EVENTS & EXHIBITS: ANCESTORS' TREASURES

Elements of the earth were the fabric of creation for the Barona ancestors. Our people used the clay, stone, plants, and animals to create this handiwork. Although some objects were made thousands of years ago, many of the techniques continue into present day and are also represented here. This is a small sample of hundreds of objects in the Museum’s permanent collection offered as a retrospective in the celebration of our fifth anniversary.

The original Barona Permanent Collection was a generous donation by Don Speer and VCAT to the Barona Tribe for the opening of the Museum in January 2000. In the last five years, the museum has added to this founding collection through purchases and from generous gifts made by the people of San Diego and Tribal members. The collection reflects tribal property, some taken during challenging times. These traditional objects are returned to the original owners, the San Diego Indians. They are now home.

Ancient Kumeyaay/Diegueño pottery (left and center) is contrasted with a modern seedpot (right), made by Daria Mariscal, Paipai of San Jose de la Zorra.	Treasured family heirlooms: baskets on loan from Barona Tribal Members include an acorn strainer, a juncus bowl and a rattlesnake patterned tray.
A ceremonial redware clay pipe decorated with olivella shell, a steatite sucking tube for healing, and a common bow-style tobacco pipe (left to right).	Grinding stones for seeds such as acorns as well as medicines, paints, and other foods.
Southern California gaming pieces, including pottery disks used for dice or domino-type games, a stone kick ball, and a peon set made by Gloria Casteneda of San Jose de la Zorra.	Desert side-notch arrow points alongside an obsidian scraper and two spear points. The large green metavolcanic spear is from the Archaic period (3,000- 7,000 years old).
These pine needle baskets, made separately by Maria Ignacia Nejo Wachena, Mary Osuna, Delia Osuna, and Bonnie Osuna Salgado, represent four generations of basketmakers.	Mauricia Banegas Campagnoli’s lacemaking kit (courtesy of the Phoenix family) and “skeleton fern” juncus basket made by Petra Cota (courtesy of the San Diego Museum of Man)

©2006 All Photos by Tim Stahl Photographics.