This year San Diego civic leaders are commemorating 250 years since the Mission San Diego de Alcalá was established in 1769 by Father Junipero Serra. It marks the beginning of San Diego’s non-indigenous history while archaeological evidence shows that the Kumeyaay Indian people have lived in the region for 12,000 years.
Ethan Banegas is a member of the Barona Band of Mission Indians who teaches Kumeyaay history at Kumeyaay Community College.
“As our land got taken away, slowly but surely, we would lose these vibrant food sources that were only available in specific areas,” Banegas said. “It basically took away who were as a people as you take away our pieces of land. Because the land made us.”
Listen to this great podcast on San Diego’s KPBS.