Amid Threats, Kizh Conservancy Selected to Protect Ancient Jurupa Oak

As the last ice age ended 13,000 years ago, the Jurupa Oak in Riverside County managed to survive by adapting to strong northerly winds, drought and fire by cloning itself. This miracle of natural selection is still alive today, outlasting the giant ground sloths, dire wolves and sabre-toothed cats that once roamed Southern California.

Among a variety of other species, two types of mammals thrived alongside the Jurupa, or Hurunga, Oak as the Pleistocene drew to a close; coyotes and indigenous humans.

On Friday, the Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians – Kizh Nation, lineal descendants of those indigenous peoples, signed a conservancy agreement with housing developer Richland Communities. The agreement appoints the tribe perpetual steward of 510.8 acres of their sacred lands, including the only stand of Jurupa Oak on the planet.

The accord concludes one of the largest “land back” negotiations in California history, and follows the return of 2,800 acres in Siskiyou County to the Shasta Indian Nation in June.

The agreement marks a watershed moment for the Kizh tribe. But the public nature of the planning process by the City of Jurupa Valley exposed, in the words of the tribe’s legal counsel Kara Grant, “years and years of opportunism” by Neo-indigenous Tongva “factions and splinter groups using countless name variations” to make land back claims for their economic ventures.

It is likely that it was one of those factions that sent a ransom note (pictured here) to the Kizh Nation.

Being unclear about the need for anonymity, though, the sender included a return address in Corona on the envelope. Local police were contacted by the Kizh and detectives began an investigation regarding the threat.

To date, no arrests have been made.

Two splinter groups purporting to represent local indigenous tribal members went public expressing their displeasure with the conservancy agreement in no uncertain terms.

A spokesperson for the Shiishongna Tongva Nation – Corona Band Of Gabrielino Indians insisted during a public comment session in Jurupa Valley that the tribe was unlawfully left out of the developer’s planning process and demanded to be consulted about anything having to do with the acreage.

The Kizh Nation countered that the Shiishongna Tongva Nation was not a tribe recognized as such by either the federal government or the State of California.

Another group displeased with the Kizh conservancy agreement has considerably more extensive political connections into Los Angeles County government; the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, Gabrieleno-Tongva Nation fronted by Tribal Chairman Anthony Morales. Local News Pasadena previously uncovered the Morales family’s attempt to acquire the Henninger Flats campground from Los Angeles County through the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy.

Last week, Anthony Morales wrote to Jurupa Valley officials questioning the legitimacy of the Kizh Nation as “a small group that surfaced around 2008,” overlooking archaeological and genealogical records that prove the Kizh (or Quiichi) tribe dates back millennia in the Los Angeles Basin. Morales said he wanted to “ensure that the Jurupa Oak, along with the integrity of the Gabrieleno/Tongva community is protected.”

Morales requested that city officials follow-up with “Mona Recalde,” a Native Community Elected Commissioner on the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission. Mona Morales Recalde happens to be Anthony Morales’ cousin, and the Commission has no jurisdiction in Riverside County.

Kara Grant, the Kizh Nation’s legal counsel, filed her own letter with the City Council in response to Morales, stating: “The Kizh Nation’s claim to their ancestral lands and status as a tribal government predates the more recent organizations using the name ‘Tongva.’ Claims that the Kizh Nation does not represent the Gabrieleno people not only are inaccurate but intended to confuse and mislead. The Kizh Nation’s history as an indigenous community is well-established and long recognized.”

But that’s all water under the canoe now for the Kizh, who are taking a longer view.

“This conservancy agreement emphasizes the deep, historical connection between the oak tree, the location, and the descendants of those who lived there before,” said Kizh Nation Chief Andrew Salas.

“It suggests that the longevity of the oak tree and the significance of the site are tied to the presence and legacy of the grandchildren of the ancestors who fought for survival over many decades. The tree and the land stand as symbols of endurance and continuity, representing the perseverance of the ancestors and the ongoing presence of their descendants.”

“The sacred oak tree and the tribal resources on this site stand as living proof of the longevity and resilience of my people — the very people who have stewarded these lands on behalf of the Great Creator,” said Salas.

“The reason the site and the oak have endured for thousands of years is to wait and welcome their Indigenous grandchildren, so that we may continue to preserve this land and carry forward the legacy of our ancestors.”