Delfina Cuero: The Kumeyaay Way Of Life

The Kumeyaay people encountered many challenges in their quest to survive the harsh conditions of their daily lives. Difficult situations, such as being forced out of their country by new populations of people and the struggle of finding work to survive, often made life hard for this indigenous group. Despite the hardships they experienced, however, the Kumeyaay people always held their culture close while important wisdom and information was passed down by elder generations. This was done to aid the next generation as they became adults and started new families. Although there were a few aspects of her culture she was unable to recall, Delfina Cuero remembered much of the Kumeyaay way of life. Delfina Cuero was able to document Kumeyaay ceremonies,

For example, in the Kumeyaay culture, it was traditional to have a coming-of-age ceremony for children to transition into adulthood. During the ceremony, girls were buried in the sand and danced around for a week. In addition, the girl’s face was tattooed and she was not allowed to eat (39). Delfina explained that during this ceremony, songs were sung with lyrics that contained all of the information the girl would need to proceed into adulthood. When Delfina came of age, however, she did not undergo this ritual. Therefore, she believed she lacked important knowledge that would have helped her later in life. This lack of knowledge was most devastating when Delfina experienced a miscarriage (43). In fact, many other women of Delfina’s generation experienced similar struggles. Boys were given a similar ceremony for their transition to adulthood. They were also pierced through their nose, to aid them in keeping clean. These tattoos and piercings were important in the Kumeyaay culture to guide them to the right path after death (40). It was also traditional for Kumeyaay girls to live with their parents until a man asked to marry her. It was customary for men to propose by bringing the family food and presents. If the gifts were accepted, a party would be thrown to announce the union (55). These traditions were integral to the Kumeyaay people, and when they stopped upholding them, the

For example, it was considered bad luck for women to touch weapons. The Kumeyaay believed that if women came into contact with weapons, it would ruin the gun and cause their bows not to shoot straight (38). Women were often isolated during menstruation and pregnancy. The Kumeyaay believed that pregnant or menstruating women would cause harm to sick people and plants if they were to go near them (42). In addition to these beliefs, the Kumeyaay also held beliefs about different animals and their symbolism. To demonstrate, Delfina explained that it was bad luck to kill snakes. If a snake was angered, it could kill a family member. Additionally, the Kumeyaay did not allow anyone bitten by a snake to enter another person’s garden (47). Also, the Kumeyaay believed that certain animals represented different fates. For example, if a fox was sighted near someone’s house, it meant that there would be a death in the family, and if a coyote howled, it meant that a relative had already died (49). The Kumeyaay strongly believed in dream interpretation. For instance, witch doctors in their culture received their power from their dreams (50). However, Delfina believed that there were no longer witches, though some people pretended to be. The Kumeyaay firmly believed that obeying these beliefs would keep them healthy and well, and Delfina continued to believe in the Kumeyaay belief system as