Indigenous peoples have lived in coastal
southern California for at least 10,000 years. Over the centuries, several
successive cultures inhabited the present-day area of Long Beach. By the time
Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century, the dominant groups were the
Tongva people. They had at least three major settlements within the present-day
city boundaries. Tevaaxa'anga was an inland settlement near the Los Angeles
River, while Ahwaanga and Povuu'nga were coastal villages. Along with other
Tongva villages, they were forced to relocate in the mid-19th century due to
missionization, political
