Neighbor News
Pechanga Tribal Elder Matilda Smith Walks On At 91
Descended from one of Pechanga's Original Allottee's Paulina Hunter, She died without the support of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians
Matilda Smith, the eldest surviving great granddaughter of original Pechanga allottee, Paulina Hunter, has walked on at 91. She was my late father Felipe Cuevas' last surviving sibling. She is survided by 5 children and over 20 grandchildren. Funeral services are pending
I wrote this tribute in September 2020 linked here at the Patch HAPPY Birthday to my aunt
Matilda Smith, who, at 91 is the eldest descendant of Paulina Hunter's daugher Mary Ann Miller. We wrote about the abuse of Pechanga elders, who were disenrolled from the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians. Matilda was 75 years old when the Pechanga tribal council abandoned her, unlawfully taking this elder's per capita money, health care, voting rights and her rights as an allottee, and dishonoring our ancestors.
During my last visit with my aunt Matilda , then 87 years old, she recalled being on the reservation in the late 1930’s. “It was a long trip to get there, especially in those days”. “But that is where our roots were, my grandmother loved it there.”
REST IN PEACE AUNTIE.
