First People - Kumeyaay film

The video explores the various aspects of the Kumeyaay people’s resilient culture and shows the areas in which they initially lived. It describes with a probing insight the areas located throughout the San Diego County and they are currently comprises of 13 reservations which are scattered across the county and northern parts of Baja California. These people live on and off the reservations and have a common heritage that goes back to the period they refer as to “the beginning of time” (Sly & Johnson, n.d). The film is necessary in various aspects in that it helps in documenting some of the valuable heritage for the local Kumeyaay people. The film involves the participation of some local Kumeyaay people in various tribes who provide the vital information of their heritage.

 The film indicates that the local native community has substantial interest in their heritage, shows how the people’s cultural identity and legacy cannot be ignored when referring to the history and population that forms part of the modern larger Baja culture. Included in the film are aspects of the culture that formed their day to day activities including the process of gathering of acorns, how they were prepared and cooked for consumption by the people. The economic activities of the people also include fishing in ancient Lake Cahuilla using fish traps that can be observed in the part of the desert where the lake was. Another important aspect learnt about this history involves the movement by the people in over the whole region as a result of changing climatic and weather conditions (Sly & Johnson, n.d). These movements were also informed by the necessity to look for food in form of various plants in this region. In addition, various ceremonies are performed in same manner they were performed in the past which helps to connect the people to their history. We learn that in the past, the Kumeyaay people as naïve Indians underwent very difficult situations in the past and the ceremonies serve to remind them of the hardships that previous generations had to undergo. They are more important for the younger generations in teaching them of their culture, just as other ethnic groups in California have resorted to passing on the knowledge of their cultures. The children are able to learn the culture in terms of songs, foods and other ancient practices is what define whom they are (Sly & Johnson, n.d). 

Moreover, the film explores the manner in which the Kumeyaay people integrated their culture with other noble practices such as plant husbandry which is shown in the way past generations had planted numerous oak trees. These people are seen to be very mindful of the environment which provided all their needs including food, water and shelter. The people took the acorn, nuts and pines and planted the forest, which shows that they could not leave it to nature to provide for them.  It shows that these people were not just hunter and gathering wild people but communities who lived with various values that were ingrained into their culture and directed their interaction with nature. Such plantation shows the line between the wild and the community (Sly & Johnson, n.d).

In conclusion, the main theme of the film is to present the need for sharing and maintain the cultural heritage for the Kumeyaay people and why I should be passed along to the coming generations.  I would recommend the film to a friend who wishes to learn more about the history of Kumeyaay community in San Diego.

Reference

Sly, B., Johnson, M. (n.d).First People – Kumeyaay. Retrieved from: http://www.pbs.org/video/2365254548/