Photo: Kumeyaay territory as its sliced in two by the US-Mexican border at San Diego County and Tijuana. US side is on the left. By Sgt 1st Class Gordon Hyde, 2007, from Wikimedia Commons
Mat Akwey / Turning Point (Tipai Kumeyaay)
Synopsis: Tijuana is one of the fastest-growing cities in Mexico and part of the international Tijuana-San Diego metropolitan area. Over time, this rapid growth has led to the fading of Kumiay folklore. Yet the meaning behind the name of Tijuana reveals a deep connection to the city’s modern-day lifestyle.
Jikú mat wam jwak tonak kwaljow ñuway, Tijuana mat Kumiay yey ljupit. Ñawatt mat kwiñurr ñuwey aajwash sper tuwá, ipat prrú. Ñapuum Jikú ñuwáypu uyaawj ‘uy, ñípa mat tj’ow ipat yak jmer.
Mat tj’ow ñuchílj jmer tuwá. Tijuana, mat akwey. Kumiay uychí Yaw-Tikwán, uwey jamil jawak ñiwpjow tañuey. Matwám 1925 (tonakwatay tonák-jumjumók maayk shajók-jwak maayk sarap), Angel Quilp, Tekumak Kumiay, JP Harrington knap Yokomat Tuchaipá mayay imet ñiwpjow aniw analj mat nimitt. Ayip mat chiwilj jasilj kwaórk, ñap Tijuana, pas mat mujeyj ‘uy. Puyútt nmán akwey. Ñípe chmúlj Yaw-Tikwán chpá. Ñapm, Tijuana puyú jmer mat kwiñurr ajkey: Jikú kwaljow ayíp ñapuum MatPok mat kwakor man, niw rar yaasuu ñapuum ñamayk ñumat akwey. Tijuanenses kwaljow maan naam. Pas ñapuum ñuwey korrlj, mat tj’ow ka sper ñawápa paychett ljpa’ám.
Ñawápa mat kwiñurr ñakoriák chaajaay, jmí ñakoriák ñimitt chów. Pas ñip jmí kwashín tipey ñakoriák yey ljupit. Niw kwaján, mat charray ñuwey jmer, Mat-Jasilj-Wik-Kakáp ljwí, municipio Tijuana jelpey Mat Ipat Chmí pchów. Kumiay jwañow, MaijáAwí, awí kwatay charray, ñip jasilj wi kakáp ñuwá. Knap MaijáAwí JaWiklj chpak puum tipey maat aljmar chkuyáw, pas awíp ljtap chaamelj tipey naalj, ñapuum tipey niw chuyow tipey aa kip.
Niw kwaján maw, mat charray chaamelj shmáp iján ljwíj ‘uy. MatkwateyKwajwat, uwál warpu Tijuanam, pchówj ‘uy. Soyála Chumá wichím chuyów, ñapuum jwañów knap, ñípe amar Tiwán Kashián, chuwett kwatey Kumiay sper maat chemján jl’íshi j’ay kusiay chiljitt shin. Ñapuum Tiwán Kashián jumey jumí ñapuum matchów, kusiay chiljit jipók atim arrók shmá tuyák jwey. Ñamaayk mspá, Tiwán Kashián MatkwateyKwajwat weyú ñípu uyák tipey pchów.
Npaw sum knap matwám shajók-jumjók wiip tipey ñakoriák ñípe Kumiay shimúlj shin takwá. Matwaam ñamaayk, sh’aak Tikwán Kumiay shin tuwatt ñikanap iip ñimitt Kumiay tañuway ñip ñakoriák uyáw jmer, tipey yak jmer shimulj Jechkuljk, pil Jikú mayay ñuway.
Ñapuum mat kanaap Kumiay uyáw lipiytt mat kwiñurr kwatey, mat kwaján ñip mat ipat sper tapá: Ja Kunuw Tikwán kwettap mayey municipio Tijuana knów, JaWik wikm, tipey Kumiay kwak wuñey chi chiñú taníw, mat mayay jilikúy tañuwey.
Pil Tijuanap mat kwiñurr kwatey, ñakoriák jmí jmer tuwá. Pas ñípe ján t’aar aniw sow kusiay-uyáw piwá, tj’ow Kumiay yak jmer. Tijuana jmer Yaw-Tikwán, mat akwey.
