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NEW INDIAN NATION - Right in the heart of Los Angeles, a new bill in Congress could reshape how the city relates to its first people — history stretches back long before the city’s streets or buildings existed. Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove has put forward legislation that would give the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation the federal recognition they have been working toward for decades. For a people whose roots reach back long before the first streets or buildings, it would mark more than a legal change — it would be the best opportunity in decades to secure a place on the land that once belonged wholly to them.
With land held in trust, new opportunities could arise—initiatives that bring in income, strengthen their ability to manage their own affairs, and attract people from beyond the county. These initiatives, rooted in tribal authority, could protect cultural heritage even as they develop businesses suited to the present. They might include cultural centers that host exhibitions and performances or hospitality venues offering food, lodging, and a taste of the local character. Connections with nearby businesses could lead to markets or festivals that draw visitors throughout the year.
As part of a diverse economic plan, some may look into digital ventures. In this context, understanding what to look for in an online casino becomes important—examining how bonuses are structured, from deposit matches to free spins, and whether the terms are clear and fair. When woven into a broader plan, such ventures can help create steady income while keeping credibility intact and keeping decisions grounded in what the community sees as important.
The scope of these initiatives could reach far beyond immediate returns, It is within this broader vision that the provisions of H.R. 6859 take on their full meaning. Thoughtful use of trust land has the potential to create spaces where culture, livelihood, and local identity evolve together.
The bill, known as H.R. 6859, directs the Department of the Interior to take up to 300 acres in Los Angeles County into trust for the tribe. That step would do two things: establish a reservation for the Gabrielino/Tongva and allow the tribe to exercise the same rights and responsibilities as other federally recognized nations. It would also bring access to federal programs in housing, health, and education, alongside the authority to manage their cultural and natural resources.
California formally recognized the Gabrielino/Tongva in 1994, when California acknowledged the Gabrielino/Tongva as the aboriginal tribe of the Los Angeles Basin. Yet federal recognition has remained out of reach, blocked by a bureaucratic process that can drag on for decades. This bill bypasses that system. For the first time, the goal feels within reach.
The Gabrielino/Tongva story is older than the city’s skyline. Archaeological evidence—villages along the Los Angeles River, coastal sites stretching from Malibu to San Pedro, and the islands offshore—shows a civilization rooted in fishing, trade, and intricate craftsmanship. Today, most of those sites lie beneath roads, homes, and high-rises. Recognition would not return what was lost, but it would give the tribe the means to protect what remains.
For leaders within the Gabrielino/Tongva community, the bill is less about policy detail and more about recognition that has been denied for generations. Chairwoman Sandonne Goad has described it as the return of a voice long silenced. Backing has come from organized labor, civic groups, and elected officials who view the measure as an overdue matter of fairness. Beneath the formal language lies a straightforward point: those who cared for this land before Los Angeles took shape should have a hand in shaping what comes next.
The results could reach well past symbolic recognition. By placing land in trust under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the bill gives the tribe the authority to consider a casino project. No plans have been announced, but the idea has drawn interest. Across California, similar ventures have funded cultural programs, preserved languages, restored the environment, and built infrastructure. For the Gabrielino/Tongva, such a project could form part of a broader plan — creating jobs, building economic stability, and drawing visitors for both entertainment and the region’s living heritage.
Economic impact is not the only consideration. A reservation could become a cultural hub—a place where ceremonies are held in view of native plants, where stories are told in the language of ancestors, where history is not confined to museum glass. It would give Los Angeles a physical reminder of the people whose presence predates freeways and film studios.
H.R. 6859 is now with the House Committee on Natural Resources. If it progresses, it will go through the same political and procedural steps as any other bill in Congress. Even so, there’s a different undercurrent this time. Indigenous concerns have gained ground in public debate, and Los Angeles is starting to tell its history with a clearer view of its first people.
Los Angeles never stands still, but this moment isn’t about change for its own sake. It’s about shaping the future with a clear respect for the past. The Gabrielino/Tongva have seen their homeland transformed almost beyond recognition, yet their identity has held firm through every shift. Federal recognition would put that identity into law, giving them the authority to govern, protect their traditions, and pursue their own goals as part of the city’s story.
From outside the community, attention often falls on what can be seen — a reservation, new projects, shifts in the landscape. But the real change runs deeper: the recognition of their right to hold land and decide their future as a sovereign people. That is the base on which anything to come, whether cultural or economic, will rest.
Los Angeles has grown in layers — from Indigenous villages to colonial missions, railroad towns, neighbourhoods, and towers of glass and steel. Each era has left its own imprint. Recognising the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation would not erase those layers, but it would bring back one that has too often been left out. It would place their story where it belongs, as a visible and lasting part of the city.
The bill’s future is still uncertain, but it has already changed how people talk about the issue. In council chambers, at local events, and in small gatherings, a Gabrielino/Tongva reservation in Los Angeles County is now spoken of as a real possibility rather than a far-off idea. That shift in tone is progress in itself.
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