Kuruvungna, meaning “a place where we are in the sun,” was a Tongva village located along natural springs in present-day Los Angeles. Today, the two-acre site is stewarded by the Gabrielino-Tongva Springs Foundation.
Members at the Contributing-level and above are invited for a tour of Kuruvungna Village Springs led by Bob Ramirez (Tongva), President of the Gabrielino-Tongva Springs Foundation. Among gardens and ponds, Ramirez will detail the history of the site, including a recent ecological restoration of the land, and plans for the future.
An invitation with event details will be emailed to members at the Contributing level ($200) and above. Memberships can be purchased or renewed online. If you would like to upgrade an existing membership, please contact the Membership Department at membership@moca.org.
About the Gabrielino-Tongva Springs Foundation
The Gabrielino-Tongva Springs Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established to preserve and protect the Kuruvungna Village Springs located at University High School in Los Angeles. The Foundation is dedicated to educating the public about the land and history of the Gabrielino-Tongva people. The site includes a cultural center that serves as a repository of artifacts, historical documents, photo collections, and other resources.
In 2021, the Foundation oversaw a restoration of Kuruvungna Village Springs. With volunteers and in-kind contributions from community members and local businesses, dead and invasive plants were replaced with hundreds of local native species. In addition, ponds were cleaned and gardens established by a solar powered irrigation system utilizing the spring water.
About New Landscapes
New Landscapes is a series of member events that underscores the work of artists, activists, and scholars committed to pressing ecological issues in Los Angeles and around the globe. Exploring varied responses to climate, conservation, and environmental justice, New Landscapes is guided by the mission of MOCA’s Environmental Council, the first sustainability council at a major arts museum in the United States. Recent programs in this series include off-site exhibition walkthroughs with artists Beatriz Cortez and Carl Cheng, tours of Metabolic Studio and The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, and a hands-on Bokashi composting workshop with Sustainable Little Tokyo.
New Landscapes is presented as part of an ongoing series of environmental programming in 2022 made possible by Nora McNeely Hurley and Manitou Fund, and guided by the work of the MOCA Environmental Council.
