We are on Kizh Nation land

What we call Fullerton today, is originally part of KIZH Nation (pronounced Keech), recognized as Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians - Kizh Nation. I Love Fullerton acknowledges our presence on the ancestral and unceded territory of the KIZH Nation people. Indigenous stewardship and rightful claims to these lands have never been voluntarily relinquished nor legally extinguished.

Acknowledging the land we live on now, gives us understanding of our history and helps us analyze the present, in turn creating a better tomorrow. The phrase “loyal to our soil” supports the pathos of the KIZH name, and I Love Fullerton pays respect to all our relatives/relations past, present, and emerging.

For thousands of years Indigenous people have cared for — and lived harmonious with — this land. It was the arrival of the Spanish missionaries that the KIZH people’s language, ceremony, culture, and sovereignty were slowly taken away. To acknowledge the original inhabitants of this land, we recognize that colonialism is still ongoing. When we find gratitude for these original stewards, we realize we are visitors, not owners, being hosted by this land. This authenticity grants all people as children of Earth and Sky.

John Trudell exclaims, “The past is more than a memory.” All that has come before is within us. “The Authentic” decal was made to celebrate the resilience of the KIZH people, who are still here. We have much to learn from Indigenous ways.

 

Please learn more by visiting www.gabrielenoindians.org. Search more about Indigenous ways, and seek to honor these ways in our current state. By opposing the current colonial views on development, management, and community, we can see a promising future for the land we call Fullerton, and beyond. Our ancestors are speaking clearly now, and our children depend on us listening.

Get I Love Fullerton's "The Authentic" decal, We are on Kizh Nation land  and start the conversation!