A Native American tribe with ancestral ties to land in the Los Angeles Basin — including areas beneath the multimillion-dollar mansion owned by Billie Eilish — has delivered a pointed response after the pop star’s Grammys remarks reignited debate over land acknowledgments and celebrity activism.
The Indigenous inhabitants of the region, often referred to as the “First Angelenos,” said they appreciated the general sentiment behind comments by Billie Eilish but stressed that symbolism alone is not enough. Tribal representatives noted that the singer has never contacted them directly and said future acknowledgments should explicitly reference the people whose land is being discussed.
Hollywood elites applaud for the quiet part out loud. Billie Eilish tonight at the Grammy Awards said ‘No one is illegal on stolen land.’ So a nation of no laws I guess? If you can’t be illegal I mean, free for all? F— Billie Eilish, f— the Grammys and f— the pompous,… pic.twitter.com/8xOYn0XQEc
— Royce White 🇺🇸 (@Highway_30) February 2, 2026
A spokesperson for the Tongva people addressed the issue directly. “Eilish has not contacted our tribe directly regarding her property, we do value the instance when public figures provide visibility to the true history of this country,” the Tongva spokesperson told the Daily Mail. The spokesperson added, “It is our hope that in future discussions, the tribe can explicitly be referenced to ensure the public understands that the greater Los Angeles Basin remains Gabrieleno Tongva territory.”
The Los Angeles region was historically home to several Indigenous nations long before European or American settlement, including the Tongva, as well as neighboring groups such as the Chumash, Tataviam and Serrano. These tribes maintained defined territories, hunting grounds and trade networks, and while they often cooperated through trade and diplomacy, historians note there were occasional conflicts or skirmishes over land boundaries, water access and seasonal resources. Those systems were later dismantled through colonization, forced relocation and land seizure.
Eilish’s remarks quickly sparked political backlash, with critics questioning whether public acknowledgments amount to anything more than performance. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded bluntly on X, writing, “Oh, gee, this ‘stolen land’ nonsense again? Maybe she should step up and forfeit her Southern California mansion since it is supposedly on ‘stolen land.’”
Billie Eilish’s $14,000,000 built on stolen American land in Los Angeles.
Billie Eilish should be illegal. pic.twitter.com/8vhDShuGmF
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) February 2, 2026
Utah Sen. Mike Lee echoed that sentiment, also posting about Billie Eilish on X, “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. Also, I’m pretty sure they don’t mean it.”
Independent journalist Manny Marotta added his own critique, writing on X, “A gentle reminder that Billie Eilish, worth $50 million, has given $0.00 to the original inhabitants of this ‘stolen land.’”
The Los Angeles Basin and surrounding Southern California region were home for thousands of years to Indigenous peoples long before Spanish or American settlement. The primary group historically associated with what is now Los Angeles County were the Gabrielino-Tongva people, also known simply as the Tongva or Kizh Nation. Their traditional territory — often called Tovaangar — covered more than 4,000 square miles encompassing the Los Angeles Basin, parts of Orange County, and the Southern Channel Islands, including Catalina. They lived in as many as 100 villages, forming highly organized communities with extensive trade networks and cultural systems long before European contact.
Billie Eilish said “F-ck Ice” last night but lives in a $14M mansion behind a wall.
Celebrities are so out of touch. 🥴 pic.twitter.com/nnq8GAWlcG
— DefiantOutlaw (@DefiantOutlawX) February 2, 2026
Spanish colonization in the late 18th century dramatically altered life in the region. The Tongva were enslaved or coerced into mission systems, especially at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel and Mission San Fernando Rey de España, disrupting their traditional society, exposing them to disease, forced labor and displacement, and seizing their land. Many descendants of the original people still reside in the region and continue to advocate for recognition and the return of ancestral territory.
In addition to the Tongva, several other Indigenous groups historically inhabited areas around the Los Angeles region. The Chumash people lived to the west along the coastal areas, extending into what are today Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties and occasionally interacting with local regions. The Tataviam and Fernandeño groups also lived on and around lands north of modern Los Angeles, including parts of the San Fernando Valley and the nearby mountains. Other tribes recognized in broader Los Angeles County acknowledgments include the Serrano and Kizh, and in nearby regions the Cahuilla and Luiseño; all of these nations had longstanding hunting grounds, villages and cultural ties to the lands later claimed by settlers.
Although these tribes were the original stewards of the land, Spanish, Mexican and American policies resulted in the widespread seizure of territory through missions, land grants and later settlement, leaving formal recognition and land rights unresolved for many groups. Today, descendants of these Indigenous nations continue to preserve their heritage, languages and sacred sites, and advocate for greater acknowledgment of their historical claims to the lands now occupied by Los Angeles and its suburbs
Tribal representatives emphasized they were not demanding that Eilish surrender her property, but said accuracy and specificity matter when public figures address Indigenous history. They argued that naming the people tied to the land helps educate the public and avoids reducing complex histories to slogans.
UPDATE: A man overseas Drew Pavlou says he’s now gaining momentum and financial support to move into Billie Eilish’s Malibu beachfront home.
He claims the effort is inspired by her public statements about borders, land, and legality – and says he’s simply applying the logic as… https://t.co/J9LpaeElbF pic.twitter.com/72Cyig2HPa
— Tony Lane 🇺🇸 (@TonyLaneNV) February 3, 2026
Billie Eilish has not publicly responded to the tribe’s comments or the criticism from political figures. There is still no word from the singer about her willingness to give the land her mansion sits upon, back to its original inhabitants.
The episode highlights the growing scrutiny surrounding celebrity land acknowledgments, which have become increasingly common at awards shows and public events. As the debate continues, tribal leaders say their message is straightforward: recognition should be rooted in facts, direct engagement and clarity about whose history is being referenced. Especially when the land in question is not theoretical, but lived on today…in some cases by the elite celebrities uttering the land acknowledgement to large applause by their wealthy peers, who may also live on “stolen land.”
