Southern California Tribes Welcome UNITY to San Diego

Southern California Tribes Welcome UNITY to San Diego

By Terria Smith

More than 2,000 Native American Youth from across the United States and Canada gathered for the 2018 National United National InterTribal Youth (UNITY) Conference in San Diego. The annual conference, which takes place at a different location each year, gathers together youth councils from tribes across the country. UNITY’s mission is “to foster the spiritual, mental, physical, and social development of American Indian and Alaska Native youth, and to help build a strong, unified, and self-reliant Native America through greater youth involvement.”

The 5-day conference opened on July 5 with the local Kumeyaay and Luiseño tribal peoples sharing their cultures with visiting youth. Cultural educator Stanley Rodriguez (Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel) shared a blessing before an afternoon of bird singing and dancing lead by elders including Walter Holmes Jr. (Morongo Band of Mission Indians) and Harry Paul Cuero Jr. (Campo Kumeyaay Nation).

Walter Homes and the Morongo Bird Singers shared songs during the opening cultural event at the 2018 UNITY Conference. (photo by Terria Smith)

During that first day, the Rincon Youth Storytellers also had a booth that taught visitors about local traditional medicinal plants and foods. While the Barona Cultural Museum had an educational table about Kumeyaay basket weaving.

Throughout the conference, California tribal people were woven into the programming. Bird singing groups shared during the cultural exchange night as well as did a group of traditional dancers, singers, and storytellers from the Tule River Yokut tribe. The California Indian Museum and Cultural Center’s Tribal Youth Ambassadors presented a workshop about the making of their ACORN energy bar. Ambassador Jayden Lim (Pomo) was also recognized that day as a UNITY “25 Under 25” Leadership Award winner. ‘

The California Indian Museum and Cultural Center’s Tribal Youth Ambassadors program presented a workshop on Food Sovereignty during the 2018 UNITY Conference in San Diego. (photo by Terria Smith)

Chris Devers, former tribal chairman of the Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, offered a prayer to open the fourth conference day. He was followed by the Rincon Youth Storytellers who presented the story of how the Stinkbug got his color.

The Rincon Youth Storytellers presented during the 2018 UNITY Conference in San Diego. (photo by Terria Smith)

The closing events on July 9 included a presentation by blues artist Tracy Lee Nelson (La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians) and a ceremony at the UNITY fire, which stayed lit the entire duration of the conference.

Next year’s National Conference is set to take place in Orlando, Florida. For more information about UNITY Inc., please visit https://unityinc.org/