El Aliso

El Aliso was the grandest of all sycamore trees, measuring 60 feet high with a canopy spreading 200 feet wide. The original inhabitants of this area, the Kizh or Gabrieleño, were known as the People of the Willow Houses and have occupied this land for over 12,000 years. Their once peaceful life was forever changed by the California Mission era. This tree was always important in their history, serving as a site of worship, gathering, and prayer for the Kizh. Native leaders traveled from as far away as Yuma, Arizona to unite at this sacred site. This koo-nas-gna, or sacred burial place, is home to many Kizh burials, as it once stood at the center of one of the largest Kizh villages, Yangna, now known as Los Angeles. Although El Aliso is long gone, its significance to the Kizh is not forgotten, and oral history handed down through the generations has kept its beauty and story alive in the Kizh people.

Los Angeles, California · United States