UC San Diego

As a transnational indigenous group in the borderlands, the Kumeyaay people rely on a variety of health modalities, including biomedical and indigenous medicine, to improve their wellbeing and mental health. In this dissertation, I examine ceremonies and gatherings as healing spaces for some Kumeyaay people that provide experiences of unity based on ancestral traditions and values. My dissertation demonstrates how critical intertribal exchanges happen between Kumeyaay communities in the U.S. and Mexico related to language, ceremonies, and cultural knowledge. I argue that intertribal relationships have been significant to the restoration of dormant cultural practices and act as a community network to enhance the lives of indigenous peoples. Intertribal exchanges promote indigenous healing and allow for the co-creation of therapeutic processes which could lead to beneficial health outcomes. Positioned at the intersection of medical anthropology, global mental health, and indigenous studies, this research sheds light on the intricate dynamics between health, politics, and cultural knowledge production for transnational Native communities. This project amplifies the voices of indigenous community leaders and focuses on the contributions of indigenous knowledge for community-led healing.