Aquarium of the Pacific

Aquarium Event

Moompetam

Celebrating Coastal Native Americans

For the local coastal and island indigenous people, the ocean has always been an entity as sacred as Mother Earth. The culture of the Native Americans of the Southern California area was vastly influenced by the ocean environment along the Pacific coast, and thus reflected in all aspects of their cultures, technologies, and ways of life.

Join us for our annual Native American festival, Moompetam: Gathering of the Salt Water People, a celebration of indigenous California Indian maritime cultures, including Ajachemem, Chumash, Costanoan, Luiseño, and Tongva. Moompetam, which means “of the ocean” in Tongva, will feature traditional song and dance, craft demonstrations, educational programs, and storytelling.

This weekend celebration will feature traditional cultural crafts, storytelling and other educational programs, and live demonstrations, including music and dance celebrating the indigenous California Indian maritime cultures, including Ajachemen, Chumash, Costanoan, Luiseno, and Tongva peoples.

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