The Story of a Land Return
The story of this land, our land, goes back to the beginning of time. Our land return is on our ancestral village site of Siban'gna.

The history of the buildings and our people dates to the 1940s. When the space was known as La Casa, it was a home for our ancestors and current members of our community and their descendants. This space was a place of love and community, with sports teams, enchilada dinners, jobs, preschool, food, and so much more. It was a beacon of love and connection, where people came together to live and support one another.

In the 1980s, this space became our tribal office. We rented a location off of El Monte Road where we held tribal meetings and worked to serve our First People community with the Community Block Grant for over 25 years. This space has been the home of our tribal office for more than four decades.

The return of this lovely space to our community was a miracle. The land, which was previously owned by the Presbytery of San Gabriel, was transferred in a deed to our nonprofit for no cost. This marks the first time in centuries that a piece of
our ancestral territory has been returned to us.

We are the historic tribe of the greater Los Angeles, Orange County, and the four Southern Channel Islands. Our intention for this space is for it to serve as a home for future generations, a place where we can gather, share, learn, and be in community.

Because people in the Presbytery of San Gabriel said yes, we are able to live out what is possible. We are here, and now we are acknowledged more.

To support our efforts at Siban’gna, please donate at: