Haawka! (Hello in Kumeyaay.) November is Native American Heritage Month, and we acknowledge that San Diego County is the unceded ancestral and current homeland of four Tribal cultural groups:

• Kumeyaay (formerly Diegueño) whose lands extend into northern Baja California, Mexico

• Luiseño (Payómkawichum)

• Cahuilla (Ivilyuqaletem)

• Cupeño (Kuupangaxwichem)

San Diego County is home to 18 federally recognized Tribal Nation Reservations, the most of any county in the U.S. Today, these communities continue to live, thrive, and advocate for Indigenous self-determination and stewardship of land, water, and resources.

This month reminds us to recognize the resilience and traditions of Native American communities, past and present, while also learning about their ongoing impact on our society. It’s an opportunity to listen, learn, and show respect for the first peoples of this land. Native people are the first people who lived in America, long before others came here from different countries.

Learn more:

• Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, one of the remaining 12 bands of the Kumeyaay Indian Nation.

• Barona Cultural Center and Museum: Dedicated to preserving and presenting Kumeyaay culture.

• Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center at Pauwai (Poway) : Offers docent-led and self-guided tours of this historic archaeological site.

• California Language Archive – UC Berkeley: Contains recordings and resources on California’s nearly 90 Indigenous languages.

• Library of Congress – Native American Heritage Month: A collection of resources on Indigenous peoples across the U.S.