Kumeyaay Indians - The first people in San Diego

Prior to the Spanish colonization of California, Native American tribes resided in the San Diego area. Learn all about these Kumeyaay Native Americans.
Todd Sarouhan
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Kumeyaay Indians - The first people in San Diego
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Pre-Colonial San Diego and the Kumeyaay Tribe

Kumeyaay Basket on ExhibitKumeyaay Museum Exhibit at the Mission San Diego Alcala

Before the beginning of the Spanish missions into California in 1769, California was not devoid of civilization. It was inhabited by the first people in San Diego - Native Americans.

The Native American tribe who called the area their home was the Kumeyaay Native Americans, also known as the Tipai-Ipai. This tribe of Indigenous people was living in modern-day California for as long as 12,000 years before Spanish colonization, and there are still members of the Kumeyaay tribe living in the surrounding areas today!

Prior to colonization, there were about 30 different patrilineal clans, each one consisting of several self-contained groups. These groups occupied land ranging from the western coast of California and some parts of Mexico to the Colorado River in the east. Two distinct cultures and ways of life emerged, one along the California coast and valley and one in the California desert.

The Kumeyaay tribe’s continued existence was threatened by the arrival of Spanish colonists, who often fought with Native Americans. There are some accounts of Spanish colonists enslaving Kumeyaay Native Americans, and many natives died due to the introduction of European diseases that wiped out large portions of their population.

Additional problems arose when colonists attempted to assimilate the Kumeyaay into Spanish culture by using the missions to spread their language and religion. It undermined the existence of Kumeyaay languages, traditions, and cultures that had been in place for thousands of years, many of which are now lost to time.

Though the Kumeyaay were displaced and sometimes killed by early Californian colonists, they have not entirely disappeared. The modern day Kumeyaay tribe occupies the area between Southern California and Northern Baja California in Mexico.

Who are the Kumeyaay?

Old Photo of a Kumeyaay Woman Tossing Grains
Old Photo of a Kumeyaay Woman Tossing Grains

Kumeyaay culture was and is not a monolith. In fact, the tribe is actually composed of two related groups. These two groups are the Tipai and the Ipai, which gives the tribe their other name, Tipai-Ipai.

The homelands of the Tipai and Ipai are loosely divided across the San Diego River. The Ipai homeland lies to the north of the river, while the Tipai homeland is on the southern side.

The Native Language

The primary language spoken by Kumeyaay tribe members is part of the Yuman–Cochimí family of languages. Due to the size and diversity of the tribe, there are multiple dialects attributed to the Kumeyaay, with slightly different pronunciations and words used in the Ipai, Tipai, and Kumeyaay proper dialects.

Where the Families Resided

One of the most prominent Kumeyaay villages prior to colonization was Cosoy, or Kosa'aay. The village contained about 30 different families according to reports by Spanish visitors. This is where the Portola expedition later landed, where the first mission base in California was constructed, and where modern-day Old Town now resides.

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The Lifestyle and Culture of the Kumeyaay Tribe

Kumeyaay Basket for Collecting Grains and Seeds
Kumeyaay Basket for Collecting Grains and Seeds

The Kumeyaay lifestyle is very in-tune with nature. For thousands of years, the tribe survived in different seasonal camps and followed the natural harvest seasons, working with the land. This respect for nature is reflected in many of their cultural beliefs, values, and practices.

These practices led to an early rift with Spanish settlers, who brought with them invasive species of domestic animals and flora that disrupted the natural wildlife. The mistreatment and constant conflicts between mission settlers and Kumeyaay only grew over time, eventually culminating in a Kumeyaay revolt against the San Diego de Alcalá mission and the destruction of the original mission building.

After California was acquired by the United States in 1850, a political border bisected Kumeyaay territories in California and Baja California, Mexico. Many Kumeyaay people had difficulty visiting relatives because of this new border, and some didn’t even know the border existed until they attempted to cross it.

Despite its prevalence in depictions of Native American tribes, conflict with colonists was only one aspect of the history of the Kumeyaay tribes and their past and present culture. The traditions and lifestyles of the Kumeyaay people are full of art, history, religious beliefs, and other culturally significant components.

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The Kumeyaay people was the first people who greeted the Spanish when they first sailed into San Diego Harbor with the Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo expedition of 1542.

Kumeyaay Gathering Baskets at the San Diego Musuem of Us
Kumeyaay Gathering Baskets at the San Diego Musuem of Us

Artwork

Art is a significant part of surviving Kumeyaay culture. Pottery served a dual purpose, being both a form of art and a useful tool for any family. Artists kneaded clay and shaped it into pots and bowls using pottery anvils and wooden paddles.

Basket weaving was another utilitarian yet artistic form of cultural expression. Kumeyaay people weaved baskets with exceptional skill, with many of the weavings being tight enough to hold water while still looking visually appealing. Both basket weaving and pottery are skills that have been passed down to many modern Kumeyaay descendants, and these art forms are practiced to this day!

Kumeyaay Cooking Pot at the San Diego Musuem of Us
Kumeyaay Cooking Pot at the San Diego Musuem of Us

Trade

There is archaeological evidence to suggest that trade occurred between Kumeyaay in San Diego and those in the Imperial County region. One of the primary trading goods was obsidian, which could be shaped into tools and jewelry.

Many of the roads in modern day San Diego were used as trading routes. Kumeyaay traders used what is now Highway 101 and Interstate 8 to communicate and exchange goods, hundreds of years before these roads were paved.

Kumeyaay Marriage, Childhood and Games at the San Diego Musuem of Us
Kumeyaay Marriage, Childhood and Games at the San Diego Musuem of Us

Songs and Games

Many songs and games were passed down through oral traditions and are still practiced by today’s Kumeyaay tribe. There are games for children that involve throwing sandstone disks and trying to score goals with weaved balls, as well as more adult-oriented gambling games like Peon.

There are over 300 known Kumeyaay songs still sung by modern tribes. Many of these songs are similar to bird songs, and they’re often sung in a group with dancing and percussion instruments.

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Where You can Go to Learn More About the Kumeyaay and their History

Various Tools the Kumeyaay People Used
Various Tools the Kumeyaay People Used

As a tribe that has lived in the area for thousands of years before colonization and still remains long after, there is plenty of information that has been uncovered through years of archeological and anthropological study. You can view some of these discoveries for yourself in San Diego and nearby areas.

San Diego Historical Society

The San Diego Historical Society has a large collection of photographic Kumeyaay history. You can view this collection in their research archives at the Casa de Balboa.

Kumeyaay Backpacks at the San Diego Musuem of Us
Kumeyaay Backpacks at the San Diego Musuem of Us

Art Preservation

Many works of art created by Kumeyaay Native Americans prior to colonization still exist today. Some can be viewed in museums, like the Barona Cultural Center and Museum and the San Diego Museum of Us.

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Fun Facts About the Kumeyaay People

Kumeyaay Hunting Skills at the San Diego Musuem of Us
Kumeyaay Hunting Skills at the San Diego Musuem of Us

The Kumeyaay Language Today

With multiple dialects of the Kumeyaay language once in existence, a branch of their language is still spoken by these descendants to this day.

Cultural Traditions

Cultural traditions of the Kumeyaay are heavily influenced by religious beliefs and their love and respect for nature and the world around them. Ceremonies of their tribe are still practiced in modern times hundreds of years later.

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