Alhambra (Photo – Jey0h)
On January 9, 2023, the Alhambra City County acknowledged the City of Alhambra is on the ancestral land of the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples.
By News Desk
Alhambra’s first official land acknowledgment was approved unanimously, with one of the five council members (Ross Maza) absent. It will be read aloud by each Mayor of Alhambra before each city council meeting.
The acknowledgement was written by an Alhambra teacher in AUSD:
We acknowledge that the land on which we are gathered is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples. We seek to prioritize respect for the historic culture and contemporary presence of the native peoples throughout California, especially in the greater Los Angeles/Alhambra area. We come with respect and gratitude for the Gabrielino/Tongva people who still consider themselves the caretakers of this land. It is through their examples that we are reminded of our greater responsibility to take care of Mother Earth and to take care of each other.
Unfortunately, the term of “Tongva” was promoted by persons claiming to be Gabrieleno Indains. They were so effective at promoting this false concept in the 1980’s and 1990’s that they not only got the general public to believe it (the term does sound “Indain” as did Tonto of the Lone Ranger fame), but they even got some genuine tribal members to believe it as well ( e.g. Rocha and Cook 1982).
The perpetrators have also gotten various cities in the greater Los Angeles area to believe the farce of “Tongva” to the point where they have named monuments and a park with false name.
Also, it is important to remind ourselves of this history through public art and preserved historical artifacts and sites.
GABRIELENO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
-KIZH NATION-
Is the correct name of the GABRIELENO INDIANS
Dr. Gary Stickel, Tribal Archaeologist
I will email you a letter as to Why The Original Tribe of the Greater Los Angeles Area is Called KIZH NOT Tongva.
Before every council meeting is a bit much. Acknowledge it with a proclamation and move forward.
Heck, put a plaque up at city hall if you want to keep the message ongoing.
As for me, as an Alhambra home owner who pays property y taxes and contributes in the present, I don’t care much for the wording toward the end. I don’t want city officials representing ME to assume the role of any one particular peoples.
How about you fix the street on the 1000 block of Westmont Drive and put a speed bump on Concord near El Sereno before someone is killed by street racers.
Stuff that actually matters to tax paying home owners of Alhambra.
Well said, Alhambra needs to least get the Name correct.