The Kumeyaay Way - Winter 2008 - (Page 8)

Commitment to Community Looking Back at the River of Tears The pain of leaving their ancestral homes ran deep. The Kumeyaay were uprooted, forced by the government to leave their lives behind. One tribal member, interviewed for the Kumeyaay-produced film, The River of Tears, described the move as “taking the life out of their bodies.” After 20,000 years of living near fresh water, the Kumeyaay found themselves in a harsh, barren landscape with no access to water—something that had been promised to them by the state and federal governments. Without water, it was impossible to farm or raise livestock. “Without water, there is no life,” said Newcomb. “Especially in this arid region of the country, water [was] is essential for survival.” After the move from El Capitan, the winter months at Viejas and Barona brought sickness and death to newborns, children and the elderly. Families were living in abandoned barns and shacks on the Baron Long ranch. The conditions were deplorable. When tribal leaders asked for help, the reply from the city was silence. true, the water and land to this day belong rightfully to the Kumeyaay. “Unfortunately, there has been the belief that nonNative society has the right to water within the Kumeyaay territory, no matter what. But that is not true,” he said. He points out that the court documents from the 1919 Act of Congress state that the Indians [the Kumeyaay] were supposed to retain the water rights to their land. In addition, he adds, according to section 14 of the Law of the Indies, the Spanish Crown granted water rights through the Spanish Mission to the Indian People. “There is a powerful argument to be made that the water rights of the Kumeyaay people exist in perpetuity, meaning for all time, forever,” said Newcomb. The Kumeyaay Survive and Thrive 8 While the Kumeyaay people of the Viejas Valley did struggle, their water problems turned around thanks to the hard work of the Kumeyaay members and tribal leaders. Viejas drilled wells, tended the land, and today, have a water system recognized to be “one of the best in the country” by the American Water Works Association. Always mindful of the Kumeyaay connection to water, the tribe has incorporated small waterfalls, reflecting pools, and foun— Alan L. Barrett, Tribal Councilman tains on their properties. The sound of water can “There are not many people left who remember this time,” be heard throughout the landscaped walkways on the reservasaid Alan L. Barrett, Tribal Councilman. “Maybe one or two tion. The green pastures, wildflowers and small streams are a at Barona and one elder, Tom Hyde, living here. But we have far cry from the original barren land of the Baron Long Ranch all heard the stories of the suffering and hardship our people of the 1930s. endured when they left Capitan Grande.” The tribal leaders created the Viejas Water Task Force in Facing an inadequate water system, Viejas and Barona fami- 2004 to ensure that the Viejas Band of the Kumeyaay never lies had to depend on rainwater and groundwater to sustain suffer from lack of fresh water again. The goal of the team is to themselves. Because of this, crops, already at risk due to the investigate ways that additional water can be obtained for both parched earth, failed, livestock died, and the Viejas and Barona commercial and residential development. A recent water modpeople suffered tremendously. eling survey commissioned by Viejas found that current and The Kumeyaay had always lived in villages near rivers and naturally occurring water would sustain these developments, streams. For the first time in their history they were without but tribal leaders are not taking any chances. In fact, Viejas is them. “Water is Life,” said Barrett. “Everyone knows that. You pursuing additional options for purchasing and storing water, as have to have water to grow crops, tend to livestock. People must well as actively recycling water to irrigate their lands in an effort have water. When we came here, there wasn’t that same access to avoid any waste of precious drinking water. to water.” For nearly 60 years the tribe struggled from indif“We need to secure a water source because of the drought ference, poverty, lack of medical care, inadequate roads and of conditions in southern California,” said Barrett. “We need to course, easy access to fresh water. always be able to provide water to our community. We need to Newcomb believes it is possible that the Kumeyaay never secure water for our future generations—35, 40, 50 years from ceded their water rights to the San Diego River. If this is now—we must make sure that we always have access to water.”  We need to always be able to provide water to our community. We need to secure water for our future generations—35, 40, 50 years from now—we must make sure that we always have access to water. “ The Kumeyaay Way  www.viejasbandofkumeyaay.org ” http://www.viejasbandofkumeyaay.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Kumeyaay Way - Winter 2008

The Kumeyaay Way - Winter 2008 Contents Kumeyaay History Looking Back at the River of Tears Keeping the Borders Open for All Kumeyaay Tribal Security—Safety First Cultural Embrace Viejas Tribal Member Rescues Eagle Education for All Future in Their Hands Viejas Pow Wow Honors Native American Veterans Growing Traditions—Viejas Community Garden Remember When

The Kumeyaay Way - Winter 2008

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