Read more about the article Lecture: “I May Still Be Speaking” – Indigenous Oral Tradition of Northern Baja California

Lecture: “I May Still Be Speaking” – Indigenous Oral Tradition of Northern Baja California

Speaker: Michael Wilken-Robertson, Anthropologist Indigenous people of northern Baja California share ancient cultural and linguistic ties with other Yuman groups of southern California and Arizona. Over the millennia, native peoples developed richly elaborate cosmologies in which the earth, sky, plants, and animals were infused with spirit; these narratives were passed along through myths, legends, stories, and song. In this lively talk, we will hear examples of storytelling from the Kumeyaay, Paipai, and Kiliwa peoples that Wilken-Robertson has worked with for over 40 years in Baja California. The narratives will be considered in their cultural context to help us better understand the meanings embedded in them and why the particular narratives passed down for generations remain compelling to listeners today. Anthropologist Michael Wilken-Robertson has developed lifelong collaborative relationships with native artists and traditional authorities to foster cultural revitalization and sustainable community development in northern Baja. He has taught in the anthropology department at California State University, San Marcos. His fascination with native plants and the natural landscapes of the Californias have inspired him to explore the many ways that humans have interacted with their environments, from the ancient past to the present. Michael resides in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. In the ABDNHA Library. GP $12, M $10, V $8. Register online, or call us at 760-767-3098. Register here for the program.

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Read more about the article Lecture: Native American Life, Use of Native Plants

Lecture: Native American Life, Use of Native Plants

Speaker: Cathy Chambers, Volunteer Many hundreds of years ago, there was nothing close to a store in all of North America. The people living here before that time needed materials for clothing, storage containers, food, tools, and other essentials to build living structures. All of these materials were gathered and processed into the items they needed. Groups traded with each other for what they needed, offering what they had in surplus in exchange. In this presentation, you will see and handle samples of plants and the objects made from them that were used in everyday life in the surrounding desert. Cathy Chambers is a lifelong naturalist who studied ethnobotany for her personal and professional development, starting her career decades ago here in Anza-Borrego. GP $12, M $10, V $8. You can register online or at the Nature Center, 760-767-3098. Register here for the program.

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Read more about the article SPECIAL ROCK ART WEEKEND: Dr. Whitley’s Lecture, Part 1 – Understanding Native Californian Rock Art (FULL)

SPECIAL ROCK ART WEEKEND: Dr. Whitley’s Lecture, Part 1 – Understanding Native Californian Rock Art (FULL)

Speaker: David Whitley, Ph.D. The meanings of pictographs and petroglyphs have long been a mystery to most people, including archaeologists. The result has been a series of supposedly common-sense guesses, like “hunting magic” or “maps to water,” that were offered because people claimed Native Americans themselves did not know why these sites were made or how they were used. But the unpublished field notes of the state’s Native American tribes — the ethnographic record — some dating back to the 1870s, together with extensive published research, paint a different picture.  With substantial research to identify and compile this widely scattered information, Dr. Whitley will explain how a clear understanding of the origins, meanings, and uses of the sites results, providing a better understanding and appreciation of the remarkable artistic and intellectual record of California rock art. In the ABDNHA Library.  General Public: $12, Members: $10, ABDNHA Volunteers: $8. Register at abdnha.org or the Nature Center at 760-767-3098.

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Read more about the article Lecture: Native Baskets – Function and Art – CANCELLED

Lecture: Native Baskets – Function and Art – CANCELLED

THIS PROGRAM IS CANCELLED. Speaker: Robin TenEyck Woven baskets have served essential functions in societies worldwide for thousands of years. However, there is also an artistry to creating beautiful baskets, and Robin TenEyck has been weaving exquisite ones for many years. In tonight’s program, Robin displays some of her baskets as well as Kumeyaay and Diegueno baskets from her collection. She also discusses the history of basket making among Southern California’s native people, and how the arrival of the railroads in California led to a significant shift from utilitarian to decorative baskets, prompting the establishment of trading posts and a growing interest in collecting baskets for display as artwork. At the ABDNHA Library. General Public: $12, Members: $10, Volunteers: $8. Register online or at the Nature Center, 760-767-3098.

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Hike: Smugglers’ Canyon Overlook & Pictographs (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)

Leader: Bruce Kelley, ABDNHA Volunteer HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. This hike is located in Blair Valley, off S2, and involves a 45-minute drive from the ABDNHA parking lot, with the last five miles on a jeep road that is rough in places and requires 4WD/high clearance. This is a three-mile (round-trip) hike past pictographs and a native American village to a beautiful overlook. Bring water, sunscreen, good shoes, and a 4WD vehicle. Carpooling is encouraged. Meet in the parking lot of ABDNHA no later than 7:50 am. No charge; call the Nature Center to reserve.

Continue ReadingHike: Smugglers’ Canyon Overlook & Pictographs (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)
Read more about the article Lecture: Native Baskets – Function & Art

Lecture: Native Baskets – Function & Art

Speaker: Robin TenEyck Woven baskets have served essential functions in societies worldwide for thousands of years. However, there is also an artistry to creating beautiful baskets, and Robin TenEyck has been weaving exquisite ones for many years. In tonight’s program, Robin displays some of her baskets as well as Kumeyaay & Diegueno baskets from her collection. She also discusses the history of basket making among Southern California’s native people, and how the arrival of the railroads in California led to a significant shift from utilitarian to decorative baskets, prompting the establishment of trading posts and a growing interest in collecting baskets for display as artwork. At the ABDNHA Library. General Public: $12, Members: $10, Volunteers: $8. Register online or at the Nature Center, 760-767-3098.

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Lecture: Where it All Began, El Presidio of San Diego

Speaker: Author and Historian Richard Carrico Join Richard Carrico as he explores Alta California’s first Spanish settlement at Presidio Hill in San Diego. Founded in 1769, the ruins of the mission and fort are now beneath the landscaped hills in Presidio Park. Carrico’s newly released book tells the stories of those who lived at the presidio, including the Kumeyaay people. One highlighted story is of Sinusin, a Kumeyaay woman who married a Spanish soldier and raised her family at the presidio. Carrico's extensive research draws from Spanish archives, Kumeyaay oral traditions, and nearly a decade of archaeological work at the site. In the ABDNHA Library. General Public: $12, Members: $10, Volunteers: $8. Register online or at the Nature Center, 760-767-3098.

Continue ReadingLecture: Where it All Began, El Presidio of San Diego