San Diego City Council Passes Resolution to Honor Kumeyaay Land

The San Diego City Council Monday formally recognized that the city sits on unceded Kumeyaay land in a move intended to honor the resilience of the native inhabitants of the land.

The resolution, introduced by Council President Sean Elo-Rivera and passed unanimously, was also meant to highlight the Kumeyaay efforts to protect, preserve and uphold their culture and land.

“We must understand our history, acknowledge injustices of the past, and respect the Native people who live on and have been stewards of this land,” Elo-Rivera said. “By including this acknowledgment in our City Council meetings, we honor the dignity of Native people, recognize the horrors and injustices that transpired here and teach our history to future generations.”

While the resolution is symbolic, the City Council will read a land acknowledgement before meetings, acting as a reminder of the tribes that have inhabited the region from time immemorial.

Elo-Rivera’s office worked with the Kanap Kuahan Coalition — made up of members of the Kumeyaay Nation as well as non-Kumeyaay community leaders and activists — to develop the resolution.

“As guests on Kumeyaay land, we must recognize the original stewards of the land we live in,” said Grace Sesma, chair of the Kanap Kuahan Coalition. “For far too long, government agencies and other institutions have, in policy and practice, erased the presence and history of our Kumeyaay relatives — telling the truth is an important part of Kanap Kuahan.”

The land acknowledgement statement reads:

“We respectfully acknowledge that the Kumeyaay Nation are the original inhabitants of the unceded land now known as San Diego. Despite enduring the horrors of genocide and colonization, the Kumeyaay spirit remains unbroken. We honor the resilience of their ancestors who fought to protect their culture and land. Today, they carry their legacy forward, ensuring that their traditions continue to thrive in gratitude and strength. We stand with the Kumeyaay Nation, connected to our past and committed to a thriving future.”

Several speakers at Monday’s City Council applauded the move, while others claimed it was pointless without ceded land back to the Kumeyaay.

City News Service contributed to this article.