The Story of the Museum
A project of this scope can only become reality through the collaboration of a wide variety of people and institutions committed to the establishment and long-term sustainability of the museum. The good news is that our project team is already off to a remarkable start.
The museum project began as an idea of Kumiai community members who dreamed of a place where Kumiai culture could be passed on to future generations. Tecate area Kumiai community members have participated in the planning process, and have set clear priorities for the museum, which they hope will “instill respect for our territory (sacred sites, environment), cultures and customs; provide accurate information on the history of the native regions of Baja California; create a neutral space for all the communities, and involve Kumiai in the whole process. We want this museum to become a reality.”
The idea was further developed through the work of a team of experts from San Diego State University, with support from the President’s Leadership Fund and the Southwest Consortium for Environmental Research and Policy. SDSU professor Dr. Lynn Gamble and anthropologist Michael Wilken-Robertson have spearheaded the effort.
The project finds a home thanks to the enthusiastic collaboration of the Tecate community organization Corredor Histórico CAREM A.C., which envisions this museum as the first stage of a larger museum complex located in the Tecate Cultural Center (CECUTEC). CAREM, which has already established a community library and media auditorium at the CECUTEC, will manage the museum. Through the affiliation of CAREM with the International Community Foundation, tax deductions may be offered to donors. http://www.carem.org/index.htm
The municipality of Tecate has given its formal support to the project through a council resolution providing a permanent land-use agreement for the grounds.