It fell upon a Tribal Council consisting entirely of women to change the financial and economic destiny of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians—and the resort community of Palm Springs.
In 1877, under President Rutherford B. Hayes, the government granted odd-numbered square-mile sections of what is now Palm Springs to the Southern Pacific Railroad, and the even-numbered parcels to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, thus creating a checkerboard pattern that still exists.
Non-Indigenous settlers, using legal tactics, often attempted to take land away from the Agua Caliente, and through the years, the tribe lost much of their control over their property; there was no protection for them to maintain the parcels allotted to them. New leadership was needed to assure a strong future and to preserve the customs of the past—and the future of the Agua Caliente was assured when several women stepped up to the plate.
In 1952, tribal member Vyola J. Ortner was a small-business owner living in Downey, Calif. She was born on Section 14, in what is now downtown Palm Springs, and found herself answering the call of duty as she joined the Tribal Council for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, and soon became vice chair. By 1954, Ortner was the council’s chair—and all of the other members were women: LaVerne Saubel, Eileen Miguel, Gloria Gillette and Elizabeth Pete-Monk. It was believed to be the first all-women tribal council in the United States. It was remarkable, in part because in historic Cahuilla culture, all political and religious roles were held by men. To quote Harry C. James in The Cahuilla Indians (1960), “It is curious that today women play such important roles in the various tribal councils and business committees.”
Vyola J. Ortner was a visionary leader whose dedication and political acumen helped pave the way for greater self-sufficiency and economic prosperity for the tribe. She played a pivotal role in securing 99-year land leases for tribal lands. These leases provided stability and economic opportunities for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, ensuring the tribe could benefit from sustainable land use and development.
LaVerne Saubel was the vice chairman, and she played a crucial role in advocating for the tribe’s rights and interests. She was part of the historic power shift that led to the first all-women Tribal Business Committee. She also advocated for a constitution and bylaws for the tribe. Saubel was the mother of the late Chairman Richard M. Milanovich, who led the tribe from 1984 until his death in 2012, and was the grandmother of current Chairman Reid D. Milanovich.
Elizabeth Pete-Monk’s commitment to preserving tribal heritage and securing long-term leases laid the groundwork for a brighter future. She advocated for the constitution and bylaws for the tribe, ensuring effective governance and stability.
Gloria Gillette brought a unique perspective and leadership style to the table. She was dedicated to tribal issues and her community’s welfare. In addition, she was also instrumental in promoting gender equality and representation within tribal leadership.
Eileen Miguel served as the secretary of the all-women council. Her administrative skills and leadership were invaluable, and her patience and persistence helped secure the long-term leases.
To date, Agua Caliente tribal allottees lease more land for residential development than any other tribe in the country. According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, there are nearly 20,000 Native American-leased properties in the greater Palm Springs area. The all-women council also brokered the building of the $2 million Palm Springs Spa Hotel, which for decades was at the site of the hot springs in downtown Palm Springs. The new Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza, including The Spa at Séc-he and the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, are now on the site.
In 2012, Ortner put her experience in leading the Tribal Council into a book, You Can’t Eat Dirt (Fan Palm Research Project, Palm Springs, 2012). You Can’t Eat Dirt is accompanied by photographs and rare documents, and is supplemented with an essay on Ortner’s political work by Diana C. du Pont. According to the book’s description: “Part autobiography and part biography, the book explains how (Ortner) led the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in its struggle for political independence and economic development. … Committed to progressive change, Ortner maneuvered through local, state, and federal arenas, creating new business opportunities that forever benefited the tribe and played a key role in the development of Palm Springs. Her pioneering work enabled all tribes in the U.S. to shape their own economic futures.” The all-female Tribal Council may have become historic because of their gender, but their accomplishments to improve their tribe far overshadowed that uniqueness.
Today’s five-member Agua Caliente Tribal Council includes three women: Vice Chairman Candance Patencio Anderson, Secretary-Treasurer Savana R. Saubel, and Member Virginia Siva-Gillespie, in addition to Chairman Reid D. Milanovich and Member John R. Preckwinkle III.
Sources for this article include The Cahuilla Indians by Harry C. James (Westernlore Press, 1960); Mukat’s People: The Cahuilla Indians of Southern California by Lowell John Bean (University of California Press, 1972); You Can’t Eat Dirt by Vyola J. Ortner and Diana C. du Pont (Fan Palm Research Project, 2012); and Me Yah Whae: The Magazine of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Fall/Winter 2023 (Desert Publications).
What a fantastic article,very inspiring and encouraging, especially when one sees all the frightening news nationally and overseas these days ! Please publish more of this kind of subject. The women who were running the tribe’s affairs are a great role model to emulate all over the country.