The Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians, also known as the Kizh Nation, is suing Los Angeles County, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the nonprofit La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, saying the remains of their ancestors They were mistreated when they built the Mexican-American museum. in downtown Los Angeles
The Kizh Nation alleges in the lawsuit filed last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court that the defendants agreed to transfer human remains unearthed at Los Angeles First Cemetery in 2010 to wooden boxes that would be placed in individual graves according to Catholic rituals. .
Instead, the remains were placed in paper bags and in a single grave in the cemetery, which constitutes a “direct violation of the defendants' express promises and guarantees,” according to the complaint. Construction work in the plaza resulted in the “desecration” of more than 100 graves, the lawsuit claims.
Los Angeles County owns the land where the cemetery is located and La Plaza de Cultura y Artes is the museum that opened its doors in April 2011.
The plaza serves as a community center where Latin culture is celebrated through dance, music, exhibits and more. The Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians is the indigenous people of the Los Angeles Basin.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said in a statement that they had told Los Angeles County that the “remains must be treated with the utmost sensitivity and respect.”
Los Angeles County told The Times in a statement that the county “engaged in a well-documented public process to respectfully rebury remains discovered” during construction of the plaza.
