Today, Santa Monica marked Indigenous Peoples' Day with a significant celebration. The important event occurred earlier, on September 30, in the city's Annenberg Community Beach House. The Beach House, along with the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, hosted members of the Tongva community and reinstated a lost indigenous tradition to Southern California according to the City of Santa Monica.
Infamously remembered for its Spanish colonization in the 1700s, Santa Monica is actually situated on Tovaangar, unceded land traditionally occupied by the Tongva people. This history saw impactful changes, as Tongva individuals were forcibly removed from their homelands and pressured into servitude. Today, roughly 1,500 people across Southern California and the globe identify as Tongva, working to revive their nearly extinguished culture and religion.
To do this, Tongva artist and Santa Monica local L Frank Manriquez embarked on a reconstruction of the ti’aat — a traditional Tongva canoe. The ti’aat, named "iitar" (coyote), was used for various purposes including family visits and trade. Manriquez and other community members built the vessel by hand and can be viewed at this link.
Last month, after the canoe was tested in expeditions with tribal communities in Washington State, the 19.5-foot 'iitar with its Tongva crew embarked on its first journey in the waters of Tovaangar since colonization. This poignant launch saw the ti'aat and crew set off into Santa Monica waters, connecting with their age-old ways. The crew then safely returned, successfully ushering back a time-old practice.
The indigenous tradition's revival was a successful collaboration of the Tongva community, the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, and the city of Santa Monica. These efforts were cheered on by Nan Friedman, venue manager for the Annenberg Community Beach House, who referred to the ti'aat's first voyage as a "deeply significant journey."
The event was not only a success, but it sparked interest for future ti'aat expeditions. Suggestion of travelling to Pimu (Catalina) was met with excitement, exemplifying the City and the Conservancy’s commitment to continued partnerships.
