THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES OF PIMUNGNA
Pimungna, also known as Santa Catalina Island, is home to over 60 endemic species of plants, birds, and mammals. Although 88% of the island is a nature reserve, the population of Pimungna is over 4,000 people who reside in Avalon, the east end of the island. Before Pimungna became a tourist destination, it was and continues to be home to Indigenous Nations that relied on the resources on the island to survive. Pimungna is the original homeland of the Gabrielino-Shoshone, Acjachemen (Juaneño), and Payómkawichum (Luiseño). These communities have ancestral knowledge about different plants that could be used for food, medicine, and other items.
Pimungna, also known as Santa Catalina Island, is home to over 60 endemic species of plants, birds, and mammals. Although 88% of the island is a nature reserve, the population of Pimungna is over 4,000 people who reside in Avalon, the east end of the island. Before Pimungna became a tourist destination, it was and continues to be home to Indigenous Nations that relied on the resources on the island to survive. Pimungna is the original homeland of the Gabrielino-Shoshone, Acjachemen (Juaneño), and Payómkawichum (Luiseño). These communities have ancestral knowledge about different plants that could be used for food, medicine, and other items.
WHO WE ARE
We are a group of sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Anahuacalmecac collectively working on Indigenous environmental science that focuses on recognizing native and endemic plants in Pimungna, through the IndigeNations Summer Program. Our research is in collaboration with the Gabrielino-Shoshone Nation of Southern California.
We are a group of sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Anahuacalmecac collectively working on Indigenous environmental science that focuses on recognizing native and endemic plants in Pimungna, through the IndigeNations Summer Program. Our research is in collaboration with the Gabrielino-Shoshone Nation of Southern California.
Terrestrial ecology members from left to right: Marlene Garcia, Miriam Cajero, Kai Che, Axayacatzi Kuauhtzin, Bertha Flores, Ms. Ary Amaya, Yoncarlos Lopez. Not shown: Phtographer Mr. Alvarado.
OUR GOAL
Our goal was to study how vegetation health and richness have changed overtime. This is important to understand because we want to see how these changes have impacted the ecosystems and wildlife on Pimungna. In order to test our hypothesis that vegetation health and richness is decreasing due to tourism and mismanagement, we will be using remote sensing and collecting species richness data on the different native, and non-native plants. Our research not only demonstrated the changes of vegetation health and richness over time, but also focused on the historical impacts on the Indigenous communities of Pimungna. This research will be conducted in collaboration with the Gabrielino-Shoshone tribal council. This study was conducted at Fisherman’s Cove at Pimungna also known as Santa Catalina Island.