Those Who Came Before Us

By Stephanie Vargas

The native people of the Los Angeles Basin believed the world emerged from a song. Quaoar the creator sang and danced, first creating Weywot the sky and Chehooit the earth. Then came Tamit the sun and Moar the moon. From the song and dance of these five beings, humans and plants and everything else came into being.

These first nation people were one of the most prominent groups in modern-day Los Angeles. They referred to themselves based on their tribe, but their pan tribal name was Tongva, or “people of the earth.” The Spanish referred to them as Gabrieleño and Fernandeño based on the name of the mission the natives lived around.

More than just living descendants remain today, the Tongva leave their mark all over LA County. For example, the Aguaje de Centinela has a dedicated plaque recognizing the springs to be significant to the natives. Part of it reads: “PREHISTORIC ANIMALS, INDIANS, AND EARLY INGLEWOOD SETTLERS WERE ATTRACTED HERE BY THE PURE ARTESIAN WATER.” This California Historical Landmark marker can be found at Edward Vincent Jr. Park.

Thanks to archaeological digs, it was discovered that the Tongva often fished and hunted in the areas around Gardena because the Dominguez Slough waters made the land one of the most fertile areas between Los Angeles and the coast. The Tongva are also a maritime culture, meaning the sea played a significant role in their lives. They built sturdy canoes from driftwood in order to hunt and fish in the Los Angeles River. These canoes also allowed mainland villages to trade food and goods with their Channel Island counterparts, such as the tribes of Catalina Island. 

The Chumash natives resided near and around the Los Angeles Basin, and Acjachemen natives resided in Orange County. For ceremonies and other special occasions, people from all three tribes would gather at a special meeting place and village called Puvungna. It is known as the place where life began according to Tongva cosmology. 

The area of Puvungna used to extend beyond the Los Cerritos Wetlands to which it is associated today, allowing entrance to maritime travelers from the Pacific Ocean. After colonization, in 1950 during the development of the city of Long Beach, the City Council bought 320-acres of land that included the village Puvungna. The land bought was then used to establish California State University of Long Beach. 

Today, Puvungna is 22 acres of land protected under the National Register of Historical Places. Living descendants of the Tongva, Chumash, and Acjachemen natives still gather there today for ceremonies and celebration. They epitomize the cultural importance of Puvungna by bringing song and dance back to where life began.