Yellowstone star Mo Brings Plenty was on hand for the free celebration of Morongo’s cattle ranching history on Saturday Oct. 12 at the Morongo Indian Reservation.

MORONGO INDIAN RESERVATION – Amateur and professional ropers and riders competed for cash prizes at the 11^th Annual Open Ranch Rodeo, a celebration of Morongo’s cattle ranching history, held Saturday, October 12 at the Morongo Indian Reservation.

Mo Brings Plenty, star of the hit Paramount Network series Yellowstone, greeted the crowd to kick off the day’s events. An enrolled Lakota who hails from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, his traditional name — given to him as a young boy — is Ta Sunke Wospapi (“catches his horse”); which befits a man who enjoys spending more time on his horses than anywhere else.

“The Morongo Rodeo is an amazing experience that holds true to the legacy of Indian ranching and celebrates our deep connection to horses and riding,” said Mo Brings Plenty, who chairs the board of the non-profit Bronc Riding Nation. “Rodeos hold a special place in our culture, symbolizing the rugged and enduring spirit of Indian Country. They embody time-honored values such as strength, perseverance, and the importance of resilience in the face of challenges.”

Morongo Tribal Council Member Brian Lugo, the rodeo president, thanked Mo Brings Plenty for being part of the annual Morongo Rodeo, and all of the riders, ropers and spectators who came to the event.

“Morongo’s annual rodeo is always an exciting event that commemorates the long history of cattle and horse ranching on our reservation that began generations ago and continues to this day,” Lugo said.

The free, daylong event was open to the public as riders and ropers competed for thousands of dollars in prize money in a variety of events, such as open and team roping, Calcutta, ribbon roping, and ranch-style steer stopping. Youth riders also joined in the fun with competitions like mutton-busting and youth barrel racing.

“As always, this year’s Morongo Rodeo was a great event that gave fans a chance to see some of the best riders and ropers in the country,” said Aaron Tsinigine, a 2015 PRCA Team Roping World Champion. “The Morongo Rodeo is one of my favorite stops as the Tribe always puts on an awesome event.”

The annual rodeo is hosted by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the Morongo Cultural Heritage Department.

The annual Rodney T. Mathews Jr. Scholarship has awarded $630,000 to Native American students, the most underrepresented group in higher education.

MORONGO INDIAN RESERVATION – Four Native American students from California have each received a $10,000 scholarship from the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Palm Springs through the Tribe’s 19th Annual Rodney T. Mathews Jr. Scholarship Program.

Since its launch, Morongo’s Mathews Scholarship Program has provided $630,000 in scholarships to 62 Native American students attending universities across the country. These scholarships are only accessible to enrolled members of the 109 federally recognized tribes in California.

“Morongo’s annual Rodney T. Mathews Jr. Scholarship program is dedicated to reversing the historical underrepresentation of Native Americans in higher education,” said Morongo Tribal Chairman Charles Martin. “This initiative provides vital support to scholarship recipients while fostering the development of future tribal leaders. Empowering Native students to advance their education and skills creates pathways for driving meaningful progress that will enhance our tribal communities for generations to come.”

The 2024 recipients are:

Keseloh McQuillen of the Yurok Tribe, is working on her Master of Arts Degree in the Language Teaching Studies Program at the University of Oregon. She grew up on the Yurok Reservation, which is near the traditional village of Turip in Klamath, California. Her goal is to return to her community in Humboldt County after receiving her masters. She believes that with the knowledge gained from the Language Studies Program, she can add strengthen language development within the Yurok community.

“Receiving this scholarship from the Morongo Tribe gives me relief. This assistance relieves financial strains and enables me to focus entirely on my academic goals. I am driven to take advantage of this opportunity to succeed and to finish my program in 11 months. I appreciate the Morongo Tribe’s commitment to education,” McQuillen said.

Cody Goodwin of the Wailacki Tribe, is working towards his bachelor’s degree in Aviation Airport Design at San Jose State. His goal is to join the U.S. Airforce with hopes to one day pilot C-17 Globemasters, the largest military transport aircraft ever developed for Air Force. He also aspires to become a Flight Instructor.

