Moompetam American Indian Festival
100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802
September 10, 2023 - September 10, 2023
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Moompetam American Indian Festival
The Moompetam American Indian Festival celebrates indigenous California maritime cultures and their connections to the ocean and environment and includes storytelling, music, dance, cultural craft demonstrations, and an award ceremony. The festival takes place on the weekend of September 9-10 at the Aquarium of the Pacific.In celebration of the local American Indian cultures, the Aquarium will host its nineteenth annual Moompetam Festival. This celebration features traditional cultural craft demonstrations, storytelling, music, and dance. The festival celebrates indigenous California maritime cultures, including Tongva, Chumash, Acjachemen, Costanoan, Luiseno, and Kumeyaay.
Moompetam (pronounced \’mohm peh tahm\), meaning “People of the Ocean,” is derived from the word for saltwater in the Tongva language. For the California indigenous coastal peoples, the ocean has always been a sacred entity. The ocean environment is reflected in all aspects of the cultures of the California coastal tribes, who have maintained strong connections to the ocean for hundreds of years and into modern times. COST: Included with general admission: $44.95 per adult (ages 12+), $29.95 per child (ages 3-11), $41.95 per senior (ages 62+), and free for Aquarium members and children under age three / Advance reservations required RSVP/INFO: aquariumofpacific.org/events/