The Kawaiisu Tribe of Tejon thanks Secretary Ken Salazar for

“Reaffirming” the Tribe to the list of Federally Recognized Tribes

in the United States according to a news release on January 3, 2012

by Indianz.com, who were the first to break the good news, and it

quickly spread through Indian Country.

Tribal Chair David Laughing Horse Robinson is thankful the Tribe

will see a new future in 2012.They have been fighting a legal case

for two years in California Federal Court, docket number

1:09-cv-01977, to stop development on their Indian Reservation

at the Tejon Ranch near Los Angeles, that gives the corporation

permission to unearth the burial remains and spiritual burial objects

of thousands of their ancestors that died on the reservation. The

timing of regaining recognition, while awaiting a ruling on the

Federal Case is an unexpected gift that the Tribe embraces with

gratitude.

Laughing Horse said, “Well, on the one side I wish this had

happened two years ago so we did not have to go to court, but

today, we are overwhelmed with joy and happiness. This has been

a hard road for over 160 years and this will help in resolving the

case before the court today. At issue before the court now is getting

our land back which was assigned under Treaty. We actually signed

two Treaties, first on December 30, 1849 and again for Tejon

Reservation in June of 1851. We also have over 100 allotments

because of these Treaties. “Reaffirming of Recognition,” means

that Congress and the President of the United States recognize the

Tribe through the Treaty, because the Treaty represents prior Federal

Recognition. The United States now is back in compliance with the

Treaty, except for the Tejon Reservation and Graves issues. Though

the wait has been long and painful, we are pleased that our tribal

families can step out of the 18th century and experience the

20th century as other US citizens do: electricity and water in their

homes, elders with medical care, children who can look forward to

a college education and day care so parents can work while their

children are safe. As each of us Elders have watched our

grandchildren born we were worried that this day might never

come and we are thankful to the kind guidance of our Ancestors

in this struggle.”