“For me, this scholarship is very significant since it allows me to continue with my pilot training and earn my commercial and multi-engine ratings. It’s an important step toward achieving my aviation career goals. It also helps with some of my living expenses, which allows me up to concentrate more on my training and studies. I am incredibly appreciative of this support,” Goodwin said.

Kathleen Keller-Manuelito of the Bishop Paiute Tribe, is pursuing her degree in Nursing at the University of Kansas.  She previously graduated from Haskell Indian Nations University in 2016 with a bachelor’s in business administration. In the past she worked with the American Indian Records Repository, which preserves treaties between the U.S. Government and Native Americans. While obtaining her clinical hours for nursing, she hopes to work with Indian Health Services. Her career goal is to create and open an Indigenous birthing center for women.

“I want to thank the Morongo Band of Mission Indians for offering the Mathew’s Scholarship to all California Natives. Being awarded this scholarship relieves a great deal of worry for me as a working mom of a toddler who is getting ready to move across the nation. This scholarship will not only help with living expenses such as daycare costs, but it will also provide me the opportunity to devote all my attention to my studies this fall semester. Once again, I want to thank the scholarship committee, the Morongo tribe, and everyone else who made this opportunity for a life-changing award possible,” Keller-Manuelito said.

Yamahni Duncan of the Berry Creek Rancheria of Tyme Maidu Indians, He is in his final year at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is working towards bachelor’s degrees in both Psychology and Philosophy. He intends to pursue a doctorate in philosophy or psychology. By advancing his knowledge, he hopes to have an important impact on his Tribal community.

“I applied for this scholarship from Morongo in part because it would be really helpful in paying for my housing costs. Despite the fact that my college provided funding for my education, I had to deal with the costs of finding housing on my own. That burden has been greatly reduced as a result of receiving this scholarship, allowing me to concentrate more on my education,” Duncan said.

The Morongo scholarship program honors the late Rodney T. Mathews Jr., a Morongo tribal member and Hastings Law School graduate who passed away in 2004. He worked as an attorney for 20 years before serving as a judge pro tem for more than a decade.

His mother, Eunice Mathews, said the scholarship program recognizes her son’s lifelong commitment to equity and education. “We are so proud of all that Rodney accomplished and are touched by how the Mathews Scholarship continues to honor his legacy.”

Scholarship applicants are considered based on their academic success and community service. Candidates must be full-time students at an accredited college or university; complete 60 hours with a designated California Indian agency; and be actively involved in the Native American community.

More than 900 tribal dancers and 20 drum groups from across the U.S. and Canada gathered to celebrate traditional Native American music, dance and art.

Morongo Indian Reservation – More than 30,000 spectators celebrated Native American music, art, and dancing at the 33^rd Annual Morongo Thunder & Lightning Powwow, held September 27 – 29 at the Morongo Indian Reservation near Palm Springs, CA. 

As one of the nation’s most highly anticipated powwows, the Morongo powwow kicked off on California Native American Day and attracted over 900 tribal dancers and 20 drum groups from across the U.S. and Canada. Admission to the family-friendly powwow is free.

Throughout the weekend, dancers wearing intricate, handcrafted regalia of leather, fine beadwork and brightly colored feathers competed in a variety of events that displayed the diversity of Native American dance styles from across North America.

“The Morongo Thunder and Lightning Powwow celebrates Native American culture while helping tribes preserve our heritage and traditions for future generations,” said Morongo Tribal Chairman Charles Martin. “Our powwow is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to learn about the richness and beauty of Native American dance, music and art.”

The highlight of each day, the Grand Entry drew hundreds of dancers dressed in traditional regalia into the powwow arena which transformed into a spectacular display of rhythm, music and motion as men, women and children danced together to the music of competitive drum groups and singers.

The Powwow included traditional bird singing and peon games of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and other tribes in Southern California.

More than 115 vendors participated in the Morongo Indian Market, where artists offered authentic Native American crafts for sale, such as handmade baskets, beadwork, clothing, jewelry, and pottery. Native food vendors served customary homemade delicacies such as Indian tacos and tasty Indian frybread.