THE PAIPAI:
The Paipai territory originally extended from the Gulf of California coast, through the mountain and desert interior to the Pacific Ocean. Today some 350 Paipai (or "Jaspauy paium" as they call themselves) live in two distinct communities: Santa Catarina in the Sierra Juarez mountains and San Isidoro near the Trinidad Valley. The language of the Paipai is closely related to the languages of the Yavapai, the Hualapai, and the Havasupai of Arizona, with whom they also share many cultural features. The modern day Paipai make a living raising livestock, harvesting the natural resources of their land (such as yucca, pine nuts, honey, and firewood), raising crops, and making handicrafts such as pottery, bows and arrows, and agave fiber carrying nets.
THE KUMEYAAY:
Traditionally, the Kumeyaay territory extended about 50 to 75 miles both north and south of the present day U.S.-Mexico border, west to the Pacific Ocean and east near the Colorado River. Archaeological evidence suggests that this Yuman-speaking group has inhabited the coastal areas, foothills, mountains, and desert regions of southern California and northern Mexico for about 1500 to 3000 years.
Today, the modern day bands of the Kumeyaay number some 3000 members. Their reservation land (Campo, San Pasqual, Santa Ysabel, Viejas, Cuyapaipe, La Posta, Manzanita, Mesa Grande, Jamul, Inaja-Cosmit, Capitan Grande, Sycuan, and Barona) is scattered throughout southeastern San Diego county. In addition, there are about 400 members of the Kumiai (Spanish variant of "Kumeyaay) who live in ejidos or indigenous communities in Baja California such as Juntas de Neji, San Jose de la Zorra, San Antonio Necua, and La Huerta. These Mexican bands of the Kumeyaay are close relatives of the San Diego Indians and maintain close personal relationships despite the presence of the international border. Many Kumiai work as wage laborers in the wine producing industry of the Guadalupe Valley, as cowboys or farmers, or make a living selling traditional handicrafts such as willow or juncus baskets.
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