Kizh... “Home.” The original native people of Los Angeles continue to cherish their home and carry the responsibility of being a part of the Gabrielino-Tongva tribe. Cindi Alvitre is a tribal leader and the co-founder of the Mother Earth Clan. The clan is known for creating learning models for cultural and environmental education. Alvitre’s family built roots before America was ever America. After many years, the tribe gained recognition from the state of California in 1994. The land of Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Channel Islands have a different meaning to her.
To understand the Gabrielino-Tongva people is to throw away the traditional stereotypes of Native Americans. Misconceptions such as Native Americans being savages and the indigenous receiving special privileges are far from the truth. The Gabrielino-Tongva community are humans and live among cultures no different than others in this world. Their “privileges” are basic rights that were fought for to gain recognition. The people of the tribe want to be represented correctly in the natural cycle of human beings. Their thoughts reflect an emphasis on human creation being made last. Human beings were made last to not overpower natural creations but to take care of them.
Society had the role to not show and influence the Native American culture because of colonization. The intention and policy of the American government were to annihilate the Native American people to distinguish themselves. The Gabrielino-Tongva people had to choose whether to keep their own identity or lose their lives. To this day, people continue to share that trauma. Non-contributing Native Americans who are not federally recognized take on different identities such as light-skinned Native Americans who identify as white.
Acknowledging who the indigenous people of that land are and growing to continuously learn is what the tribe tries to instill within the public. Many people do not know that indigenous blood is in them. Despite Alvitre's Native American roots, her mother's family derives from Mexico. Their family was a part of colonization where they were dehumanized and removed from any connection to the culture. It led to people wanting to be disassociated because it was connected with poverty and discrimination. Alvitre was able to understand her Mexican identity within the indigenous tribe from curiosity, the want to learn and the approach to distinguish herself from that mindset of discrimination.
The representation throughout the years has evolved but as a society, there continues to be a long road ahead. Alvitre questions, “Is representation better than it was for my father and grandparents? … Yes. … Is it better? … No.” Every day the Gabrielino-Tongva educate people on Native American history and they believe they should not have to. “Every American should know the history of the country. Anybody who lives in this land should know that history didn't start at colonization and there is about seven to ten thousand years of history that preceded that.”
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