Pechanga Band of Indians

The Pechanga Band of Indians, also known as Payómkawichum (the People of the West), stand as 1 of 6 federally recognized tribes of Luiseño Indians, currently located in Riverside County, California. The modern understanding of the tribe, Pechanga, meaning "the place where water drips," comes from the displacement of the tribe during their eviction from Temecula in 1875, resulting in movement towards a secluded valley near a spring called Pecháa'a (pechaq for "to drip").

Acting as a self-governing population, the Payómkawichum inhabited much of present-day Southern California. Primarily occupied alongside the Kumeyaay nation, Luiseño ancestral territory stretched far, as such loose ownership of land expanded as far north as present-day Riverside, east as present-day Hemet, as south as present-day Carlsbad, and as west as San Nicolas Island. The Pechanga lived in permanent, cone-shaped structures throughout the region, relying heavily on the land around them and the people in their community.

The arrival along the Pacific coastline, led by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, established a period of mission work in the area, forcing the Pechanga, alongside other tribes, to be relocated. Missions were established throughout the area, with the most controversial to Luiseño bands being the Mission San Luis Rey de Francía, completed June 13, 1798, due to the land built upon being Luiseño ancestral territory. Increasingly exasperated with the situation, the Luiseño did not rebel against the Cabrillo-led mission movement, likely because of their rather friendly and warm nature.

The Mexican-American War (1846–1848) did not directly impact the Luiseño, however events following the initial attack would heighten tension between the Native and Mexican parties. A series of conflicts between both parties led to the Pauma Massacre, resulting in the death of eleven Mexican soldiers due to their attempt at stealing horses from the Native population. In an effort of retaliation, Mexican soldiers and some Native accomplices captured numerous Temecula-Natives, resulting in an estimated one hundred Native deaths, though the exact number is unknown. Those whose lives were lost now rest at the Old Temecula Village Cemetery. With the Mexican–American War ending in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, allowing Native bands, such as the Pechanga, to possess legal rights, however the U.S. government recanted citizenship, leaving most absent of land and property rights.