La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians facts for kids
Flag of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians
|
|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 700 enrolled members | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| United States (California) | |
| Languages | |
| Luiseño, English, and Spanish | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Luiseño people |
The La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians is a Native American tribe. They are part of the Luiseño people. The United States government officially recognizes them. They live in northern San Diego County, California. There are five other officially recognized Luiseño tribes in southern California.
The La Jolla tribe runs several businesses. These include the La Jolla Trading Post, a casino, the Zip Zoom Zipline, and the La Jolla Indian Campground.
Contents
The La Jolla Reservation
The La Jolla Indian Reservation (33°15′52″N 116°52′32″W / 33.26444°N 116.87556°W) is the tribe's homeland. It was created in 1875 by President Ulysses S. Grant. The reservation covers about 9,998 acres (4,046 ha) of land. Around 390 people live there. The tribe has about 700 members in total.
Much of the reservation is wild land. It is located in the eastern Palomar Mountains. The San Luis Rey River flows through the reservation. The area has many native plants. These include Coast live oaks, which provide acorns. Acorns are used to make traditional foods like wiiwish.
The reservation also has a public campground. It is open from April to October. A fun activity at the campground is inner tubing. You can float about three miles (4.8 km) down the San Luis Rey River.
Why is it called La Jolla?
The reservation is in North County, San Diego. It is far from the neighborhood of La Jolla in the city of San Diego. There is no known link between the two places.
The name La Jolla likely comes from a Spanish word. It might be a misspelling of hoya. This word means a hollow or a dip in the earth.
History of the Tribe
In 2007, a large wildfire started on the La Jolla Indian Reservation. It was called the Poomacha Fire. The fire spread to Palomar Mountain. It then joined another big fire called the Witch Fire.
The fire burned for a long time because of the steep mountains. It was finally put out on November 9, 2007. The fire damaged 92% of the reservation.
Many groups helped the tribe rebuild. These included state and federal agencies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also provided help. By the end of 2008, all residents were able to return home.
Community Programs
The La Jolla tribe works on many projects for its community.
On March 6, 2011, a new basketball court was opened. The tribe worked with the LA84 Foundation and the Nike N7 Foundation to build it. The court is used by young men and women from the tribe. It also hosts games and tournaments. These events are organized by Inter-Tribal Sports.
The tribe has also built a new wastewater treatment facility. This helps manage water on the reservation. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) helped fund this project. It is the second such facility in San Diego County.
The tribe is also working on a plan for septic systems. They want to improve water quality in the San Luis Rey River area. This plan will also help reduce costs for managing wastewater.
