This commentary was contributed by the California Indian Nation. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent BenitoLink nor other affiliated contributors. Lea este artículo en español aquí. 

Editor’s note: On July 9 Marciano Lopez Jr.-Chief Executive Officer /Board President of California Indian Nation’s name was added for transparency.

From the California Indian Nation:

Below is a summary of key points from a letter we recently sent on May 23 to California Attorney General Rob Bonta. We have highlighted each section for clarity and included relevant background beneath each point.

• Why We Created the California Indian Nation

We created the California Indian Nation to defend the historical integrity, cultural identity, and land-based rights of California Indian families whose ancestry is clearly documented. Our goal is to correct the public record, respond to misrepresentations, and ensure that true California Indian histories are not overwritten by fabricated or opportunistic narratives.

• Members of the California Indian Nation affirm that none of our ancestors were ever part of any group called the “Amah Mutsun,” a name that does not appear in any credible historical record.

Extensive genealogical and historical research—including mission records, California Indian census data, township documents, and Spanish-Mexican land grant archives—confirms that our ancestors have no historical, familial, or cultural connection to any group by that name. 

• The so-called “Amah Mutsun” is not a historical California Indian tribe

The name “Amah Mutsun” does not appear in mission records, California Indian census records, or official documents from Spanish, Mexican, or early U.S. governance in California. Historical archives and lineage-based data show no evidence of a continuous community, leadership, or descent. The group’s identity was constructed in recent decades and is not supported by verifiable historical or genealogical documentation.

• The Amah Mutsun’s federal recognition petition has been suspended due to serious concerns by the Bureau of Indian Affairs

According to publicly available records from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Amah Mutsun petition for federal recognition is suspended due to “significant concerns” regarding the credibility of their membership claims. This action by the BIA highlights the group’s inability to meet the historical and legal standards required for recognition.

• Independent research confirms that California Indian Nation families have no historical connection to “Amah Mutsun”

Our research—including land grants, mission baptismal records, census rolls, and public archives—confirms that the families represented by the California Indian Nation were never affiliated with any group or tribe known as “Amah Mutsun.” We have traced our lineages through multiple generations, with consistent documentation in established California Indian settlements and townships.

• The so-called “Amah Mutsun” have interfered with San Benito County business through legal threats and payment demands

The group known as Amah Mutsun has repeatedly sought to insert itself into legitimate business dealings in San Benito County by issuing threats, filing lawsuits, and demanding payments. These tactics are not grounded in recognized tribal rights or jurisdiction and have caused unnecessary delays and confusion in local planning processes.

• The California Indian Nation is preparing to petition the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) to remove the Amah Mutsun from San Benito County’s tribal contact list

We are taking formal steps to request the removal of the Amah Mutsun from the NAHC tribal contact list for San Benito County. Their current placement is based on misrepresentation and lacks a sufficient historical or legal foundation.

• The so-called Amah Mutsun leadership has failed to provide documentation proving tribal lineage

Despite years of dialogue and repeated requests, neither Valentin Lopez nor Edward Ketchum have presented credible documentation proving descent from a historical tribe. During a meeting with California Indian Nation Chairman Marciano Lopez and Vice Chair Laura Vignoli, Ketchum—the Amah Mutsun’s vice chair and self-described historian—admitted that the Amah Mutsun was a newly constructed organization created in the 1990s, and not based on continuous lineage or tribal governance.

• A $250,000 offer was made to falsely endorse the Amah Mutsun as a legitimate tribe

In a documented meeting, Amah Mutsun representatives offered a $250,000 per year part-time position, free housing, and a title to a member of the California Indian Nation leadership in exchange for falsely endorsing a narrative linking our families to the so-called “Amah Mutsun.” This attempt to fabricate tribal affiliation for public legitimacy was rejected outright. Our community will not participate in any distortion of historical fact.

• False tribal claims mislead the public and harm legitimate California Indian communities

Misrepresenting tribal identity for financial, legal, or political gain undermines the credibility of genuine California Indian history. It deceives the public, burdens local governments with false obligations, and distracts from the rights of actual California Indian families who have spent generations preserving accurate records of their lineage and land ties.

We welcome the opportunity to provide further documentation or participate in any public discussions necessary to address these facts and correct the record. We can be contacted through californiaindiannation.com.

Marciano Lopez Jr.-Chief Executive Officer /Board President of California Indian Nation.

Letter to the Attny GeneralDownload

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