They are called the Acjachemem, however in the Social Science literature they are referred to as Juaneños, San Juaneños or Mission Indians. TheirAcjachemem homeland is in coastal southern California and includes the valleys, canyons, hillsides, rivers and shorelines where we have lived since the Beginning. Their traditional homeland spanned roughly from Laguna Beach to San Onofre. The San Juan Capistrano valley is the core area of their community, though they traditionally have many widespread village communities. Traditionally, in the fall they would travel to the mountains above Elsinore to hunt deer, gather acorns, grasses and medicinal herbs. Additionally, their territory was known for abundant oak groves and abalone from the rocky shores which they traded far inland. When the Spanish occupied their land in the late 1770's they brought ecological and social catastrophe in the form of over-grazing of our food crops by livestock, unknown diseases, and massive social disruption. They became forced laborers at the Mission San Juan Capistrano religious and ranching operations. Today they are going through an active cultural and political resurgence including language restoration and historical research. Also, their basketweaving, songs and dances are coming back to them through active community participation.