We acknowledge the Tongva peoples as the traditional and rightful land caretakers of Tovaangar (Los Angeles Basin & Southern Channel Islands), upon which we reside and operate. We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Kizh/Tongva, and Acjachamen/Juaneño as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash to the central and southern coastal regions, and the Tataviam, Serrano, Luiseño, and Cahuilla Nations to the east and south.

We are Austronesian Filipino Visayan settlers of Hiligaynon (Pan-Ay, Capiz, and Iloilo, Panay) and Waray Waray (Zumarraga, Samar, and Tacloban City, Leyte) ethnolinguistic Indigenous Peoples from the islands to the east, including all Ancestral bloodlines (Ilokano, Kapampangan, Tagalog, Bikolano, Cordilleran, Chinese, Basque, European, Malagasy) that come from lands beyond the island groups of our most recent Ancestors. Our waters are the Pacific Ocean, the Sulu and Philippine Seas. Our mountains are Cordillera Central, along with our elder volcanoes Apo, Banahaw, and Canlaon, which gave birth to our Motherlands.

Being on stolen Tongva territory, we have the responsibility to take great care and respect of the place we now call home. It is a deep honor and privilege to tend to Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants, as we continue to decolonize spaces for healing and connection. We ask permission from the Ancient Ones of this land to do good work and make good medicine in a good way, so that we will always be in right relationship with Honuukvetam (Ancestors), in collaboration with our own Ninuno (Ancestors), Spirit Council of Elders, and all our relations across all dimensional realms of space and time.

We pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders), and ‘eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.

Madamo gid nga salamat sa lahat ng mga ninuno. Mula sa kamulikasan.