This is the ancestral land of the First People, the Kumeyaay.

When the border between the United States and Mexico was established in the 1850s, the land of the Kumeyaay was split between the new American state of California and northern Mexico. People and culture were immediately divided. In the over 170 years since, the effects on the culture and land management have become evident.

In this first episode of Divided Together, we’ll hear from a respected member of the Kumeyaay Nation, Ana Gloria “Martha” Rodriguez. For nearly 20 years, Martha and her family have been important stakeholders for California State Parks in San Diego County, often sharing cultural knowledge and providing invaluable feedback on proposed projects. She and her husband, Dr. Stanley Rodriguez, participated in our Fiesta del Rio event for ten years. They both run the Kosay Kumeyaay Market in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. We’ll hear how this border has had an impact on the people and the land over the centuries, and we’ll hear what Martha is doing to help prevent further erosion and maintain the Kumeyaay way of life and spirit.

Divided Together is a California State Parks podcast series for Border Field State Park, brought to you by California State Parks Foundation, Parks California, and the generosity of an anonymous donor.

Music Credits:

Lobo Lobo by Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/, transformed for time)
An Oddly Formal Dance by Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/, transformed for time)
Lakeside Path by Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)
Lo Margin by Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

Anne Marie Tipton: Executive Producer and Host

Adam Greenfield: Podcast Producer and Engineer