the opportunity arose to manage Indigenous artifacts on campus , I knew it would be an ideal way to stay at UC San Diego while pursuing my passion for repatriation .
What happens when a tribal artifact is uncovered ? As a Native person , I ’ m more inclined to report anything that is found because I know that ’ s the right thing to do and I ’ m abiding by the law . What I help repatriate is much broader than human remains . For instance , something as common as a shell may be eligible as a NAGPRA funerary object if it is traced back to an Indigenous grave site . Whatever comes my way , I create a detailed inventory list that is shared with the federal NAGPRA register . This involves evaluating each artifact , classifying it in collaboration with Indigenous communities and sometimes photographing them — though we never photograph human remains out of respect .
How did your experience at UC San Diego impact your career path ? As an Indigenous student , I felt supported on campus because I had the Intertribal Resource Center , a place to go to study and socialize . It was nice knowing that my peers shared similar experiences . And if I had questions or needed support for writing , I had a place to go .
I studied anthropology at UC San Diego to gain a greater understanding of cultural research practices . At the time , repatriation was not a primary topic of discussion in the field . I think anthropology as a whole is moving in the right direction , and there is opportunity to identify areas where further education is needed about what Native cultural resources are eligible for repatriation . I ’ m excited to contribute to change and build relationships , not just with my community but with all Indigenous communities that are impacted by archeological work .
UNMAPPING UC Mat-koo-la-hoo-ee
EVA TRUJILLO ’ 20 is also involved with a recently launched project of the Indigenous Futures Institute at UC San Diego that applies the Native Kumeyaay perspective to the history of Mat-koo-la-hoo-ee , the Indigenous name for our campus area , from which the current name of “ La Jolla ” is derived .
A team of researchers and Kumeyaay community scholars will examine the spatial and temporal history and cultural significance of Mat-koo-la-hoo-ee and design a community-engaged service-learning course on the history of the land that the city and UC San Diego currently occupies .
“ Mat-koo-la-hoo-ee is a sacred place for the Kumeyaay people for many different reasons ,” says Trujillo . “ Unfortunately , this often goes unacknowledged in historical or present-day narratives and documents . Through the Unmapping UC Mat-koo-la-hoo-ee project , we will illuminate our cultural connections to the land and create a new awareness of the past , present and future of the Kumeyaay .”
The Indigenous Futures Institute has plans for more programs and invites proposals for further community-engaged projects that focus on Indigenous perspectives across disciplines and contexts . Learn more at : ifi . ucsd . edu
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