This commentary was contributed by Valentin Lopez, Chair Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent BenitoLink or other affiliated contributors. Lea este artículo en español aquí. 

An unsigned letter recently ran in Benitolink, questioning the legitimacy of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band with misleading statements. The letter was drafted with the assistance of lawyers for the Betabel Road commercial project and represents an underhanded effort to sway public opinion, intimidate opponents of the development plan, and divide our community.

The standing of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band as a historic and continuous tribe of San Benito County is firmly established and supported by a plethora of evidence. Today our tribe is fortunate to be engaged in an array of partnerships with local cities, park districts, educational institutions, historical societies, and conservation organizations and is recognized as a regional leader in environmental stewardship.

Our tribe is comprised of descendants of Mutsun and Awaswas speaking Indigenous people who survived Mission San Juan Bautista and Mission Santa Cruz. The claim that “Amah Mutsun” is not a historic tribal name is a red herring. Like many other California tribes, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band—previously known as the “San Juan Band”—adopted a new name in recent decades, to more appropriately honor our ancestors and incorporate the Mutsun language. This in no way diminishes the historic continuity of our tribe.

Our tribe has a sincere and legitimate interest in what happens at Betabel. Our cultural affiliation with the area is thoroughly documented in the ethnographic study associated with San Benito County’s environmental review of the proposed Betabel Road commercial project, which identifies Betabel as a central feature of the Juristac Tribal Cultural Landscape. Those interested in learning more about our tribe’s legal history are encouraged to read E. Richard Hart’s scholarly review, “The Case of California’s Amah Mutsun.”

The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band will continue to uphold our cultural responsibilities to steward our ancestral lands, honor our ancestors, and advance our rights as a historic California tribe. We call on the Betabel developer to abandon these offensive and ineffective tactics and to instead seek an honest and productive resolution of the legal matters at hand.

Valentin Lopez, Chair
Amah Mutsun Tribal Band

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