The Kumeyaay people are the first inhabitants of San Diego, in fact the Kumeyaay once occupied the land that USD is built upon. Today, the Kumeyaay nation remains a vibrant and active part of the San Diego community. This garden offers a chance to learn more about the Kumeyaay and the native plants they relied on for their survival and well-being.
We encourage everyone to stop by, enjoy the view and spend some time learning about the native plants that are an essential part of the Kumeyaay culture. The Kumeyaay use these plants for food, drink, medicine, tools, clothing and shelter.
The Kumeyaay Garden is located on the north edge of USD campus, just north of the Hahn University Center, overlooking Tecolote Canyon.
Upcoming Native American events
Malki Museum Agave Harvest
This wonderful event occurs mid-April every year. The Agave Harvest and Tasting is an annual event sponsored by the Malki Museum. It is held on two consecutive Saturdays in mid- to late-April, when the Agave plants were traditionally gathered. The agave or amul was a basic food staple for indigenous people of Southern California.
Reservations Recommended: Please call (951) 849 7289
USD: Department of Ethnic Studies
University of San Diego is blessed with a very active ethnic studies department. This department was instrumental in the establishment of the Kumeyaay Garden.
USD Ethnic Studies lists many resources and websites pertaining to local indigenous communities. Below, we have listed a few other Kumeyaay related websites. You can learn about upcoming indigenous events through these sites.
The USD Kumeyaay Garden opened September 2017
Kumeyaay Garden Dedication Ceremony
On Friday, September 22, 2017, the University of San Diego, in conjunction with the Office of Tribal Liaison, dedicated and opened the Kumeyaay Garden.
This was a beautiful ceremony that kicked off the garden in grand fashion.
In celebrating Native American culture, the event included Bird Songs, storytelling, ethnobotany tours, Kumeyaay cultural activities, and an art exhibition. Hands-on activities included basket making, Kumeyaay games and smoothies made with ingredients gathered from plants indigenous to Southern California.
The purpose of the dedication was to create a space that recognizes the importance of USD's location on the traditional territory of the Kumeyaay Nation and to honor indigenous plants used by the Kumeyaay people.
Originally named the Tecolote Memorial Garden, the area was a focus of a student-led movement to urge USD to incorporate more indigenous, drought-resistant plants into the university's landscaping plan. More recently, students from the Ethnic Studies Department pushed to have the garden officially renamed the Kumeyaay Garden in recognition of the relationship between the indigenous people of the area and the environment.
A committee of students, staff and faculty worked with local ethnobotanists Kristie Orosco (Kumeyaay) and Richard Bugbee (Luiseno) to highlight the Kumeyaay names and uses for the fifty plants in the garden. In addition, USD commissioned Johnny Bear Contreras (Kumeyaay) to create a public art piece that ties the garden to the Kumeyaay creation story and astronomy.