| Who The "Tongva" Are: Gabrielino -Tongva Tribal Membership Rolls |
 From left to right: Councilman Charles Alvarez, Councilwoman Linda Candelaria, Councilwoman Martha Gonzalez, Councilwoman Felicia Sheerman, Councilman Bernie Acuna |
| Name of Tribal Faction (Updated on June 30, 2008) | Class B Members (BIA documentation) | Class C Members (no documentation) |
|---|---|---|
| Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe, a California Indian Tribe historically known as San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians (www.gabrielinotribe.org) (1560 members) | 586 (86 %) | 974 (84%) 1 |
| Gabrielino/Tongva Nation (Sam Dunlap, Virginia Carmelo, www.tongvatribe.net) (238 members) | 65 (10%) | 173 (15%) 2 |
| Gabrielino-Tongva Indians of San Gabriel Band, (Anthony Morales, www.tongva.com) (28 members) | Approximately 28 (4%) | None (0%) |
| Beaumont Group (no formal name, no website) (6 members) | None (0%) | Approximately 6 (1/2%) |
| Coastal Gabrielinos & Dieguenos (no formal name, no website) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Totals (1832 All Members) | 679 (100%) | 1153 (100%) |
***Please note: Our one tribal faction now has a greater number of members than all factions together had before the November 2006 tribal split!!3
1 Does not include Jacobo/Barela Family (Morongo Indians)
2 Does not include Jacobo/Barela Family (Morongo Indians)
3 Does not include Jacobo/Barela Family (Morongo Indians)
Over 1,459 members are divided into 524 Class "B" members and 935 Class "C" members. The balance of the 1,724 descendants of the historic Gabrielino tribe is divided into three small factions which follow other Tribal Councils.
Ironically, these detailed government records are the bureaucratic result of the historic mistreatment of the Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe by the United States, and our Nation’s considerable efforts to redress the illicit confiscation of most of Los Angeles County from the Tribe.
In 1851, President Millard Fillmore sent three Indian agents to the new State of California, where after the Gold Rush, rampant frontier settlement created extraordinary conflict with docile indigenous populations, including the Gabrielinos. Disturbing news of legally-sanctioned slavery and illicit genocides hurried the treaty-making process.
Eighteen treaties were signed, including Treaty D with the Gabrielinos, signed by Indian Agent George Barbour at Fort Tejon in June 1851. However, the Senate failed to ratify the treaties and instead placed an "injunction of secrecy" on them. In 1905, 53 years later, the "18 lost treaties" were found locked in a desk draw.
In the meantime, the United States had confiscated the aboriginal lands of the Gabrielinos and other tribes, and now faced a plethora of land claims throughout California. Based upon legislation adopted by Congress in 1928 and 1946, the land-claims settlement process focused on the individual, equitable rights of tribal members, rather than the collective rights of the Gabrielino Tribe.
Over 40 years of federal litigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs developed rolls of "landless California Indians" to settle the equitable claims of individual tribal members. These meticulous official membership rolls listed individual Gabrielino Indians and their tribal heritage, while avoiding recognition of the Tribe and ignoring its land claims.
The BIA published official rolls in 1928 and 1950 and 1972. Since 1972, the BIA has offered tribal members "Blood Quantum Certificates" to document their ongoing rights as "Gabrielino Indians". Ironically, the federal government created a vast treasure trove of membership information for the Gabrielino Indians, while denying the existence of the Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe itself.
The current membership of the Tribe is based upon these detailed government records. Every effort has been made to admit all Gabrielinos to tribal membership. As a result of the Tribal Council's work over the past six years, there are now record of 1,699 living Gabrielino Indians.
Membership in the Tribe is based largely upon the meticulous records of "Gabrielino Indians" kept by the United States Interior Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs, which were published and updated in 1928, 1950 and 1972.
The Tribe represents 85% of Class B tribal members and 84% of Class C tribal members. The balance of the 1,699 descendants of the historic Gabrielino tribe is divided into three small factions which follow other Tribal Councils.
Of these, the largest is the Dunlap and Carmelo faction, which represents both 231 Gabrielino Indians and 297 Morongo Indians. The Anthony Morales faction represents 28 Gabrielinos, and the Beaumont faction represents 6 Gabrielinos. The Tribe wishes these tribal factions the best of luck, offers the larger Tribe's assistance when appropriate, and looks forward to their change of heart.