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Land Acknowledgment

A land acknowledgment is simply the act of paying homage to the native peoples who inhabited the land before us. In recognizing and acknowledging native land, we show respect for the indigenous cultures that once inhabited the land we now stand on, and often, that still do. -North Western University

The PLACE project recognizes and acknowledges the first people of this ancestral and unceded territory of Tochonanga and Chaguayanga (Newhall, Valencia, Castaic) that is now occupied by us; honors their elders, past and present, and the descendants who are citizens of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. We recognize that the Tribe is still here and we are committed to lifting up their stories, culture, and community.

Tataviam Tribe Goals:

Federal Acknowledgement of Indian Tribes

Members of Federal recognition team: 

  • Dr. Duane Champagne, Professor of Law, Sociology and American Indian Studies at UCLA 

  • Vice-Chancellor Carole Goldberg, Indian Law and Order Commissioner appointed by President Barack Obama and distinguished UCLA Professor of Law at UCLA since 1972.

For phase updates click here 

Obtaining Land that once belonged to their people

Tataviam Leaders:

  • Tribal Captain (chief): Rudy Ortega

  • Spiritual Advisor: Alan Salazar

  Video about Tataviam Land

 
   Tataviam meaning:  
  • The people facing the sun

Culture:

  • Beliefs/Religion/Traditions: 

  • Nature-based Animism

  • South American Shamanism

  • Honoring Ancestors

  • Art

Recommended websites to explore:​

Story Map

“There are several criteria a tribe must meet to gain federal recognition, and in my opinion, the Tataviam fulfill all of them," Andrews said. In fact, he said, the Tataviam signed a treaty with the U.S. government in the 1850s, as did several other California tribes. Those treaties ultimately were not ratified, but that was from bad-faith actions by state and federal officials who did not want the sovereignty of those tribes recognized. Congress was not given the opportunity to ratify those treaties, as it should have been, he said. "Recognizing the Tataviam now would help correct that injustice from long ago."-CSUN AIS Director Scott Andrews

Recommended Reading

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