Puvungna (also spelled Puvunga) is a sacred site with a rich history and cultural significance for the Tongva, Acjachemen and other Southern California tribes. For thousands of years, Puvungna was a village, a site of gathering, and believed to be the place of emergence of the world and the Tongva people.
The greater boundaries of the site extended from SE Long Beach, through the Los Cerritos Wetlands to the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, consistent with the CA Native American Heritage Commission’s listing of the Sacred Site of Puvungna.
The wetland ecosystem of this site supports a variety of wildlife, including marine life and migratory birds.
The most accessible and well-known part of Puvungna is located on the campus of Cal State University Long Beach (CSULB), and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 as Puvunga Village. Today, a variety of community events are held there to celebrate the land’s history and highlight the need for protection.
Despite the site’s cultural and ecological significance, Puvungna is at risk from oil drilling, illegal dumping and misguided “restoration” projects that are actually anything but. You can read more about these issues here.
Two indigenous-led organizations who are engaged in the protection and preservation of Puvungna are Friends of Puvungna and Puvunga Wetlands Protectors. Here are some details about each.
Friends of Puvungna
Friends of Puvungna is a grassroots organization created to preserve and restore the National Register Site of Puvunga located on the campus of CSULB.
They also hold ceremony, cultural gatherings and educational workshops to deepen connections to this land and raise awareness about the need for preservation and healing.
How to hear about events:
Friends of Puvungna has an email list signup (under ‘contact’), and you can follow them on Instagram at @protectpuvungna
How to support:
There’s a ‘donate’ button on the main Friends of Puvungna site.
Puvunga Wetlands Protectors
This organization protects the larger Puvunga site by monitoring development projects in the region and opposing, through legal action, those projects that harm tribal culture and the ecosystem.
How to support:
There’s a ‘donate’ button on the main Puvunga Wetlands Protectors site.
You can also read and share the educational resources listed on the Take Action page, and get involved through participating with ally organizations (listed on the same page).
*Thank you Anna C. for informing this post!