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EHRAC - ACTION ITEM: (1) Receive a Report From the Land Acknowledgement Ad Hoc Subcommittee; (2) Discuss and Determine Next Steps as Deemed Appropriate; and (3) If So Desired, Authorize Transmittal to the City Council.
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Meeting Date: August 27, 2024
Contact Person/Dept: Michelle Hamilton/Human Resources Department
Phone Number: 310-253-5640
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas- City Council (08/22/2024); (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas- Equity & Human Relations Advisory Committee (08/22/2024); (E-Mail) All City Staff (08/22/2024)
Department Approval: Dana Anderson, Human Resources Director (08/22/2024)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee (EHRAC): (1) Receive a report from the Land Acknowledgement Ad Hoc Subcommittee; (2) discuss and determine next steps as deemed appropriate; and (3) if so desired, authorize transmittal to the City Council.
BACKGROUND
According to the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian, “a land acknowledgement is a traditional custom that dates back centuries in many Native nations and communities. Today, land acknowledgements are used by Native Peoples and non-Natives to recognize Indigenous Peoples who are the original stewards of the lands on which we now live.”
At the March 27, 2023, City Council Meeting, Vice Mayor McMorrin received City Council consensus from Council Members O’Brien and Puza to agendize consideration of making a formal land acknowledgement to the original Gabrieleño Tongva Indians at the beginning of each City Council meeting.
At the December 11, 2023, City Council Meeting, staff presented Land Acknowledgement Statements from the County of Los Angeles, the City of Sacramento, and the City of West Hollywood for consideration as well as a proposed the below City of Culver City Land Acknowledgement statement (Attachment 5):
“We acknowledge that Culver City is included in the region of the ancestral and traditional lands of the Gabrieleño Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, who historically inhabited present day Culver City and the region. We honor their connection to this region and give thanks for the opportunity to live, work and learn on their traditional homeland.”
The City Council expressed appreciation for the work done by staff, but also the feeling that additional community engagement, work with EHRAC, outreach to tribal organizations for feedback, examination of verbiage, and ensuring that the original inhabitants are being properly honored was still needed.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding allowing time for feedback from the Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee, as well as outreach to, and meaningful engagement with, the Native and Indigenous peoples. The City Council unanimously adopted a motion to bring the item back for consideration after discussion with interested parties. (Attachment 4)
At the February 27, 2024, EHRAC Meeting, EHRAC discussed the proposed Land Acknowledgement Statement that was prepared and presented to Council on December 11, 2023. EHRAC Member Rebecca Rona-Tuttle submitted a report (Attachment 3) for ERHAC’s consideration.
EHRAC recommended the below Statement of Land Acknowledgement, which recognizes the role the Tongva People have played in this region, after a review of the report by Member Rona, which included her findings as a result of speaking with an individual who is part Native American and had served as a Board Member of the Gabrielino/Tongva Springs Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the mission of preserving the ancient village of Kuruvungna, including its renowned springs:
“We acknowledge that we are standing and living on ancestral Tongva land, which the Tongva People have inhabited for thousands of years.
The Tongva People are the traditional stewards of present-day Culver City, the Los Angeles Basin in general and the Southern Channel Islands.
The Tongva People did not cede, sell, or sign treaties against their land.
We thank the Tongva People for their stewardship of the land and for the opportunity to live, work and learn on their ancestral homeland.”
At the April 23, 2024, EHRAC Regular Meeting, Members heard feedback from Chairwoman Goad of the Gabrielino Tongva Nation and were given correspondence to review from Chairperson Salas of the Kizh Nation Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians. EHRAC members obtained consensus to create a Land Acknowledgement Ad Hoc Subcommittee and appoint Members Rebecca Rona, Haifaa Moammar, London McBride and Ifunanyachukwu Nweke thereto.
The Land Acknowledgement Ad Hoc Subcommittee was to explore further opportunities to garner feedback from the Los Angeles County Area Indigenous bands, missions, communities and/or tribes and make recommendations for revisions, edits and/or updates to the draft Land Acknowledgement Statement for EHRAC to review at EHRAC’s May 28, 2024, Special Meeting.
Research: The History of Indigenous People in Culver City
City staff conducted additional research on the history of Indigenous People in Culver City. According to the Culver City Historical Society, in 1769, King Carlos III of Spain mandated colonization of California. Further, in 1771, Mission San Gabriel was established; and at this time, local Native Americans are known as the Tongva, Gabrielinos, due to their proximity to the mission, or more recently the Kizh.
Additionally, on August 26, 1994, the Governor signed Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 96. As written, “this measure would recognize the Gabrielinos as the aboriginal Tribe of the Los Angeles Basin and would memorialize the President and Congress to give similar recognition to the Gabrielinos.”
On December 19, 2023, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) introduced House Resolution (H.R). 6859, the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation Recognition Act, to federally recognize the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation whose villages were located in the Los Angeles Basin for thousands of years.
