We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Native American

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Who are the Cahuilla Indians?

By J.L. Drede
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 13,210
Share

The Cahuilla Indians are a tribe of Native Americans who first inhabited the area that is now known as Southern California some 2,000 years ago. Although commonly referred to as the Cahuilla, the people of the tribe generally refer to themselves as the Iviatim, which means master in their language. Their territory included the San Jacinto Mountains, the Coachella Valley, southern Mojave and all of the San Bernardino basin. Territory among the Cauilla was separated by individual clans, which were independently run. Each clan had approximately 600 to 800 people. They were a hunter/gatherer tribe and peaceful, with no history of war with other California tribes.

First interaction between the Cahuilla Indians and Europeans was in 1774 when Spanish explorers were searching for a trade route between Sonora, Mexico and Monterey, Ca. There was little interaction between the Cahuilla American Indians and Europeans early on. Their location deep inland was of little use to Spanish traders, and most civilians saw that area as nothing more than a dry, barren wasteland. Later, as more people settled in the area, the California Indians became part of the labor force for both the Spanish and Mexicans. During this time the Cahuilla Indians still maintained their own culture, complete with its own political, religious and legal systems. The population of the Cahuilla was estimated to be approximately 10,000.

By 1850 relationships between the Cahuilla and the Americans were becoming strained. More settlers moved into the Cahuilla territory during the years of the gold rush. The tribe sought protection via a treaty with the government, but the California Senate refused to ratify it. This lead to a brief period of violence where the Cahuilla attacked settlers who infringed on their land.

The Cahuilla Indians eventually lost their land not to European settlers or gold miners, but to disease. Like many other Indian nations, the Cahuilla had no built in immunity to smallpox, which was brought over by the European settlers. In 1863 a particularly deadly smallpox epidemic hit California, killing thousands of the Cahuilla tribe. In just one year their population fell from 10,000 to just 2,500. By this time the American government saw value in the land of the Cahuilla Indians; it was valuable space for railroad tracks. Without the ability to fight back, the Cahuilla were unable to stop the the United States from taking their land, only leaving a fraction of their original territory for reservations.

Cahuilla Indians today mostly live on reservation land in the California area. They share space in the Morongo Reservation with the Serrano and Cupeno Indian tribes. Commonly known as the Mission Indians, together they set up a successful Indian reservation casino resort, the Morongo Casino in Riverside.

Share
America Explained is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.americaexplained.org/who-are-the-cahuilla-indians.htm
Copy this link
America Explained, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

America Explained, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.