San Manuel Custom Book

EMERGENCE OF SAN MANUEL A tribe with a world view San Manuel Community Center F 6 rom the top of their hillside reservation nestled against the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California, the Serrano Indians of San Manuel share a breathtaking view of the valley below. On a clear day, the Yuhaviatam, or “People of the Pines,” can see as far as the El Cajon Pass, their historic trade route to sister Serrano clans in the high desert as well as tribes in the upper Mojave Desert and beyond. The view is appropriate, for San Manuel, with homes for some 50 families, a community and government center and a casino on 820 acres, is a small tribe with a world view as breathtaking and impressive as the vista below their reservation. The Yuhaviatam have become a model for Indian nations in the strides they have taken to rebuild their once impoverished reservation community, reinvesting gaming revenues to create a diversified economy and strengthen their tribal government. Not at all content with simply reaping the benefits of tribal gaming, leaders of San Manuel have looked to the future. They have elected to build on a foundation of tribal sovereignty a community of strong self-governance and laws; one that protects and preserves their culture and traditions and the Serrano way of life. San Manuel also is committed to the preservation of native sovereignty, serving as an effective voice in Congress and the state capital for self-governance and the preservation and protection of ancestral lands. “The work we have undertaken goes far beyond economics,” said Jacob Coin, executive director, office of public affairs.“We’re rebuilding and expanding a community; a nation, for future generations that is grounded in native values.” Only through the establishment of a strong tribal government built on sovereignty and laws can San Manuel create a sustainable community and economy. “Without nation building you become an economic entity subject to the same rules and regulations imposed on IBM or Ford Motor Co,” said Deron Marquez, a tribal member and former chairman.“You cease to become a tribal nation.”

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of San Manuel Custom Book

San Manuel Custom Book Contents Editorial Chapter One: A Tribe with a World View Three Fires Make History with Sacramento Marriott San Manuel Village Nears Completion Giving is the Serrano Way Chapter Two: San Manuel Firefighters Prove Their Mettle A Day at the Office Chapter Three: San Manuel Outreach Cal State University at San Bernardino Operation Phoenix Loma Linda University Medical Center Chapter Four: Building a Tribal Government on San Manuel Behind the Scenes Frances 'Tu Tu' Morongo

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