The TTPC is a recently formed Tongva-led 501 C 3 organization whose mission is to manage ancestral lands in the greater Los Angeles area (Tovaangar) through land stewardship, cultural revitalization, and ecosystem restoration, with the goals of reclaiming land for the Tongva people, fostering community, practicing traditional ceremonies, establishing a Native archive, and rematriating the land for our people.
After almost 200 years of having our land stolen by colonial invaders, we steward Huhuunga (Place of the Bears) in Altadena, a one acre property under repair from the Eaton Fire and adjacent to Eaton Canyon. Through webinars and social media we serve a vibrant global community of Tongva, Kuuy (Guests) and followers.
Environmental justice for TTPC means stewarding Huhuungna—one acre beside Eaton Canyon—by Tongva, for Tongva. We’ve held the land three years, removed invasives, stabilized soils, and built the ceremonial circle. The heavy lift now: raise funds to finish land restoration and construct an ADU for a Tongva culture bearer/artist-in-residence, an archive, community center, administrative offices, and an outdoor education center—while ensuring safe, regular ceremonial access. As a non-federally recognized tribe, multi-group community, cohesion and capacity remain challenges. Funding Huhuungna ensures Tongva families, elders, and youth can pray, teach language, practice TEK, and steward this place for generations.
TTPC’s EJ Ready strategy builds durable Tongva stewardship at Huhuungna through sequenced phases. In Phase 0–1 we acquired the acre, cleared junk/invasives, stabilized post–Eaton Fire soils, removed debris with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, built the ceremonial circle, and secured a board-approved master plan (Schmidt Design Group; Hubbell & Hubbell). Phase 2 (next 24 months) centers on the appointment of a permanent Executive Director, continues programs such as webinars and higher ed partnerships, finalizes design and permitting, constructs ADU, archive, community center/kitchens, administrative offices, outdoor education center, and appoints a permanent Executive Director while expanding the board. Phase 3 (24–36 months) scales operations and partners with LA County/Eaton Canyon on hiker access and native-plant germination. Engagement includes a Centric Marketing community survey and TEK webinars. Partners: Civic Communities; public funders Rivers & Mountains Conservancy (RMC) and Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB); also: Greenlining the Block, Occidental College; Cal Poly Pomona.
Outcome highlights: 200 volunteers stabilized one acre, cleared two fire-destroyed structures, and built a ceremonial circle. In September, 75 Tongva expected for the Autumnal Equinox—the first celebration on Tongva-controlled land in ~180 years. In recent decades, ceremonies were held on rented sites where landlords banned fire and required observers, eroding privacy and sanctity. Elders directed us to build Huhuungna so ceremony could be safe, continue for generations, and Tongva culture would not be lost.
Support a culture rooted millennia before Los Angeles. Gifts of any size provide annual operating support as well as the capital to complete Huhuungna’s gardens, community center, kitchen, IT/digital archive, culture-bearer housing, and ceremonial spaces—and seed an endowment for TEK programs, archives, and land care—so that Tongva ceremony and learning endure in perpetuity.