Tongva Tribe Responds to Billie Eilish’s “Stolen Land” Comments: Urges Direct Acknowledgment

The Native American tribe that owns the land beneath Billie Eilish’s Los Angeles mansion has weighed in on the pop star’s recent Grammy speech, urging celebrities to directly reference tribes if they want to highlight Indigenous issues

Eilish, 24, used her acceptance speech to criticize ICE and proclaim that “no one is illegal on stolen land.” Her $3 million Los Angeles home sits on ancestral Tongva land, prompting the tribe to speak out.

“We appreciate when public figures bring attention to the true history of this country,” a Tongva spokesperson told the Daily Mail. “However, Ms. Eilish has not contacted our tribe directly regarding her property. In future discussions, we hope the tribe can be explicitly referenced so the public understands that the Los Angeles Basin remains Gabrieleno Tongva territory.”

While the tribe expressed appreciation for Eilish’s sentiment, her comments drew widespread criticism on social media. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis mocked the pop star, writing, “Maybe she should step up and forfeit her Southern California mansion since it is supposedly on ‘stolen land.’”

Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) also weighed in, saying, “Any white person who does a public ‘stolen land’ acknowledgement should immediately give his or her land to Native Americans. Otherwise, they don’t mean it.”

Independent journalist Manny Marotta highlighted the financial disparity, tweeting, “A gentle reminder that Billie Eilish, worth $50 million, has given $0 to the original inhabitants of this ‘stolen land.’”

The Tongva are widely recognized as the original inhabitants of the Los Angeles Basin, and their message underscores the importance of giving proper credit and acknowledgment when referencing Indigenous lands in public statements.