Tongva facts for kids

The Tongva (TONG-vuh) are the indigenous people of the place now known as Southern California. Their original land includes Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Channel Islands. The Tongva are also known as the Gabrieleño and Fernandeño people based on the missions of San Gabriel and San Fernando built on their land in the 1700s by the Spanish.

Name

The word Tongva comes from the word Toviscangna, which is a Tongva village located near Mission San Gabriel. However, the Tongva call themselves Kizh (keech).

History

The Tongva were forced onto Spanish missionaries to learn about Christianity and the European lifestyle.

Culture

The Tongva hunted, fished, and gathered food. They liked to eat acorns. They would mash the acorns and then process it so that it would taste better.

Language

The Tongva once spoke the Tongva language but most of them now speak English and Spanish. However, they are trying to use the Tongva language more. One way they are doing this is by having Tongva classes.

The Tongva language was the source of many place names in the Los Angeles region. Some of these places are: Topanga, Tujunga, Cucamonga, etc.

Images for kids

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  A bench with the name Tongva on it.

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  Photograph of a Mission Indian (Gabrieleño) woman filling a granary with acorns, ca.1898

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  It is estimated that nearly 6,000 Tongva lie buried on the grounds of Mission San Gabriel from the mission period.

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  Sherman Indian School in Riverside (1910). Between 1890-1920, at least 50 Gabrieleño children were enrolled at this school on the recommendation of federal agents.

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  Te'aats, also referred to as tomols (Chumash), were widely used by the Tongva and were especially important for trade. A tomol pictured in 2015.

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  Chia (salvia columbariae) seeds are integral to the Tongva diet.

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  Tongva basket or bowl created in the late 19th or early 20th century

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  Eagle Rock adjacent to California State Route 134 (the Ventura Freeway)