College expands Kumeyaay studies program

Cuyamaca College will offer a new program this fall that studies the language, culture and history of the Kumeyaay people and allows students to earn an associate degree in the subject.

The college is expanding its current program, which offers a certificate of achievement in Kumeyaay Studies. And while several community colleges throughout California offer associate degrees in American Indian Studies, college officials said they believe Cuyamaca is the first community college in the state with a degree program that focuses on a specific Native American tribe.

Courses will include instruction from the sciences, humanities, world languages and history departments for a multidisciplinary approach to learning about the Kumeyaay.

The tribe now lives on 13 federally recognized reservations but have inhabited the region, which stretches from Oceanside to Ensenada and east to the Colorado River, for more than 12,000 years.

Beyond learning about Kumeyaay history and culture, students who earn an associate degree in the program will gain a basic knowledge of the Kumeyaay language and understand the tribe’s heritage and traditions.

The East County college is home to an annual powwow organized by Native American students. Last year, a Native American Student Alliance was formed to promote tribal heritage. Its name, Cuyamaca, comes from the Kumeyaay phrase “Ekqiiyamak,” which means “behind the clouds,” “above the rains,” and “the place where the rains come from the heavens,” according to the college.

The courses will be held at the Rancho San Diego campus, as well as Kumeyaay Community College on the Sycuan reservation.

Registration for classes is open through Friday.