Pechanga Band of

Luiseno Indians

Temecula, CA

Lawrence Madariaga earned a lifetime achievement award from the tribe just months before he and his family were disenrolled.

"They are very honest people here at one time. Now we call them casino people, because they are getting the money. They’re not like they use to be."      NBC Video Pechanga Membership Battle

"I have been stripped of all my tribal rights and privileges," the 89-year-old tribal elder said in a statement that marked the first time a descendant of Paulina Hunter has gone public about the ejection. August 18, 2006 The Press-Enterprise  "Pechanga gives family final notice of ejection."

Pechanga Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro at a commerical shoot for gubernatorial candidate Cruz Bustamante.  Macarro was the chief tribal spokesman for California's Prop 5 that legalized Indian gaming in California.

"While Macarro was speaking on the need to preserve Indian sacred sites for the value of their heritage, he was also supporting the ejection of living members. It seems he and many other tribal members are more concerned with old bones than they are about the very few tribal members living today." March 25, 2004 North County Times  “When bones are more important than people.”