BAJA CALIFORNIA ’S INDIGENOUS GROUPS

In Mexico , there are fifty-six ethnic groups distributed in seventy indigenous communities, who still keep their own.elements of their prehispanic culture.

In Baja California , there are currently four ethnic groups, who are descended from the oldest settlers of the northeast region, known as Yumanos; who were hunters, collectors, fishers and semi-nomads. They used to travel within a road circuit that included Delta del Río Colorado , Sierra Cucapá, Sierra de Juárez, part of Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, the North Pacific coast and Imperial Valley .

Cucapá, Pai Pai, Kumiai and Kiliwa are communities who still preserve some aspects of their ancestors’ culture, such as language, music, dances, traditions and elaboration of items of a useful nature, that have now become handicraft.

They are distributed within the municipalities of Mexicali , Tecate and Ensenada . You may visit them, and discover their magic and tradition, spend time with them and acquire some of their products and handicrafts.

Cucapá

They were the first settlers of the Valle de Mexicali and Delta del Río Colorado , approximately three thousand years ago. They were semi-nomads, they used deer-bone blades and some kind of bag where they carried their arrows and seeds. For hundreds of years, Cucapá people fed themselves with whatever they fished, collected and hunted among the huge willows and poplar woods. Deer, rabbitt, moles, field rats, mountain lion and coyote could be hunted. Likewise, they collected a wide variety of products, such as quelites (cactus flower), potatoes, wild wheat and bishop’s weed.

Furthermore, they turned to agriculture and cattle due to the Spanish conquerors’ arrival. Currently, it is a community that survives in the region of Río Ardí, south of the city of Mexicali , where there is a craftsmanship group of approximately twenty-five members, who make skirts with willow bark, necklaces and beautiful and colorful vests of baubles.

You mayvisit the Museo Comunitario Cucapá “Juan García Aldama” [Community Museum], where you will watch a collection of housing construction replicas made in accordance to the autochthonous tradition, as well as pictures, items and testimonies which show some of this ethnia’s culture and history. Open Tuesday thru Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Km. 57 of the Federal Highway Num. 5 Mexicali – San Felipe

Pai-Pai

In the municipality of Ensenada , the Santa Catarina community is located, being the main center of the Pai-Pai ethnia. The name comes from the Santa Catarina Virgen y Mártir mission founded by the Dominicans in 1803. Afterwards, in 1840, a native groups alliance to defend their identity, destroyed the mission and forced the missionaries to leave the region.

Every year, Pai-Pai people gather together to organize huge parties with the attendance of different native ethnias, in order to celebrate their success in obtaining their land property rights. Currently, Pai-Pai women continue making clay pots, following with their ancestor’s tradition. Pots come in different sizes, from just a few centimeters and up to sixty or seventy centimeters of diameter. The shapes are also different, they come with wide or narrow openings. They are usually used in day of the dead ceremonies.

Kumiai

They are distributed in the ranches around the municipalities of Tecate, Rosarito and Ensenada , mainly in the San José de la Zorra, Juntas de Nejí, La Huerta and San Antonio Nécua communities.

This ethnia’s craftsmanship is the elaboration of baskets of willow branches. However, for hundreds of years the baskets were used to prepare, transport and keep food. In the XIX century, the Baja Californian indigenous groups replace these containers with others made of glass or metal, imported by the new immigrants who settled to the north of the State. Currently, Kumiai women continue making utensils with junco and willow branches.

For further information about the Kumiai and the peninsula historic legacy, you may visit the following museums.

Communitary Museum of Valle de Guadalupe

Located in a building of the old Russian colony, there is a small exhibit of Russian antiques and indigenous items. Private tours only after previous appointment. Delegation Fco. Zarco, Ensenada B.C.

From Federal Highway No.3 Ensenada – Tecate, take the main road passing in front of the Health Center IMSS until reaching the museum, located nearly in front of the Museo Comunitario del INAH (Museum). Ph. (646) 155-2030

Communitary Historic Museum [Museo Histórico Comunitario INAH]

This museum highlights the Kumiai culture legacy, as well as the Russian immigrants influence to this region. Delegation Fco. Zarco, Ensenada B.C.

From federal highway No.3 Ensenada – Tecate, take the main road passing in front of the Health Center IMSS until reaching the museum. Schedule: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Ph . (646) 178-2531

Kiliwa

The Kiliwa group, of which very little is known, is almost extinct. A community of this ethnic group is located within the municipality of Ensenada , mainly inhabiting the ranch Arroyo de León. Its most representative craftsmanship are: bows and arrows, the production and use of leather and animal skin.

For further information, please contact the Indigenous National Institute office, Delegation of Baja California.