The Ewiiaapaayp Indian Reservation was established on February 10, 1893 under authority of the Act of January 12, 1891. The Mission Indian Relief Act of 1891 enacted the recommendations of the Jackson-Kinney report, stating "[t]he history of the Mission Indians for a century may be written in four words: conversion, civilization, neglect, outrage ... Justice and humanity alike demand the immediate action of Government to preserve for their occupation the fragments of land not already taken from them."

The Ewiiaapaayp Tribe is a federally recognized Indian tribe listed in the Federal Register (Vol. 65, No. 49, pg. 13299) as "The Cuyapaipe Community of Diegueño Mission Indians of the Cuyapaipe Reservation, California." The BIA uses the name Cuyapaipe Band of Mission Indians. The Band identifies itself as "Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians." The tribal affiliation is "Kumeyaay" and is one of the 12 Kumeyaay bands in San Diego County.

The Tribe has petitioned the BIA to change its name to "The Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians;" however, this change can take years to effect. "Ewiiaapaayp" is the Kumeyaay language word meaning "leaning rock." This rock is on a high ridge of the Cuyapaipe Reservation and served as the touchstone and site-marker in the Kumeyaay's travels from the coast to the mountains and the desert beyond. The inland Kumeyaay Bands were centered at the present day Cuyapaipe Reservation.

The past Tribal Chairman of the Ewiiaapaayp Tribe of Kumeyaay Indians for 34 years was Tony J. Pinto who, along with his sister Rosalie Pinto Robertson and brother Chris Pinto, performed their duties as Kwaaypaay (captain or band chief), and ritual leaders, acting as intermediaries protecting them and their people from the external world. Their grandfather, Paayon, the last Kuchut kwataay (tribal chief) of the Kumeyaay, their father Jim McCarty Hilmeup and their uncle Jose Hilmeup, who were also Kwaaypaay, taught Chairman Pinto, and his brothers and sister, the religious and cultural traditions of the Kumeyaay, as well as the duties and responsibilities of leadership to protect and care for the people and to protect the Ewiiaapaayp Indian Reservation lands and sacred places.

Uncle Tony and his 4 brothers (Chris, Albert, Alfred and Leigh) all served in the U.S. armed forces in WWII. Uncle Tony enlisted in the U.S. Army on December 2, 1941, served as a Private First Class Rifleman (Combat Infantryman) in the Combat Engineers of Company B 10th Engineers Battalion, and fought in the battles/campaigns in Tunisia, Sicily, Naples-Foggia. Uncle Tony was awarded the following decorations/citations: Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Theatre Service Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, EAME Theatre Service Medal with 3 Bronze Service Stars. Uncle Tony was wounded in action in Italy on February 29, 1944. After 4 years, 3 months and 25 days of service, including 1 year 2 months and 25 days of foreign service, Uncle Tony was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army from the William Beaumont General Hospital in El Paso, Texas on May 7, 1946.

Uncle Tony worked to preserve the cultural traditions of the Kumeyaay, including the Peon games and Bird Songs. Uncle Tony participated with other tribal leaders in the Mission Indian Federation that opposed policies of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which the traditional leaders believed would damage their people. He participated in the Mission Indians Claims case, he worked to protect sacred places and cemeteries from secular desecration, he participated in the water claims settlement, and he actively encouraged younger Kumeyaay to learn Bird Songs, play Peon, and become tribal cultural and political leaders. Uncle Tony also brought the existence of the plight of the Paipai and Kumeyaay Indians of northern Baja Mexico to the attention of the Mexican government. Uncle Tony's sister Rosalie Pinto Robertson and his brother Christobal Pinto were past leaders of the Campo Band of Mission Indians.