Long before Orange County came to be, several indigenous tribes inhabited the area, from the beach to the mountains.
Some descendants of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, also known as the Acjachemen Nation, still call Orange County home, and Irvine leaders seek to honor their culture by establishing a mock village within the city.
The mock village would resemble what the tribal members lived in and could showcase structures that the Acjachemen used as shelter. It could include a small amphitheater to display the history of the people, said Councilmember Kathleen Treseder, who pitched the idea.
City leaders are looking to the Putuidem Village in San Juan Capistrano as inspiration.
Opening in late 2021 — following years of planning and delays, partly due to the pandemic — the 1.5-acre San Juan Capistrano park was built on a portion of an original tribal village inhabited by the Acjachemen people, the city’s first residents. It includes an amphitheater area with boulders and log seats, a trail and various depictions of the Acjachemen way of life, including ramadas (a shade structure), kiichas (a thatch home) and manos (a ground stone tool).
“I imagine our village will be something like that,” said Treseder.
Calling a mock village a benefit for Irvine, Treseder added: “It will provide a space in our community for ceremonies, demonstrations, field trips and educational events as we honor, remember and continuously learn about our history and its people.”
Heidi Lucero, who chairs a faction known as Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation 84A, said the Putuidem Village is a great example of what a village in Irvine could look like.
The Putuidem Village is regularly used by the tribal community to hold various ceremonies as well as students who visit as part of their tour of Mission San Juan Capistrano, Lucero said.
“It should be a representation of a traditional village, more than just a place setting,” said Lucero. “Have…
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