The Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation – Belardes, and California Cultural Preservation Alliance, Inc. filed their opening brief in their lawsuit against CSULB on March 12, 2021.
The lawsuit was originally filed last year in 2020 but legal proceedings took a pause amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is claimed that there is violation in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by dumping construction dirt on Puvungna land; a historic and sacred Native American site.
This is not the first time the university has had a struggle coming into an agreement with the tribes who use Puvungna land. There are many instances where the university tried to build or cover the site.
Rebecca Robles, the Acjachemen Tribal Cultural Bearer of the Juaneño Band Mission of Indians, said, “Puvungna is a very important part of my life and my family’s life … my mother, father, and brother were very involved in the last time the university wanted to develop a mini-mall on this site.”
By dumping the dirt and debris on Puvungna, which holds historical, cultural, and religious significance to tribes who use the site; tribes have been pushed to do anything they can to protect this land.
“It is imperative for us to have a place to go back, to have a place to go back, to remember who we are as human beings, who we are as tribal people, and who we are as a community,” said Robles.
Additionally, the university did not speak or inform the Tribe that they were going to dump dirt and debris on the site.
Matias Belardes, Chairman of the Tribal Council of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation, said, “We feel that Long Beach has broken the laws that protect that site from desecration and development.”
“We feel that Long Beach dumping the dirt on there has been a precursor for development; and ultimate development, that’s why we brought in the lawsuit,” said Belardes.
The goal of the lawsuit is to not only have CSULB restore the sacred site and remove all the dirt and debris, but also to have a legally-binding agreement to permanently protect Puvungna.
“We have a connection with this land as tribal people, as Californians,” said Rebecca Robles, “We feel that it is our responsibility to protect it and to take care of it for future generations.”
The Tribes urge the public to call and email CSU Chancellor Joseph Castro and Board of Trustees Chair Lillian Kimbell asking to restore and protect Puvungna permanently.
For more information, visit @protectpuvungna on instagram.