The Fernandeno Tataviam band of Mission Indians gathered on Monday morning, demanding that the city of San Fernando rename one of its main streets.

Tribal leaders say the city must honor the tribes that lived in the area and remove the name of city founder Charles Maclay, whose name adorns one of the city’s main streets — Maclay Avenue — along with several other facilities. They want the street renamed after tribal leader Rogerio Rocha, who suffered at the hands of Maclay in the late 1800s, according to the tribe.

“When I read the history of Maclay, that really broke my heart,” said San Fernando Mayor Sylvia Ballin. “I don’t’ understand why we would name a street, a building or a city after anyone who caused such atrocities to other people. That makes no sense to me.”

Elders in the Fernandeno Tatavian Band of Mission Indians, sing a native song at a press conference Monday in San Fernando. The tribe’s demand the name Charles Maclay be removed from all street signage. The Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians say Maclay forcibly removed tribal leader Rogerio Rocha and other Fernandeno Tataviam families from their land, they want the street re-named Rogerio Rocha Avenue. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Beverly Salizar-Folkes of the Fernandeno Tatavian Band of Mission Indians, speaks to the media at a press conference Monday in San Fernando. The tribe’s demand the name Charles Maclay be removed from all street signage. The Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians say Maclay forcibly removed tribal leader Rogerio Rocha and other Fernandeno Tataviam families from their land, they want the street re-named Rogerio Rocha Avenue. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

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The Fernandeno Tatavian Band of Mission Indians held a press conference Monday to announce they will begin actions to re-name Maclay Avenue in San Fernando to Rogero Rocha Avenue. The Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians say Maclay forcibly removed tribal leader Rogerio Rocha and other Fernandeno Tataviam families from their land, they want the street re-named Rogerio Rocha Avenue. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Rudy Ortega, Tribal President of the Fernandeno Tatavian Band of Mission Indians, talks to the media at a press conference Monday in San Fernando. The tribe’s demand the name Charles Maclay be removed from all street signage. The Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians say Maclay forcibly removed tribal leader Rogerio Rocha and other Fernandeno Tataviam families from their land, they want the street re-named Rogerio Rocha Avenue. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Fernandeno Tatavian Band of Mission Indians held a press conference Monday to announce they will begin actions to re-name Maclay Avenue in San Fernando to Rogero Rocha Avenue. The Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians say Maclay forcibly removed tribal leader Rogerio Rocha and other Fernandeno Tataviam families from their land, they want the street re-named Rogerio Rocha Avenue. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)



Rudy Ortega, Tribal President of the Fernandeno Tatavian Band of Mission Indians, talks to the media at a press conference Monday in San Fernando. The tribe’s demand the name Charles Maclay be removed from all street signage. The Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians say Maclay forcibly removed tribal leader Rogerio Rocha and other Fernandeno Tataviam families from their land, they want the street re-named Rogerio Rocha Avenue. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

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Maclay, a California state senator and founder of the city of San Fernando, purchased 56,000 acres of land in 1874 from Eugenio de Celis, a major landowner of the time. The Indians who lived on the land were sold to Maclay along with the estate, according to the book “San Fernando Valley (Images of America),” by Mark Wanamaker.

After the purchase was complete, sheriff’s deputies collected belongings of tribal leader Rocha and his wife and forcibly removed them along with other Fernandeno Tataviam families to Lopez Canyon, dumping their possessions near a road. Left without shelter, Rocha’s wife became ill with pneumonia and later died, according to the family’s descendants.

During the news conference on Monday, Mayor Ballin said the street name change is not going to happen over night.

“I know there is going to be some resistance from some business owners and residents, and we are ready to hear from them,” she said.

Rudy Ortega Jr., the tribal president, said his great great grandfather Antonio Ortega was one of those who were forcibly removed from their land by Maclay.

“There is a tremendous amount of pain that he has caused,” he said. “It has been a huge damage to our families and tribes.”

Ortega added that he plans to bring the issue before the City Council in the upcoming months. He hoped Maclay Avenue will change its name in less than a year, he said.

That might impact businesses on Maclay Avenue, as they will need to change their business cards and signage. The tribe, Ortega added, is not going after individual businesses that have Maclay as part of their names, and will leave the issue to “their own discretion.”

“We want to be sensitive and make sure we do it correctly,” he said. “So the community is well aware and understands why we are doing this.”

About a dozen business owners whose shops and restaurants are on Maclay Avenue said they haven’t received any notification from the city.

The San Fernando City Chamber of Commerce had not yet taken a position on the issue, said Jeannette Ross, its executive director.