View source for Viejas Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians

{{Short description|Indian tribe in California, United States}}
{{infobox ethnic group
| group            = Viejas Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians<br/>Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
| native_name      =
| native_name_lang =
| flag             = Flag of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.svg
| flag_caption     = Tribal Flag
| image            =
| caption          =
| population       = 394<ref name=sdsu>[http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/calindians/calinddict.shtml#p "California Indians and Their Reservations: P."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205040720/http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/calindians/calinddict.shtml#p |date=2009-02-05 }} ''SDSU Library and Information Access.'' (retrieved 9 June 2010)</ref>
| popplace         = United States ([[California]])
| langs            = [[Ipai language|Ipai]],<ref name=s613>Shipek, 613</ref> [[Tipai language|Tipai]],<ref name=ear>Eargle, 202</ref> [[English language|English]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| rels             = Traditional tribal religion,<br/>Christianity ([[Roman Catholicism]])<ref name=p147>Pritzker, 147</ref>
| related          = other [[Kumeyaay]] tribes, [[Cocopa]],<br />[[Quechan]], [[Paipai people|Paipai]], and [[Kiliwa people|Kiliwa]]
}}
The '''Viejas (Baron Long) Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Viejas Reservation''', also called the '''Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians''', is a [[federally recognized tribe]] of [[Kumeyaay]] Indians.<ref name=p147/>
==Reservations==
[[File:4500R Viejas Reservation Locator Map.svg|thumb|Location of Viejas Reservation]]
In 1875, the Viejas Band shared the [[Capitan Grande Reservation]] along with the [[Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians]], which consisted of lands in and around the present day [[El Capitan Reservoir]]. El Capitan Reservoir, forcibly purchased from the two tribes to provide water for [[San Diego, California|San Diego]], submerged what habitable land existed on the reservation. The two tribes jointly control this reservation. It is undeveloped but serves as an ecological preserve.<ref name="ear"/>
The '''Viejas Reservation''' ({{coord|32|51|01|N|116|41|33|W|scale:50000_source:GNIS|display=inline}}), also known as the '''Baron Long Reservation''', is a federal [[Indian reservation]] located in [[San Diego County, California]], in the [[Cuyamaca Mountains]] near [[Alpine, California|Alpine]]. After the band was displaced from Capitan Grande, this new reservation was created by executive order in 1934. The reservation is about {{convert|1609|acre|km2}} large. Approximately 289 of the 394 enrolled members live on the reservation.<ref name=sdsu2>[http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/calindians/calinddict.shtml#v "California Indians and Their Reservations: V."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205040720/http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/calindians/calinddict.shtml#v |date=2009-02-05 }} ''SDSU Library and Information Access.'' (retrieved 9 June 2010)</ref>
The reservation is home to scrub oaks and chaparral. The name "Viejas" comes from the Spanish name for their land, "El Valle de Las Viejas" or "The Valley of the Old Women."<ref name=ear/> In 1973, 121 of the 127 enrolled members lived on the reservation.<ref name=s613/>
==Government==
The Viejas Band is headquartered in [[Alpine, California]]. They are governed by a democratically elected, seven-person tribal council, who serve two-year terms. Their current administration as of March 2021 is as follows:
{{div col}}
* Chairman: John Christman
* Vice Chairman: Victor E. Woods
* Secretary: Rene Curo
* Treasurer: Samuel Q. Brown
* Councilmember: Adrian M. Brown
* Councilmember: Gabriel T. TeSam, Jr.
* Councilmember: Kevin M. Carrizosa<ref>{{cite web|url=http://viejasbandofkumeyaay.org/|title =Viejas, KwaHup – Come in!|access-date=30 January 2015}}</ref>
{{div col end}}
==Economic development==
[[File:ViejasCasino1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Viejas Casino]], [[Alpine, California]]]]
The tribe owns and operates [[Viejas Casino]], Grove Steakhouse, Far East Winds, Mezz Deli, Daisy's Cafe, Harvest Buffet, V Lounge, DreamCatcher Lounge, and the 57-store Viejas Outlet Center. They also own the first Native American bank in California, Borrego Springs Bank, N.A., with branches in [[Alpine, California|Alpine]], [[Borrego Springs, California|Borrego Springs]], and [[La Mesa, California|La Mesa]]. They own two recreational vehicle parks. Viejas Entertainment hosts concerts in a 1,500-seat outdoor arena and also promotes talent to casinos throughout the country.<ref name=enter>{{cite web|url=http://www.viejasbandofkumeyaay.org/html/enterprises/enterprises.html|title=Viejas Enterprises|publisher=Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians|access-date=June 9, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100419070829/http://www.viejasbandofkumeyaay.org/html/enterprises/enterprises.html|archive-date=April 19, 2010}}</ref>
The tribe owns 50 percent of the Broadcast Company of the Americas, which operates a sports talk station, The Mighty 1090-AM in [[San Diego]].<ref name=enter/>
Viejas partnered with the [[Forest County Potawatomi Community of Wisconsin]], the [[Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin]], and the [[San Manuel Band of Mission Indians]] of California to create Four Fires, LLC, an economic development group. A similar project, Three Fires, LCC is shared between Viejas, and the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.<ref name=enter/>
The tribe paid [[San Diego State University]] $6 million for [[naming rights]] to [[Viejas Arena]].<ref>[http://www.sdsuniverse.info/sdsuniverse/news.aspx?s=70885 "SDSU and Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians Agree on Arena Naming Rights."] ''SDSUniverse.'' 17 March 2009 (retrieved 9 June 2010)</ref>
==Events==
Two major annual ceremonies on the reservation are the "Clearing of the Cemetery," when tribal members clean and pay their respects at the two tribal cemeteries, and Dia de las Animas or [[All Souls' Day]].<ref>Eargle, 203</ref>
==See also==
* [[Viejas Valley, California]]
* {{C|Cuyamaca Mountains}}
* [[Tommy Pico]], Kumeyaay poet
==Bibliography==
* Eargle, Jr., Dolan H. ''Northern California Guide: Weaving the Past and Present.'' San Francisco: Tree Company Press, 2000. {{ISBN|0-937401-10-2}}.
* Pritzker, Barry M. ''A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples.'' Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. {{ISBN|978-0-19-513877-1}}.
* Shipek, Florence C. "History of Southern California Mission Indians." ''[[Handbook of North American Indians]]''. Volume ed. Heizer, Robert F. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1978. 610–618. {{ISBN|0-87474-187-4}}.
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
==External links==
* [http://www.viejasbandofkumeyaay.org/ Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians], official website
{{Mission Tribes of California}}
{{Indian reservations in California}}
{{San Diego County, California}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Kumeyaay]]
[[Category:Mission Indians]]
[[Category:Cuyamaca Mountains]]
[[Category:Federally recognized tribes in the United States]]
[[Category:Native American tribes in San Diego County, California]]
[[Category:Native American tribes in California]]
[[Category:East County (San Diego County)]]
[[Category:Viejas Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians| ]]