The Kumeyaay Nation of San Diego County and Baja California

The Kumeyaay people, comprised of 13 bands of the northern Iipay and southern Tipay reaching from North County San Diego into Baja California, endure and flourish across their binational territory.  Since the Spanish incursion into their territory in the late 18th century, they have been unrelenting in their advocacy for their sovereignty and cultural independence, and their lifeways are rich with stories, traditional knowledge, and community initiatives that ensure their self determination. From their language, to their crafts, to their foodways, Kumeyaay culture has endured and is continuing to thrive.

Kumeyaay controlled lands, 1769 - 2000. Graphic by cultural expert Mike Connolly.

Museums and documentaries

A number of local groups such as the San Diego Archaeological Center, Friends of the Kumeyaay, and Mission Trails Regional Park have created venues, including libraries and interpretive museum exhibits dedicated to communicating Kumeyaay culture to residents and visitors to the San Diego area. At the same time, the Kumeyaay bands themselves have also created their own high quality cultural sites, such as those at the Barona Museum, as well as at the newly opened Sycuan Cultural Center. The Sycuan Cultural Center grounds also host Kumeyaay Community College, which both hosts its own educational programs and has worked together with Cuyamaca College to create the first accredited Kumeyaay Studies Associate’s Degree.

Also available are several well-produced documentaries on Kumeyaay culture, including the KPBS film First People, Kumeyaay and Our People. Our Culture. Our History., focusing on the story of the Sycuan band.

Kumeyaay tribespeople, as well of those of other heritages, come together to support cultural revitalization.

Beyond San Diego County, Tecate, Mexico hosts the Museo Comunitario Tecate (Tecate Community Museum), hosting exhibits, an ethnobotanical garden, and a gift store that focus on Kumeyaay - spelled Kumiai in Spanish - culture. The museum is “dedicated to fostering greater understanding of the cultural, historical and natural heritage of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico and the larger binational region to which it belongs.”

San Diego County hosts the largest number of tribal reservations of any county in the United States. The Kumeyaay Nation bands have created and operate their own public services, income generating activities, and vast cultural resources that benefit not only themselves, but all San Diegans.

Stan Rodriguez (left, Santa Ysabel) and Alex Hunter (middle, Jamul) interview elders from Baja California’s San Jose de la Zorra reservation on a language immersion trip.

Demonstration sites

In addition to museums, documentaries and other media resources that relay Kumeyaay culture, there are also demonstration sites that focus on Kumeyaay ethnobotany (the study of the use of plants by traditional people). The Worldbeat Cultural Center, host of the upcoming Good Food Community Fair, hosts a Kumeyaay ethnobotany garden, as does Indigenous Regeneration in North County San Diego, which also emphasizes food cultivation, medicinal farming, culture and eco-village education programs.

Baja California’s nonprofit organization INAH (Insituto Nacional de Antropología y Historia) offers interpretive and protection of the extensive cave paintings at La Rumorosa’s El Vallecito, Seen here is the astronomical glyph of Shally (“The Hand”), known as “Leo” in western astronomy.

Cultural Advocacy

From San Diego’s inland deserts, to the Shores of the South Bay, and now to the valleys of East County, the Kumeyaay Nation proactively protects their cultural heritage from further incursion by development projects through activism, protest and advocacy for their human rights. They gather regularly at various sites of cultural and ecological significance throughout San Diego County that face negative impacts from private and public developers.

The Kumeyaay people continue to have much to teach the over 3 million non-native San Diegans who call this county home, as well as those across the border in Mexico. As residents on their land, we would do well to make good on the many opportunities available to not only learn about their culture, but do so in relationship with them, and join them in advocacy for their cultural renewal.

Story and photos by @colinhrichard

Back to the Land...and Beyond

Dan Mueller, Food Justice Co-Chair

with contributions from Colin H. Richard, Ark of Taste Chair

As a community organizer, it’s often difficult to remove the socio-critical lens through which I view the world, its problems and their potential solutions. With our Good Food Community Fair themed “Back to the Land” right around the corner, I’ve been thinking a lot about how the ideals behind such a phrase translate across various contexts.

I talk a little about overcoming the cognitive dissonance as a black woman volunteering on an organic farm here and have since broadened my inquiry to include those who cultivate diverse meanings within the larger agrarian movement.

“Going”

For many San Diegans, this can look similar to the “Back to the Land” movement of the ‘60s: engagements with several of the bustling community gardens around the city or any of the more than 6,600 farms peppered throughout San Diego county--more than any other county in the United States.

