an answer from the CPP.


Explain and defend specifically the list of violations below:

1. Our family member and members of the Manuela Miranda family who were also disenrolled found evidence of irregularities on the enrollment committee including not enrolling people who met the Band's membership requirements who were lineal descendants of enrolled tribal members in good standing.
2. Our family member and members of the Manuela Miranda family then informed the tribal council of the irregularities.
3. The tribal council and the enrollment committee were then asked to have those enrollment committee members in question to not be allowed to rule on the cases of my family and that of the M. Mirandas due to bias and conflict of interest.
4.Among the people who turned in challenges to my family's and the M. Miranda family's tribal membership were nieces, nephews, sons and daughters of two of the enrollment committee members in question. So those committee members should have stepped aside in ruling on the disenrollees cases also on the basis of conflict of interest.These are clear violations of Article V of the Band's constitution and bylaws which states below:
"IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THE BAND TO UPHOLD AND ENFORCE THE CONSTITUTION, BYLAWS, AND ORDINANCES OF THE TEMECULA BAND OF LUISENO MISSION INDIANS; AND, ALSO TO UPHOLD THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF EACH MEMBER WITHOUT MALICE OR PREJUDICE."
So read your tribal constitution and then get back to us.Anyone else notice how our anonymous critic gets less and less specific in his posts after we shoot down his arguments time and time
again?


CONTINUED

Explain and defend specifically the following list below:
1. In our disenrollment cases our attornies were not allowed to be present at any of the disenrollment proceedings.
2. We actually got letters from the tribal council before our appeal hearings that "note taking implements of any kind will not be allowed in the hearing room."WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE NOTES OR EVEN TO ASK QUESTIONS!
3. We were denied copies of any of the official transcripts of any of the disenrollment proceedings.
comment: that made it very hard to mount a defense and prove that key parts of the disenrollment procedures were not followed because without those transcripts it was our word verses the committee's word.
4. Articles were added on by the Enrollment Committee after the deadline had passed for us to turn in counter arguments against those items which we had never seen beforehand.
5. The tribal council issued a bogus ruling that our family, the Hunters, were not included in the petition to end all disenrollments that had been passed the previous year.
Note: This ruling was issued just two days before the Record of Decision informing my family we were disenrolled and seven months after the law ending disenrollment had been passed.Follow up note: The tribal council claimed that the Enrollment Committee could not be overruled by the General Membership despite the fact that a sitting councilman is in the tribe today because the General Membership had overturned the committee' decision not to enroll his family twenty years previous. By the way, that sitting councilman is none other than Russell "Butch" Murphy.