Research: Land Acknowledgement Statements from other Municipalities
Research on Land Acknowledgment Statements by staff also includes compiled examples of Land Acknowledgement Statements as listed below from surrounding counties and cities:
The County of Los Angeles
“The County of Los Angeles recognizes that we occupy land originally and still inhabited and cared for by the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples. We honor and pay respect to their elders and descendants - past, present, and emerging - as they continue their stewardship of these lands and waters. We acknowledge that settler colonization resulted in land seizure, disease, subjugation, slavery, relocation, broken promises, genocide, and multigenerational trauma. This acknowledgement demonstrates our responsibility and commitment to truth, healing, and reconciliation and to elevating the stories, culture, and community of the original inhabitants of Los Angeles County. We are grateful to have the opportunity to live and work on these ancestral lands. We are dedicated to growing and sustaining relationships with Native peoples and local tribal governments, including (in no particular order) the:
Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians
Gabrieleño Tongva Indians of California Tribal Council
Gabrieleño/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians
Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians - Kizh Nation
San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
San Fernando Band of Mission Indians”
City of Sacramento
“Please rise for the opening acknowledgements in honor of Sacramento’s Indigenous People and Tribal Lands. To the original people of this land. The Nisenan people, The Southern Maidu, Valley, and Plains Miwok, Patwin Wintun peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento’s only Federally recognized Tribe. May we acknowledge and honor the Native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather together today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento’s Indigenous People’s history, contributions, and lives. Thank you.”
City of West Hollywood
The West Hollywood City Council adopted three land acknowledgement statements, as follows:
1. “I would like to start this meeting by acknowledging that this meeting is taking place on the ancestral, and unceded territory of the Gabrieleño Tongva and Gabrieleño Kizh peoples. The Tongva and Kizh peoples are the traditional caretakers of Tovaangar, which includes Los Angeles County, Riverside County, West San Bernardino County, parts of Orange County, and the four Southern Channel Islands.”
2. “I want to respectfully acknowledge the Gabrieleño Tongva and Gabrieleño Kizh peoples who have stewarded this land that is currently known as the City of West Hollywood throughout the generations, and we pay respect to their elders, past and present.”
3. “We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather and that is currently known as the City of West Hollywood is the occupied, unceded, seized territory of the Gabrieleño Tongva and Gabrieleño Kizh peoples.”
All the aforementioned statements are read at the beginning of their respective City Council and Board of Supervisors meetings.
Outreach
To gather feedback and conduct outreach, staff emailed EHRAC’s draft of the Statement of Land Acknowledgment (shown above), as approved by EHRAC at its February 27, 2024, Meeting, to the following list of Tribes that are listed on the Los Angeles County Native American Heritage Commission Native American Contact List:
• Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians - Kizh Nation
• Gabrieleno / Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians
• Gabrielino / Tongva Nation
• Gabrielino Tongva Indians of California Tribal Council
• Gabrielino Tongva Tribe
Staff received a response from the chairperson of the Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians - Kizh Nation. In an effort to generate more feedback and expand outreach efforts on March 26, 2024, staff sent invitations to the Tribal Representatives listed on the Los Angeles County Native American Heritage Commission Native American Contact List to participate in public comment/e-comment on this item at the EHRAC, April 23, 2024, regular meeting.
In response to the invitation, staff received feedback from the Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians and the Gabrielino Tongva Nation. At the April 23, 2024, Regular Meeting, Members received public comment from the Chairwoman of the Gabrielino Tongva Nation.
As a result of the public comment and email correspondence received, EHRAC achieved consensus at the April 23, 2024, Regular Meeting, to create a Land Acknowledgement Ad Hoc Subcommittee and appoint Members Rona, Moammar, McBride and Nweke thereto.
At the May 28, 2024, Special Meeting the Land Acknowledgement shared its report (Attachment 1) and findings with EHRAC to explore further opportunities to garner feedback from the Los Angeles County Area Indigenous bands, missions, communities and/or tribes, and make recommendations for revisions, edits, and/or updates to the draft Land Acknowledgement Statement. The Land Acknowledgement Ad Hoc Subcommittee requested that staff approach the City Manager’s Office staff to request additional time to properly conduct outreach to Culver City Local Indigenous communities.
The Land Acknowledgement Ad Hoc Subcommittee further requested and was subsequently provided the responses to previous inquiries requesting clarification and the contact information for the tribes referenced in communications on July 23, 2024.
At the July 23, 2024, Regular Meeting, EHRAC achieved consensus to hear a report from the Land Acknowledgment Ad Hoc Subcommittee.
DISCUSSION
Review and discuss the Land Acknowledgement Ad Hoc Subcommittee’s outreach efforts and responses, research, findings, process, and recommendations regarding a Culver City Land Acknowledgement statement.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There are no costs associated with discussion of this item.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2024-05-28_ATT1_EHRAC Land Acknowledgement Ad Hoc Subcommittee Report_05172024
2. 2024-04-23_ATT2_ERHAC Staff Report_2024-04-23
3. 2024-04-23_ATT3_EHRAC Member Rona-Tuttle Report_02192024
4. 2024-04-23_ATT4_CC Approved Meeting Minutes_2023-12-11
5. 2024-04-23_ATT5_CC Staff Report Land Acknowledgement_2023-12-11
MOTION
That the Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee:
(1) Receive a report from the Land Acknowledgement Ad Hoc Subcommittee;
(2) Discuss and determine next steps as deemed appropriate; and
(3) If so desired, authorize transmittal to the City Council.