From: http://www.westbluffs.com/indians.html


The Gabrielino-Tongva Nation dwelt peaceably in the Los Angeles Basin and the offshore islands for thousands of years before the arrival of the Europeans. They spoke an Uto-Aztecan based language shared by the Shoshone and enjoyed a highly developed culture. In the first recorded contact between this tribe and the Europeans in 1542, the tribesmen launched their seaworthy plank canoes (Ti'ats) from Catalina Island (Pimu) to meet Cabrillo's arrival.

The Ballona West Bluff was home to a thriving Gabrielino-Tongva village called Saa'ang-na. Na means village or place. Saat is their word for tar deposit. Tar that naturally secreted to the surface was used in a variety of ways, including the sealing of baskets for waterproofing. Standing on this site today, it is very easy to understand why they chose it for a village. It is a serene and beautiful location with commanding views of the Pacific Ocean, the Santa Monica Mountains twenty miles away, the San Gabriel Mountains, and on smog-free days, Old Baldy 75 miles to the east.

Long before Catellus acquired title to the Bluff, academic archeologists had confirmed the discovery of middens and the archeological detritus of a long-established rancheria. Arrow heads, mortars and pestles, jewelry, and human remains had been uncovered at the Bluff.

Catellus' archeological grading has been undertaken with bulldozers.

Its bulldozers have unearthed the remains of 14 Native American ancestors, including a complete cadaver. Rather than leaving the finds in the ground, Catellus dumped the human remains and artifacts into buckets. It is reported that the remains and finds were transported to storage facilities in Riverside County.

Many in the community feel that this treatment demonstrates a lack of respect for the sacred site. Many people believe that that Catellus' huge earthmoving machines have broken or destroyed many more remains and artifacts. Furthermore, many believe that the great mounds formed by the grading equipment contain still more remains and artifacts, and that the contemplated hauling away of these mounds will eradicate the objects contained within them.