S1: Welcome in San Diego , it's Jade Hindman on today's show , connecting the history of the Kumeyaay people to the land will tell you what's behind the new naming of Kumeyaay Beach. This is KPBS Midday Edition. Connecting our communities through conversation. Last week , Port Commissioners did something they hadn't done before. They used a new policy for naming and renaming locations to commemorate the Kumeyaay peoples historic connection to the San Diego Bay. They approved naming an unnamed beach at Spanish Landing Park on Harbor Drive to Kumeyaay Beach. Officials say the naming is an opportunity to honor the region's first people and help waterfront visitors understand Kumeyaay history. Here's some of what they had to say at the meeting.
S2: A name should stand the test of time. A name that reflects the historical and cultural significance of the area and its surrounding. A name that commemorates places , people or events that are of continued importance to the district. Member cities. Community. Region in the State of California.
S1: Well , joining me to talk about this effort is Bobby Wallace of the Barona Band of Mission Indians. He is a prominent Kumeyaay leader and advocate. Bobby , it's an honor to have you on. Welcome.
S3: Hey , welcome. And it's a good day today. A little bit warm , but it's beautiful. How are you guys doing?
S1: We're good. I'll take the warm weather over cold any day , though. I always appreciate the sunshine. Hey , listen , you you actually spoke to the board last week as they considered their vote on this. Tell us what you shared with commissioners and your reactions to their approval.
S3: Um , you know , I , I got to sit back and listen , um , to my elder Jesse Pinto from the the Hummel Band and others. Um , you know , speaking a little bit about , you know , of truth telling and , um , you know , when I got up there and started speaking , I really didn't want to say the same thing. Uh , you know , as , as everybody else. So I started talking about relationships and growth and growth. And , you know , as we've seen , um , San Diego has just grown immensely. And it's a beautiful place. It's a wonderful place for people to live and , you know , bring up their families. But this is becoming a territory. And , um , naming of the beach or the unnamed beach to Canyon Beach was one step in the right direction. Um , for , I would say , generational trauma. We all have to go down and drive past things called Mission Valley or Mission Beach or Mission. That's our mission. That and that's part of the generational stuff that my people see every single day , every single day. So. So the commission and naming the speech following the criteria that they had to follow was just really beautiful. It made me , um , feel my ancestors started to speak. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. Now I can understand that for sure. Now , you mentioned the , um , the commission , and I know it had the support of the Kumeyaay cultural reparation. Uh , Committee. Can you tell us about that committee and why it was created.
S3: The committee was created to ensure that we have fair and equal value here throughout our territory. Um , you know , we we have been here for so long , and there are bones and there's ashes of our people. Um , I would say as far as the Channel Islands , all the way down to sand contained to the outskirts of the desert and back to the ocean. So , uh , this committee was formed to have justice for our ancestors and the people that are living and the people that are going to come after us.
S1: Well , you know , in terms of the naming process , this was really a first for the port of San Diego. Did the process feel legitimate and inclusive as you went through this?
S3: Yeah , it felt really sincere and looking at the mannerisms of the commission. Um , to me , it felt so sincere. Um , it felt legitimate. It felt like , um , a family is kind of affair. So as we move through these times and being supporters of the community , whether it be , um , you know , Make-A-Wish Foundation or all these other beautiful arts throughout San Diego , um , we considered those that we work with family. And , um , now we're we're getting to where , um , you know , take the San Diego City Council , um , doing the , um , land acknowledgement in us putting a Kumeyaay flag , uh , inside , inside the chambers. These are huge steps. Um , they could only lead to better stuff in creating a better relationship between the community people and the city leaders of , uh , of different little cities within San Diego area. Mhm.
S1: Mhm. And , you know , the request to the port , uh , to , to make this change , uh , said quote , this would be a small step forward in acknowledging the existence of the Kumeyaay people since time immemorial. Um , do you think this is really part of the responsibilities local governments have to acknowledge indigenous history in public spaces?
S3: Uh , I think it is a responsibility. For so long , we've gone through , um , all these different kind of changes. Um , take for , for instance , the mission project all the little kids have to do in school. Um , we know that those things again , and it goes back to trauma and , uh , you know , post-traumatic stress disorder and those things that are embedded within our DNA. And we have to release these things. And this is one step further in the plight to help our people and make our people better. And we can only do this together , all of us. Mhm.
S1: Mhm. Indeed. So with that in mind and the trauma , I mean this was an unnamed beach at Spanish Landing Park. Um , what stories does the name Spanish Landing tell us about San Diego's history and what stories does Kumeyaay Beach instead add? Yeah.
