Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians facts for kids
Flag of the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians
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Location of the Augustine Reservation
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| Total population | |
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| 2010: 11 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| United States (California) | |
| Languages | |
| English | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Cahuilla tribes |
The Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians is a Native American tribe. They are part of the Cahuilla people and live near Coachella, California. This tribe is one of the smallest in the United States. It has only about 16 members.
Contents
History of the Augustine Cahuilla Tribe
The Augustine tribe comes from the Nanxaiyem clan. This clan is part of the Pass Cahuilla people. Around 1860, the Nanxaiyem clan moved to the Coachella Valley. They settled on flat land east of La Quinta, California. Here, they became known as the Augustin people.
The Cahuilla people have many clans. These clans traditionally follow family lines through the father. They are also divided into two main groups: the Wildcat and Coyote. The Nanxaiyem Clan of the Augustine Reservation belongs to the Coyote group.
Rebuilding the Tribe and Reservation
In 1956, a list showed only 11 living members of the tribe. The last person from that original list, Roberta Augustine, passed away in 1986.
The Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians has a reservation that is about 1 square mile. It is located in Riverside County, California. For 50 years, this land was empty. Then, in 1996, Chairman Green moved back to the reservation.
Mary Ann Green, who was born in 1964, decided to help the tribe grow again. She wanted people to live on the reservation once more. In 1981, the Augustine Band of Mission Indians was officially created. Green was chosen as the tribe's leader in 1988. She led the tribe until 2016.
Under Mary Ann Green's leadership, the tribal government was set up in 1994. The reservation was resettled in 1996. Green's daughter, Amanda Vance, became the tribal leader in 2016.
Current Projects and Tribal Businesses
The Augustine tribe is working on exciting projects. They want to bring back their culture and create ways for the tribe to be successful.
Cleaning Up the Land
For 50 years, the reservation land was empty. During this time, a lot of trash was illegally dumped there. This included garbage, waste from businesses, and thousands of old tires.
The tribe started a huge cleanup effort in 1994. They worked with different groups to remove all the dumped waste. This helped make the land clean and safe again.
Tribal Businesses and Energy
The tribe owns the Augustine Casino in Coachella. This casino helps support the tribe's economy. Amanda Vance, the tribe's current leader, is also in charge of a company called Synergy Blue. This company makes slot machines. The tribe owns most of this company.
Vance and her husband also run Temalpakh Farms. This is an organic vegetable farm located on the tribe's land.
The Augustine Band also built the first solar energy system on Native American land in California. This system uses sunlight to create electricity. It is expected to produce a lot of clean energy each year.
Other Cahuilla Tribes
- Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation
- Cabazon Band of Mission Indians
- Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians of the Cahuilla Reservation
- Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeno Indians of the Los Coyotes Reservation
- Morongo Band of Mission Indians
- Ramona Band or Village of Cahuilla Mission Indians of California
- Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians
- Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
