Land Acknowledgement
San Diego Climbing School respectfully recreates on Kumeyaay Indigenous Land, acknowledging the diverse communities and cultures who have lived in reciprocity with this land for centuries. SDCS supports those who continue to fight for sovereignty and preserve culture in the present through education and action.
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Education:
The land that is now called San Diego County is home to the largest number of tribal governments and reservations in the United States with 18 tribal reservations and four tribal nations - the Kumeyaay, Luiseno, Cupeno, and Cahuilla - represented across the County.(SDSU)
Much of the land that San Diego Climbing School hosts programs on is historically Kumeyaay land. While there are 18 tribes that are federally recognized, there are also many unique communities who are not recognized by the United States government who continue to strengthen their culture within the region.
Before the Spanish arrived on this land, the Kumeyaay inhabited the area from the Pacific Ocean to the sand dunes of the Colorado River. The territory spanned south to Ensenada and north to Warner Springs. This region is now intersected by the international border. (Viejas Band)
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo landed in San Diego Bay in 1542 initiating a period of conflict between the Kumeyaay and the Spanish. In 1769, Padre Junípero Serra established the first mission in Alta California, enslaving Kumeyaay people and spreading Catholicism in the region. In 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain including the San Diego region. In 1850, California was officially admitted to statehood and joined the United States. An executive order was signed in 1870 that created San Diego County’s first reservations in 1875. Present day Kumeyaay communities work to retain their sovereignty, culture and empower many are leaders within the region. (Education Guide)
Please see the local resources below to gain a more comprehensive view of the regions history.
The Kumeyaay continue to preserve their culture is through family, community and entities such as education on reservations, Kumeyaay Community College and programs with local universities. Many Kumeyaay leaders are continuously advocating for resources and rights on their sovereign land. They also work to gain visibility within the San Diego region. The Kumeyaay are contributing their Traditional Ecological Knowledge to solve some of the most pressing issues in our region - water access, wetland restoration and fire management.
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Action:
As a commercial user, San Diego Climbing School pays annual and per person/hourly permit fees to operate on public lands such as Mission Trails Regional Park. We commit to matching our total permit fees in an annual donation to the Kumeyaay Degueño Land Conservancy. We are also open to new opportunities to continue to develop intentional collaborations that adapt to changing needs within the community.
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Resources
Kumeyaay reservations in the United States
Native Land Digital
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Flat Top Buckwheat
Kumeyaay name: HAMILL
(Eriogonum fasciculatum)
Flat top buckwheat is a common, shrubby flower that is native to California and northwestern Mexico. The plant grows readily on dry washes and slopes in a range of plant communities (chaparral, scrub-grasslands, conifer woodlands). This plant is incredibly important to the local butterfly and bee community. In fact, this buckwheat is the predominant source of native honey for southern California pollinators. This nectar is especially appealing for honey bees.
Kumeyaay people boil these buckwheat flowers to alleviate stomach problems. A decoction of these flowers is given to babies that are suffering from diarrhea. A decoction is also used to help adults in terms of cardiovascular health. A decoction is the extract created after plant material is boiled or heated.
Learn more here.
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Laurel Sumac
Kumeyaay name: EKTII
(Malosma laurina)
The laurel sumac is a member of the Cashew family and is a common shrub along the southern California and Baja California coastline. This rounded, evergreen shrub is recognizable by its large leaves. These leaves display striking red veins. The plant becomes very aromatic as its white clusters of flowers emerge. Like most successful plants in the chaparral and coastal sage scrub, the laurel sumac is extremely drought tolerant.
The Kumeyaay people dry out the fruits of this plant and then grind the material into a flour. The Chumash people also created a flour from the fruits. This shrub has additional medicinal uses among the Kumeyaay. The plant is featured in women’s puberty ceremony. It’s also used in a bathing ritual that occurs during childbirth. There are additional reports that the laurel sumac is used to treat venereal disease.
Learn more here.
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Monkey Flower
Kumeyaay name: UNKNOWN
(Mimulus aurantiacus)
Bush Monkey flower is an evergreen perennial herb native to southwestern Oregon, California, and Baja California. It is a mounding, spreading subshrub that can reach heights of 5 feet and widths of 5 feet. Its small-elongated leaves are deep green in color, shiny, and sticky. It flowers in the winter, spring, and summer with blossoms that are usually orange (white, yellow, and red are also seen). Bees and hummingbirds are its principle pollinators.
The Kumeyaay used this monkey flower primarily for medicinal purposes. These uses range from poultices for burns and wounds to treatments for colds, coughs, flus, stomach disorders (roots in a hot infusion) and heart ailments.
Learn more here.