S3: Yeah. You know , the Spanish landing. You know , these are all things , uh , and it's a falsehood. It's a sense of falseness Within here in San Diego because the Spanish didn't discover. Actually , we've been here since our beginning. Um , we know these things. And truth telling is a big part of , uh , you know , a healing of one of one's peoples. So we take the Spanish landing. It's great to acknowledge that the Spanish came here for some , but we've been here for time immemorial. We've been here for so long , and we're always going to remain here upon these lands where people thrive for 10 or 12,000 years.
S1: You know , how do Kumeyaay leaders define success for this naming effort?
S3: I think , you know , I can't speak. You know , I can't speak for everybody. But I think that they think this is one step further in the right direction. Um , it's almost like a handshake or a hug , and we acknowledge. Or at least some of us acknowledge that , hey , this is great stuff. We need to keep going in this , uh , correct pattern in order for our people to be successful and be partner more , have more partnerships within the San Diego community.
S1: What does continued success look like beyond the naming of of this , this land right here?
S3: Um , you know , success. So let me digress a little bit. Um , we had talked to John McCann , um , the mayor of Chula Vista. Really nice guy.
S1: And just recognizing there was the second Sunday in November as as Kumeyaay people said , yeah.
S3: Yeah , yeah. The Second Sunday in November. So this is a first across the North American continent of we called Turtle Island , or the United States of America for any tribe to to be recognized for their own special days. So we know San Diego is moving in the right direction. We know that the visitors that come here , they come and they see a false narrative of what really happened here. And we're not trying to say everything was so bad for our people. I mean , it's truth telling and it's part of it , but part of it is being successful and moving on in the correct , in the correct way , in a respectful way. So I think , yeah , I personally think , um , our leaders think it's a good thing indeed.
S1: Once people know the truth , what do you hope they do with it?
S3: Um , you know , they can come to San Diego. They can see the name Kumeyaay. They can say , oh , I've been to that place. And these were the original peoples that were here before the Spanish came. Um , before the missions came. It's putting something out there correctly. In the hopes would be for more changes. Maybe some beach front. Um , you know , a little bit of place for ceremonial value. Because we have used the ocean since the beginning. We traveled to the desert , and I just think it looks so positive for everyone involved. Mhm.
S1: Mhm. Um , the proclamation in Chula Vista we just spoke about were the second Sunday in November will be recognized as Kumeyaay Peoples Day. Um , that comes after a long battle to change the name of Discovery Park in Chula Vista and remove the statue of Christopher Columbus to. During those years and reflecting on where we are today. Did did you think you'd ever be recognized in this manner?
S3: Uh , I knew it would happen sometime. Uh , I didn't think it would happen within my lifetime. Um , so when I was talking to the mayor and I brought it up when we were doing , uh , Indigenous People's Day in the proclamation for that , the mayor was really receptive , and I thought , wow , this , this work , this work that everybody's been doing , and it's it's not a one person thing. It's so many people involved to really care and really want to do things like the statue , you know , the statue that was removed and the renaming of the park. And these are things that just don't happen every day. But we do know people are receptive , that we know that maybe there is a care. Maybe our hopes for a better future for everybody is really being looked at and taken into account for.
S1: Are there any other unnamed or or spaces or or named spaces in San Diego County that that you believe should receive names that actually reflect indigenous connection to the land?
S3: Uh , yes. Um , you know , there's all sorts of estuaries , and I've seen as I've been into an estuary by , uh , Encinitas and , you know , there was little tags and in memory of and all this and that , um , which I think a sign , our little placard saying this was an ancient waterway of the Kumeyaay for purposes , for spiritual , for sustenance. I think those things need to be out there more. Mhm. Um , you know , there's all sorts of different places all over. And I think the more we do , um , the more um , everybody tries to do their best. I think great greater things will happen.
S1: In the last minute that we have. Ultimately , what is your hope for how visitors might experience the San Diego Bay differently after seeing the name? Um , Kumeyaay beach.
S3: You know , I think a placard and I think the a beautiful sculpture showing the , uh , first peoples of this land will put a different spin on San Diego , and it can only be positive. I think these are great things. And I can't wait for the opening day. It's right next to the airport. People go there. People see the water and I think it will be a great positive experience.
S1: I've been speaking with Bobby Wallace of the Barona Band of Mission Indians. He is a prominent Kumeyaay leader and advocate. Bobby , thank you so very much.
S3: I'll tell you guys , have a great day and thank you for your time and blessings and much love and respect to everybody.
S1: That's our show for today. I'm your host , Jade Hindman. Thanks for tuning in to Midday Edition. Be sure to have a great day on purpose , everyone.