In North County, it was the unique experience of “remembering Somalia and what we were doing there,” for a group of Somali Bantu refugees who were learning local growing techniques and organic farming methods from the International Rescue Committee in hopes of creating businesses to help them support their families

(Howard Lipin, San Diego Union-Tribune).  

Though an avenue to self-sustenance along with reconnecting to culture and a way of life involuntarily left behind, this project’s brevity reflects the struggles growers and organizers still face, despite the growing public interest in initiatives around civic ecology.

“Giving”

Looking deeper highlights the importance of regenerative agricultural practices, such as those of the Kumeyaay Nation. They are stewards for preserving native food heritage and also guardians of the narratives about fostering mutually beneficial relationships with Mother Earth.  

The visions inspired by Indigenous Regeneration projects remind us of the positive impacts of simple, intentional concepts like habitat restoration, sustainable living techniques and recycling for empowering our communities.  

In an era of environmental degradation, it is honoring the traditions of those most harmoniously coexisting with the land that will facilitate the rebirth of the biodiversity truly making the greater San Diego region a haven for all life.

When we talk about going back to the land, it is essential to acknowledge that for some it is a choice offering nourishment and respite from urban activity and for others it is an overdue return to what was stripped or taken away.

When we speak about giving back to the land and acting accordingly, we’re not only feeding the world. We’re preserving and institutionalizing the traditional ecological knowledge for recreating a planet that is good, clean and fair for all.

To learn more about the ways in which our communities can work toward a better food system in and around San Diego, join Slow Food for our Fifth Annual Good Food Community Fair Saturday, October 6th, 2018, from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT at the WorldBeat Cultural Center.

We will be bringing attention to the consequences of industrialized agricultural practices and discuss how regeneration can guide the revival of our ecosystem while celebrating the ways in which we can give back to the land and manifest abundance.

#GoodFoodFair

Join Us At The Fifth Annual Good Food Community Fair October 6th @ WorldBeat Cultural Center

Join Slow Food Urban San Diego for our Fifth Annual Good Food Community Fair Saturday, October 6th, 2018, from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT at the WorldBeat Cultural Center.

The Good Food Community Fair is Slow Food Urban San Diego's largest annual event, bringing together the people and organizations desiring a Good, Clean & Fair food system. Come engage with us as we enjoy the culinary demos, family-friendly activities, expert panel discussions, garden activities, and of course...food!

Each year, this event inspires and highlights ways in which the community can work toward a better food system in and around San Diego. This year, we want to bring attention to the consequences of biodiversity and habitat loss due to industrialized agricultural practices and discuss how regenerative agriculture can guide the restoration of our food system and environment. We will celebrate ways in which we can be more connected to our food and soil and how we can work together to bring abundance back to the land.

Tickets: Encouraged donation of $7 pre-sale, $10 at the door. To RSVP and donate, click here. 

FAQs

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?
Everyone is welcome - bring the family!

How can I become a vendor or sponsor?

Our applications are open through August 22nd. Please fill out our Partner Registration Form.

What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?
Free parking is available across the street from the World Beat Center, at 2004 Park Boulevard. The location is also served by the 7 & 215 MTS bus routes.

What's the refund policy?
Sorry, no refunds.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
You do not need to bring your printed ticket. In fact, we'd prefer you save the paper.

Is it ok if the name on my ticket or registration doesn't match the person who attends?
Yes, if you can no longer attend the event feel free to share your ticket.

Interested in Joining Our Board? We Have Open Opportunities!

Are you organized, passionate and inspired to support Good, Clean & Fair food for all? Then we want you! Seeking detail-oriented, energetic leaders and rising leaders to join the Slow Food Urban San Diego Board. All positions are voluntary.

Open Positions Are:

Fund Development Chair
The Fund Development Chair creates, maintains and updates an inventory of resources of potential donors and sponsors; develops and implements fundraising campaigns to be supported by the Board; and applies for grant as appropriate. The Fund Development Chair may form a committee.

Volunteer Coordinator
The Volunteer Chair coordinates Slow Food Urban San Diego outreach at community events, including soliciting for volunteers, organizing shifts and communicating w/ the event organizer to arrange for logistics. Events may include Slow Sips, festivals and fairs, and local food and farm related events hosted by other mission-aligned organizations.

Submit your application, including a resume/bio and letter of interest here.

Applications are open on a rolling basis until filled.

To be eligible, you must have or obtain a Slow Food membership. Terms of office are two years, with reelection possible for additional terms but not to exceed eight years of service before a one year hiatus. All positions require leadership, organization and communication skills as well as initiative.