Cover to the June 1933 federal Mission Indian Agency bulletin, The Mission Indian, drawn by an unnamed St. Boniface School student. (St. Boniface was a former Roman Catholic boarding school in Banning, CA, primarily for Native American children.)
News Items:
“Martinez. Juanito Razon is expecting to ship squash this week. and about the 10th. will have tomatoes. His beans are doing nicely altho the wind of the last week damaged them.” The Mission Indian, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 1932.
“Dillon Kitchen of Mission Creek purchased a 4-year-old Guernsey milk cow from E.B. Proibstol, Whitewater Canyon.” The Mission Indian, Vol. 2, No. 10, April 1934.
“The Morongo ball club is scheduled to play Pechanga May 20.” The Mission Indian, Vol. 2, No. 11, May 1934.
“A special event baby contest was won by 10 months old John Jr. Son of John and Mandy Segundo, Palm Springs.” The Mission Indian, Vol. 2, No. 11, May 1934.
A Slice of Life
That’s a little of the news you’ll find in The Mission Indian, a monthly bulletin issued from 1932-1941 by the Mission Indian Agency of Riverside, California, at the time the federal agency for more than 25 Native American reservations in Southern California.
The National Archives and Records Administration, keeper of the federal government’s billions of permanent records, recently digitized 55 issues of this 1932-1941 newsletter that chats about Southern California reservations. Access online in the National Archives Catalog is HERE.
“Typical issues contain a news section which lists events that took place on the reservations under the Agency's jurisdiction, agricultural information, a health section, and a women's page written by the Field Nurse. Some issues are missing,” according to the National Archives description.
As News from Dorothy Ramon Learning Center reported last week in “Family Album,” when we shared the finding guide to more than 18,000 Native American photos, please note that the National Archives Catalog includes a statement on potentially harmful content.
Again, our intent here is to help make accessible these recently digitized bulletins about area reservations in the 1930s.
“Individual prize winning entries at Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona.”
The Mission Indian, Vol. 1, No. 5, October 1932
Alongside the health notes, crop updates, and varied news from different reservations, we see references to mourning ceremonies and other cultural traditions which were still being observed in the 1930s.
The bulletins are filled with names of Native people of Southern California. For example:
“Monday evening April 9th. the San Gorgonio 4-H Club met at the home of Henry Mathews Jr. at Morongo. The meeting was called to order by the President and an opening song selected by cheer leader Martin Black was rendered by the members. John Martin Jr. acted as secretary in the absence of Frank Laws. Five new members were initiated with due ceremony, their names follow: Hyacinth Valenzuela, Frank Lugo, John O’Brien, Anthony Mathews and Augustine Hyde. Mr. Henry Mathews Sr. gave an interesting talk to the boys about their projects and urged them to hold together in all undertakings. Following music and games Mrs. Mathews served supper which was enjoyed by all.” — The Mission Indian, vol. 1, no. 1, May 1932.
Here’s hoping that you may find Native American history that’s important to save and share in The Mission Indian archives.
Thank you!
Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, led by Elder Ernest Siva (Cahuilla-Serrano), is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that saves and shares Southern California Native American cultures, languages, history, and traditional arts. We welcome your donations. (MORE INFO.)
We welcome your EMAIL. Thank you from Editor Pat Murkland, March 16, 2022.