The Kumeyaay Way - Winter 2008 - (Page 9)

Commitment to Community A All Kumeyaay Winter 2008 Keeping the Borders open for t one time Kumeyaay land stretched from the Pacific Ocean to Baja Norte, Mexico. From east to the sand dunes of the Colorado River, in Imperial Valley and north to Warner Springs Valley, the Kumeyaay (also known as the Diegueño) people could be found in villages across modern day San Diego County down to Baja, Mexico. But the boundaries of the Kumeyaay lands shifted with the onslaught of European, and later Mexican and American, governments. After decades of the separation of their people and erosion of their culture, the Kumeyaay now live divided from one another—some bands in Mexico, others in California. “We are like a broken vase and there are pieces on both sides,” said Louie Guassac, executive director of the Kumeyaay Border Task Force. A member of the Mesa Grande Band of the Kumeyaay, Guassac has worked for decades to reunite Kumeyaay friends and family on both sides of the border. “We needed to ensure that the Kumeyaay people could easily visit their family and friends,” he said. When Mexico and the United States created their international border in 1848, neither government consulted with the Indians, who frequently traveled between villages located in both countries. “It’s an interesting subject,” said Guassac. “It’s really not clear in the Treaty of Guadalupe [Hidalgo] what the government’s position was on the Indians. We should have been part of that negotiation process, but we were overlooked.” The Kumeyaay are not alone in this dilemma. Tribes like the Tohono O’odham in Arizona and the Kickapoo in Texas also found themselves without easy access to their families and fellow tribal members. During that time of division, significant cultural identity and connections between the Baja and Southern California bands were put at risk. Some argue that because Indian nations are sovereign nations, tribal members like the Kumeyaay should have dual citizenship 9

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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