L.A. County Hosts Indigenous People’s Day Celebrations Across Region
Multiple Indigenous People’s Day celebrations are scheduled throughout Los Angeles County this week, offering opportunities for cultural engagement and education.
Events include live music, storytelling, workshops, and nature walks, taking place at locations such as Tuxuunga Canyon in Tujunga, Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, and the San Dimas Canyon Nature Center. The 5th Tuxuunga Indigenous Peoples Day is scheduled for Sunday, October 12th, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 12400 Big Tujunga Canyon Road. Vasquez Rocks, the ancestral village of Mapipinga, will host a fireside gathering on Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. These celebrations come as communities increasingly recognize the historical and ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples.
San Dimas Canyon Nature Center will co-host events with the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians Gabrieleno/Tongva on October 15th and 17th, focusing on tribal history and native seed planting. The Stoneview Nature Center will collaborate with the Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians – Kizh Nation on October 18th, featuring a nature walk and drum circle. “Development of even a few of the property’s five legal lots could have spelled the end [for] all medium- and big-sized mammal species in the range between the Cahuenga Pass and Laurel Canyon,” according to a 2004 news release regarding the preservation of Briar Summit Open Space Preserve, a similar effort to protect Indigenous cultural landscapes. More information can be found on the event Instagram pages. For those interested in further exploring California’s Indigenous history, resources are available through the California Native American Heritage Commission.
Officials encourage attendees to be respectful of the land and the cultures being celebrated, and to learn more about the history and ongoing struggles of Indigenous communities. The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are currently considering plans to manage wild horse herds in the Mono Lake area, a debate highlighting the complex issues surrounding public land management, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Organizers will continue to share updates and details about the events in the coming days.
