One of the horrible chapters in the establishment and growth of the
United States has been the genocide and robbery of the Native
Americans and the destruction of their cultures. If Cal State Long
Beach has its way, this brutal process will continue. It plans to
build a mini-mall on the last undeveloped fragment of the site of
Puvungna villages. This is a tiny part of a well-documented historic
and religious area of 500 acres on which Cal State at Long Beach
was built.
The Gabrielinos and neighboring tribes believed that Puvungna was
the birthplace of the god and lawgiver Chungishnish. It is said that
from this sacred area Chungishmish instructed his people. It is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For many years
community organic gardens on the site fittingly preserved respect
and reverence for the tradition. Recently, however, these were
bulldozed away and a chain-link fence was constructed to keep the
gardeners out pending the next stage of desecration.
The Harbor Greens will rally support for opposition to the CSLB
blatant disregard for the feelings of the relatively few Native
American survivors of an earlier holocaust at its meeting on Monday,
September 20, 1993 (Coast Federal Bank, 10th and Pacific,
San Pedro, 7:30 P.M.; entrance is on the 10th St. side). A temporary
restraining order, just issued, has stopped Cal State for the time
being but much more has to be done to insure that this will be made
permanent. Representatives from the Coalition to Save Puvungna
will attend. Jim Alvitre, a Native American, will give details on the
efforts to preserve this landmark of a culture different, and in many
ways wiser, from that which dominates today.
The public is cordially invited. Admission is free. For more
information about this meeting or the Harbor Greens in general,
phone Bob Long at 310-833-2633. The Harbor Greens meet every
third Monday of the month at the Coast Federal Bank and time
mentioned above.
* Origin: ONE WORLD Los Angeles 310-372-0987 32b (1:102/129)