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, claiming the remains of their ancestors were treated poorly during the construction of 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 from Los Angeles’ First Cemetery in 2010 into wooden crates that would be placed in individual graves in accordance with Catholic rituals. .
The remains were placed in paper bags and in a single grave in the cemetery, which constitutes a “direct violation of Defendants’ express promises and assurances,” according to the complaint. Construction work on the square resulted in the “desecration” of more than 100 graves, the complaint states.
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles is responsible for the cemetery; LA County owns the land where the cemetery is located and La Plaza de Cultura y Artes is the museum which opened in April 2011.
The plaza serves as a community center where Latinx culture is celebrated through dance, music, exhibits and more. The Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians are the indigenous people of the Los Angeles Basin.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said in a statement to the Los Angeles Daily News that it told LA County that “the remains should be treated with the greatest sensitivity and respect.”
LA County told the outlet that the county “engaged in a well-documented public process to respectfully reinter the remains discovered” during the plaza’s construction.
The agencies did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Monday.
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