Charlene's Homepage

Tucked within the Hemet & San Jacinto Valley, the Soboba Indian Reservation lies at the foothills of the San Jacinto mountain range in Southern California. This is where I grew up and it is where my brothers and sister live now. I lived on Soboba for much of my early life as well as having served my tribal community as a Tribal Councilmember. I have also worked for Riverside/San Bernardino Indian Health working at the Soboba Indian Clinic and early in my career working at the Bureau of Indian Affairs at the Southern California Agency in Riverside, CA. I am currently back home working as the Cultural Program Director for my tribe; the Soboba Band of Luiseņo Indians. I am the proud founder of our Cultural Center, "Cham-Mix Poki' (House of Our Culture) at Soboba. To learn more, visit our Soboba web site for current news and events. We have been busy offering Luiseņo language classes as well as cultural activities for tribal members and their families www.soboba-nsn.gov

Working outside the Indian community I began a 14 year career with the University of California, first managing the Lothian Residence Hall at the University of California, Riverside. Then at the University of California, Berkeley in Soda Hall as the Assistant to the Chair for the Computer Science department. GO BEARS!!

Besides research I am the former webmaster for the Malki Museum which I did as a voluneer for two years. Currently in my spare time I am writing a story about growing up on the Soboba Reservation. This story is a history of my family; parents, grandparents.

My Family

I live with my husband, Tim (a Cal graduate), he is retired from the University of California, where he had been a graduate advisor, most recently for Oceanography at Scripps in San Diego. We also live with our two pets Mowry our cat and Roxie our blue heeler cattle dog.

Did you ask about children, sure make that three grown children and ten grandchildren.

Anita Talasmaynewa is the oldest (the only daughter), she lives here in Hemet, CA with her husband, Manny who is Hopi from Third Mesa, Az (Old Oraibi). Son, Shae otherwise known as "Spud" lives and works in Phoenix, AZ. Anita is the family quilter and Manny is a talented artist and wood carver, in addition to his newest hobby of making pottery

Sonny (Anderson Begay) is a talented artist and Bird Singer. He has one daughter, Tahnibah and four sons, Hunwit, Wiiru, Valerino Helman who live with their mother, Tess who is Navajo and lives in Window Rock, Arizona. Tess is a University of New Mexico Alumni. Sonny is also busy being a single Dad raising Blu Begay who just turned two in February 2006.


Matthew Begay is our youngest, he lives in Chinle, Arizona with his wife, Priscilla, who is Navajo and their three daughters, Aubrey, Harmony, Melonie and son, Ryan Tso Begay. Both Matt and Priscilla believe strongly in education which is clear in the fact that both Aubrey and Harmony are A students in their current classes. Published author,Aubrey was honored in 2005 by having a story selected and published by her elementary school. As Melonie enters Kindergarden this fall, testing high in her entrace exam suggests she will soon follow in her sister's foot steps.

San Jacinto

San Jacinto is the oldest city in Riverside County, founded in 1865 and later incorporated in 1888. Riverside county followed in May 1893. Located 80 miles from Los Angeles, 60 miles from San Diego and 60 miles Palm Springs helps to make San Jacinto a thriving community.

What's Going On In The Valley

The Hemet/San Jacinto Valley has been a hub of excitement with the completion of the Diamond Valley Reservoir located in Hemet. It is a earth-and-rock filled dam which holds an estimated 260 billion gallons of water. During excavation phase remains of Indian villeges were uncovered as well as fossils of over 14 extinct animals were found. In 2006 the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley is awaiting the opening of the Western Center for Archaelology & Paleontology at the Diamond Valley Reservoir.

Mission Indians

Like most of the Indian reservations in California, Soboba Band of Luiseņo Indians has a history with Father Junipero Serra. Father Serra was the founder of the 21 California Missions that were built along El Camino Real ("The Kings Highway"). The first mission was built in San Diego by the Indians, most of whom now live in San Diego County and what is now Riverside county. This was a partnership that would alter the lives of the California Indians forever.

Father Junipero Serra

July 16, 1769

San Diego, California

On a summer day in the Spanish territory of California, the first permanent Catholic mission was established in San Diego. The man in charge of the mission was Franciscan Father Junipero Serra. Father Serra was 55 years old at the time. He went to build eight more missions along California's coast.

Born on the Mediterranean island of Majorca, Serra entered the Franciscan brotherhood in 1731. The King of Spain planned to make California a stronghold in its New World empire, and establishing missions and settlements was part of this plan. To do this, Serra and a group of soldiers and other chruchmen traveled 2,000 to San Diego from Mexico.

Serra had to endure many physical hardships to implement the king's plan, it was Serra's mission to secure land for Spain and convert native people, the California Indians to Christianity. To achieve this atrocities against the Indians were committed in the name of conversion. Serra made some long-lasting contributions to the development of California which later opened the door to western settlement. The Indian way of life was slipping away from it's native children and the worse was yet to come.

Today, 21 missions stretch along California's coast from San Diego to San Francisco, including the original nine established by Father Serra.

(Copyright ) 1996 Knowledge Adventure, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Official California State Outdoor Play

Ramona Pageant

Each spring, Helen Hunt Jackson's novel "Ramona" is relived in the city of Hemet though the Ramona Pageant. The Official California State Outdoor Play, is staged in a natural amphitheater in the foothills of Hemet. Ramona is the re-enactment of the story that captures the essence of western life in Early California, and portrays the treatment of California Indians by Mexicans and Americanos and the times they lived in. Audiences caught up in this emotional account of California history which is based on historial facts by author, Helen Hunt Jackson embrassed "Ramona" as a love story. Helen Hunt Jackson also played an important role with the Soboba people by advocating for Soboba rights to keep possion of their ancestral land that had been sold to a San Bernardino resident. Due to Helen Hunt Jackson's efforts, the Soboba people were not evicted from their homes.

Institute for American Indian Development

Anthony Garcia, Charlene Ryan,Walter Carlin

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ryancharlene@yahoo.com

04-11-06