 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
24 MILLION HITS!!! Publishing Corner: Indian Community: Science & Wonder Indian Heros: California Indian Art: CALIE Library: Academic Financial Aid: Tribal Governments: Indian Gaming: |
Former Soboba Chairman Ernie C. Salgado, Jr., M.B.A., successful businessman and publisher, Tribal activist and historian, Southern California community leader in American Indian Education for more than 40 years. ELECT ERNIE SALGADO JR.
I was born and raised on the Soboba Rez. We were poor financially, but rich in family and community. I lived with my mom & dad along with my brothers, Bobby “R.J.” and Richard “Dumbo” and sisters, Lorraine “Raina” and Frances. Our baby sister, Rose Mary, came along when I was 15. Our house wasn’t much, but it was home! We only had two rooms, no indoor plumbing and the wall studs were exposed, open beam ceiling, too. When weather permitted my brothers and I would move outdoors and stake out our space under our homemade ramada or the big umbrella tree next to our house. I preferred the tree.
I was raised with the greatest respect for our Tribal traditions, values and customs. My home schooling was based on the political views of the Mission Indian Federation. The basic principles were “Home Rule” (Sovereignty), “Tribal Rights” and “Individual Responsibility." FAMILY BACKGROUND
My extended family includes a lot of uncles, aunts and 1st, 2nd and 3rd cousins. On the Rez they are all cousins. My Grandmother Lucy Silvas-Bentiste was the sixth child of the ten children of Jose (Con) Silvas and Juana Apapas-Silvas. The children of Jose and Juana Silvas are listed below:
TRIBAL WATER RIGHTS The Tribe’s water rights have always been a top priority in my life as long as I can remember because growing up on the Rez without water was a way of life that I was not willing to accept.
As hard it may be for one to believe, in the mid 60’s, literally half our Tribal members voted to “Cede” (give up) the Tribe's water rights to the Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) in exchange for a water system on the Rez as a settlement for them taking our water in the first place. EMWD would then allow us to buy our own water back from them. I led the fight to stop this from happening and we were successful in protecting our water rights. Last year the Soboba Tribe won our 63-year court battle against EMWD. Although we didn’t get everything the Tribe wanted, the settlement was far better than a EMWD domestic water system and buying back our own water. Again, in the late 70’s, the Tribe had funds in its trust fund to build a water system on the Rez, but the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) refused to give us our money. The BIA told us we lacked the qualifications to develop our own water system. Congresswoman Shirley Pettis (R) sponsored legislation to force the BIA to give us our money. Congress passed the Bill and we built a new water system in Soboba. In the early 80’s I worked with my Uncle Benny Helms Sr. to established the first Soboba High Stakes Bingo Gaming business. In the early 90’s we settled our water suit against the BIA for their negligence in protecting our water rights.While in Washington D.C. to sign the final agreement, I refused to sign the agreement until the distribution of the money included the children. This caused another conflict with the BIA, and again we were successful. The funds were divided equally between all the tribal members, including the children. The children’s money was put in individual trust funds for each of them until they turned 18.
Professional presentation: G BALLARD CALIE.ORG is the world leader in American Indian Pride & Education:
 American Indian Boarding School Experience CALIE is compiling a historical Web portal for research... |
With the passing of my Dad (
Clotilda Silvas
Jose "Con" Silvas is my great grandfather.
Adam Castillo was the Soboba Tribal Spokesman when the water suits were filed. He also served as the President of the Mission Indian Federation from 1910 until his death in 1953.
JOHN CHIEF MEYERS (Cahuilla, RiversideCALIF INDIAN EDU NETWORK: AHMIUM.org | SCAIR.org | SDICENTER.org | APAPAS.com
—
WEB SITE DESIGN
www.calie.org COPYRIGHT 2008-Present • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED