Nicholas Galanin’s “Never Forget” art installation, part of Desert X outside Palm Springs, California, in 2021.
Each year, since 1995, Red Nation Celebration Institute’s board members, founder, and Tongva Elders recognize in person before each program, each screening, each ceremony including RNCI Red Nation Awards a public statement acknowledge of the Keepers of this Land, The Tongva Indigenous people of Los Angeles. RNCI is honored to be welcomed each year by Tongva elders and hold sacred the Tongva peoples for allowing us to be on their traditional land and for their continued presence and immense contributions to history, culture and tradition.” – Joanelle Romero a citizen of Mescalero-Chiricahua Apache, Dinétah, Paiute Nations and is SpanishSephardic. A relative of Pawnee, Pojoaque, Southern Ute, Lakota and Iroquois. A actor/award-winning director/founder of Red Nation Celebration Institute.
Tongva Acknowledgement | Revised June 2018
Written by Tongva council member Julia Bogany (In Memorial -July 16, 1948 – March 28, 2021)
I am your daughter when the moon becomes round. On this Full moon we are in prayer with our beautiful wisdom keeper who traveled home today – March 28, 2021, our dear Elder Julia Botany, Tongva elder who is now an ancestor, was an amazing woman, her wisdom we will carry, her enthusiasm for life and her mission and her care and support as a Red Nation Celebration Institute Board member is cherished now and beyond.
We
The Indigenous people
The Traditional caretakers of this landscape are the direct descendants of the First People who formed our lands, our worlds during Creation time.
We have always been here.
They prepared and became the landscape and worlds for the coming of humans with order/knowledge and Gifts embedded in the landscape.
From our ancestors, we were imbued the responsibility and obligation to our original instructions, guided by protocol and etiquette;
To be a part of, take care of and ensure the welfare of the extended family and community;
Defined in its most inclusive expression, the NATURE
And to pass on those teachings and responsibilities onto our children and grand children
(And to all those that now live here).
