Press

February 7, 2005
Barona Cultural Center and Museum Celebrates Five-Year Milestone ~ Founding Director of NMAI Honors Barona Museum’s Efforts in Preserving Native American History

(SAN DIEGO, CA) February 7, 2005 – Native Americans, staff and supporters of the Barona Cultural Center and Museum celebrated its five-year anniversary with a reception featuring the re-installation of the museum’s acclaimed exhibit Barona Cultural Center and Museum Permanent Collection: Fifth Year Retrospective.

Approximately 250 people, including notable experts in American Indian heritage and members of several Southern California Tribes, attended the celebration to recognize the museum’s efforts in educating the community on Native American history and culture.

W. Richard West, the founding director of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C., attended the event to congratulate the Barona Band of Mission Indians and museum staff on their accomplishments and contributions to the Native American community.

“As a source of education for Tribal communities and the people around them, I applaud the efforts of the Barona community,” said West. “When I walk through this museum, I feel like I’m having a conversation with the members of this Tribe and for this reason you should celebrate royally.”

In addition, the University of San Diego Dean of Arts and Sciences Pat Drinan presented a historic adobe tile from the Padre Dam to the Barona Museum. Indians constructed the dam during the early 19th century to carry water to the mission and mission lands, making it an important part of San Diego history. The adobe was presented to honored elders, Josephine Romero and Josephine Whaley of the Barona Museum committee, accompanied by members of the Barona and Viejas Tribal Councils.

Highlighting the event was the re-installment of the Barona Cultural Center and Museum Permanent Collection: Fifth Year Retrospective. The treasured anthology features rare Southern California Indian artifacts from 10,000 years ago to the present including ancient tools, handcrafted baskets from several local tribes and unique artifacts representing ancient song and ceremony.

The event also featured the captivating exhibit Firestorm 2003: Recovery and Renewal on Barona Reservation, which chronicles the extraordinary tales of survival and heroism of the Barona Tribe during the tragic wildfires.

“Five years ago, our goal was to find creative ways to share the Barona culture with Tribal members and the larger community,” said Cheryl Hinton, Museum director/curator. “We are committed to -more- continuing our best efforts in programming to serve the Tribe and we hope all of San Diego continues to utilize this as an educational institution for years to come.”

The Barona Cultural Center and Museum first opened to the public on January 26, 2000 to teach the rich cultural history of Southern California’s Native American Tribes. Due to the efforts of generous volunteers, the Museum’s events and education programs have worked to connect the larger San Diego community with the legacy of countless Tribes around the county. With free tours and outreach for all San Diego schools and organizations, the museum’s education programs provide a connection from the Tribal history to the larger San Diego community. The museum also holds a wealth of national and local partnerships including the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, the Library of Congress and several San Diego museums and local universities.

The Barona Cultural Center and Museum is located on the Barona Indian Reservation at 1095 Barona Road in Lakeside and is open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., closed Mondays and certain holidays. Admission is free. Please call (619) 443-1003 ext. 2 for more information or to schedule a group tour.