Torres-Martinez Indian Reservation of California

It was supposedly established on May 15, 1876 for Cahuilla and Chemehuevi People. Both are Comanche-Shoshone or Ojibway. However, American's are being deceitful. This Reservation is actually a part of a very large Reservation created on January 5 and January 7, 1852. Two treaties were signed in that year of 1852, that created this extensive Reservation. Below is a map of Torres-Martinez Reservation (aka Esses Ishkonigan or Little Shell Reservation) and links to google earth photos of Mecca. Coachella means Little Shell in Spanish. According to historians, one section of land or 640 acres or 259.0 hectares, was set aside in 1876 to be Torres Reservation and Martinez Reservation. Remember that large Reservation created on January 5 and January 7 of 1852 yet existed then! On January 12, 1891, American leaders had to do something about that vast Reservation they created for Cahuilla People in 1852. They refused to honor treaty and were aware that 1,000's of Cahuilla People were living throughout their vast Reservation including in Coachella Valley or Little Shell Valley. They conspired to create a new Reservation to be located in south Coachella Valley. They combined both Torres Reservation and Martinez Reservation which indicates there's really two Reservations. They set aside 12,000 acres (it was really 24,000 acres or 9,712.5 hectares) or 4,856.2 hectares, for this new Torres-Martinez Reservation in 1891.

In 1903, chief Rocky Boy was either negotiating on behalf of California's Ojibway's who were landless, in Montana or actually visited California to negotiate. On January 14, 1902, chief Rocky Boy sent a letter to President Roosevelt, telling him he was leader of landless Chippewa's in various States in the United States and requested for new Reservations. They denied his request for new Reservations yet agreed to chief Rocky Boy's proposal to allow his Ojibway Subjects to settle on land not surveyed (it was really unallotted Reservation land) in various locations. California's NCIA or Northern California Indian Association (it was really chief Rocky Boy) petitioned President Roosevelt in 1903, to buy Federal lands for 1,000's of landless Ojibway People throughout California. He went on to describe that title and ownership to this beautiful land has never been extinguished. He meant old Reservations. What happened next was a rediscovery of 18 Treaties that were signed between Ojibway Nation and American leaders, in 1851 and 1852, that ceded Ojibway land in California and set aside 7,466,000 acres or 3,021,383 hectares, to be Reservations for California's Ojibway People. Chief Rocky Boy agreed to creations of new Ojibway Reservations in California. Torres-Martinez Reservation is sneaky. It's really two Reservations which means land added must be twice their amount.

During 1905, California's Salton Sink commenced to fill again. Today it's Salton Sea. American leaders had negotiated with chief Rocky Boy in Montana in 1908 and 1909, about Reservations. They agreed to add 12,000 acres (it was really 24,000 acres) to Torres-Martinez Reservation. Much of Torres-Martinez Reservation was submerged under Salton Sea. That's what's sneaky about this Reservation. That didn't bother chief Rocky Boy nor his Ojibway Subjects in south Coachella Valley. Torres-Martinez Reservation is not a Reservation that is checkerboarded. It's a Reservation covering a land area of at least 48,640 acres or 19,684 hectares yet probably closer to 150 sq. mi. or 388.5 sq. km. Determining it's population is very difficult, as a result of incorrect boundaries. Capital of Torres-Martinez Reservation is Mecca. For some reason they have their headquarters at Thermal. Latest population estimate for Torres-Martinez Reservation is 4,146. Native Americans including mixed bloods and Mexicans (they number 3,821) number 4,170, while whites number 1,466. Blacks number 8. Asians number 2,315. A total population of 7,959 exists but their official population is 4,146.

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