The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is a federally recognized tribe of Serrano people in San Bernardino County, California."San Manuel Reservation." SDSU: California Indians and Their Reservations. 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2012.Pritkzer 143
They are made up of the Yuhaaviatam tribe of Serrano people, who have historically lived in the San Bernardino Mountains. The tribe was formerly named the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
The other federally recognized Serrano tribe is the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, located in San Bernardino County, California.
Government The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is headquartered in Highland in San Bernardino County."Tribal Directory." National Congress of American Indians. Retrieved 23 September 2025. The tribe is governed by a democratically elected, seven-person tribal council. Their current [when?] tribal chairperson is Lynn Valbuena.
Reservation
San Manuel ReservationSan Manuel Reservation: is a federally recognized Indian reservation in San Bernardino County. Originally, it was in size, but has expanded to . Established in 1891, the reservation was named for Santos Manuel, a prominent tribal leader."Tribal Government." San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
Economic development
Businesses The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation employ more than 7,000 employees in the Inland Empire region of California. They own and operate Yaamava' Resort & Casino, Serrano Buffet, The Pines, Chingon's Kitchen, Tutu's Food Court, and Big Mo's, all located in San Bernardino.
On May 4, 2026, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation announced a deal to purchase The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside.
Philanthropy In December 2016, the tribe arranged the lighting of their Arrowhead landmark, a California Historical Monument, for 14 nights, in honor of the 14 victims killed by domestic terrorists the year before in San Bernardino.ICTMN Staff, "14 Victims, as Many Lights: San Manuel Band Rekindles Famed Arrowhead to Mark San Bernardino Massacre", 2 December 2016; accessed 2 December 2016 Together with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians of Southern California, the San Manuel Band made a "joint donation totaling $600,000 to the San Bernardino United Relief Fund shortly after the shooting last year."
In 2019, the tribe made a donation of $25 million to the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. In honor of the donation, the fifth floor of the children's hospital is slated to be named the San Manuel Maternity Pavilion. In 2020, the band made a $9 million gift to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The gift was to be used for education and innovation related to tribal gaming operations and law.
In 2025, the tribe endowed $3 million to the public university, California State University San Marcos. This built on a previous endowment from 10 years before which went towards the launch of the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center.
Casinos The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation own and operate Yaamava' Resort & Casino which was renovated in 2016.
On October 4, 2021, at Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas 2021, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation won the "Responsible business of the year" award and were runners-up for the "property of the year award" for the Yaamava Resort & Casino.
On December 17, 2021, The tribe purchased Palms Casino Resort near the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, for $650 million. Palms Casino Resort subsequently became the first Las Vegas resort to have a Native American owner.
Education The reservation is served by the San Bernardino City Unified School District.
See also Indigenous peoples of California Mission Indians Serrano people
Notes
References Pritzker, Barry M. A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.
External links Official San Manuel Band of Mission Indians website