Through its latest exhibition, the La Jolla Historical Society is looking to tell a very old story in a very new way.
The exhibit, dubbed the “Kumeyaay Visual Storytelling Project,” opens Friday, June 13, at the Historical Society’s Wisteria Cottage gallery. It invites viewers into the pages of the graphic novels “Our Past, Present and Future” and “Beyond Gaming,” authored by tribal historians Ethan Banegas, Michael Connolly Miskwish, Lorraine Orosco and Stanley Rodriguez and illustrated by John Swogger.
According to the Historical Society, the origins of the storytelling project date to 2021, when Swogger and Jen Shannon, founders of NAGPRA Comics, met with Miskwish and Rodriguez at San Diego Comic-Con. They discussed the need for more accurate and Indigenous-led s of California history, and the seeds of a Kumeyaay-directed, community-based research project and comic series was born.
As part of the creation of the Historical Society exhibition based on the project, Banegas wrote a synopsis explaining its significance.
“Though our target audience for this project was the Kumeyaay people, it is also imperative to bring awareness to the broader public that the Kumeyaay people still live here,” he wrote. “With a population roughly the size of the Cherokee Nation and ancestral territory roughly the size of Delaware, the Kumeyaay Nation was one of the largest tribes in the United States. Even today, San Diego has more reservations than any other county in the United States. Yet, the public hardly knew we existed until the advent of tribal gaming in the 1980s. This is why this project is so important.”
Two years after the meeting that led to the creation of the graphic novels, the Historical Society approached the creators about presenting them in exhibition form in its gallery.
“We thought it was a beautiful opportunity to show that viewpoint of local history in a way that is so accessible,” said Historical Society Executive Director Lauren Lockhart. “Graphic novels are such an accessible way for people to come to history and appreciate it. So while this is centered on Southern California and Kumeyaay history, there are other examples of graphic novels being used to showcase underrepresented histories. We feel so honored to be able to be the venue for this exhibition.”
The “Kumeyaay Visual Storytelling Project” exhibition will feature pages from the graphic novels enlarged so they can be viewed in detail, textiles inspired by the comics that were made by students from High Tech Middle Mesa and Barona Charter schools that will be suspended from the ceiling, video-recorded interviews with some of the graphic novels’ creators and other tribal historians, and artifacts that showcase Kumeyaay language and culture.
Together, Lockhart said, they create an immersive experience.
“The textiles are dyed fabrics with constellations the students created so it feels like the night sky,” she said. “It helps transport you to a campfire setting, where many oral histories take place.
“We also wanted [viewers] to see the faces and hear the voices of those involved and what it means to them to have these graphic novels. We wanted the [artifacts] to allow visitors to hear the language spoken.”
The enlarged pages provide “a different way to interact with the books,” Lockhart added. “They are so beautifully done and the illustrations are wonderful and there is such rich content with input and collaboration with the Kumeyaay community.”
Themes in the graphic novels include Kumeyaay history and the role of casinos in public awareness of Indigenous culture.
“Most people have either visited an Indian casino or know something about one near their home,” Banegas wrote. “However, Indian gaming for me is simply a Trojan horse to discuss other, more important moments in our history. Conversions about Indian casinos can easily become one-dimensional, and without the proper context, public perception can distort what gaming means to our communities.
“We provide the proper context to explain what gaming has done for economic development and preservation of tribal sovereignty, but Indian gaming is just a drop in the ocean, and we make a concerted effort to go beyond gaming in our narrative.”
“A visitor to our exhibition will witness key moments and figures in Kumeyaay history and culture,” Banegas added, “like our bird singers and important tribal leaders who have ed away … and tribal leaders who are still with us today. The exhibition we have planned teaches a comprehensive history to an audience and tells our story like a good book or movie, with plenty of images. It is deeply engaging and provides a [textbook-like] experience, leaving the viewer with a much greater understanding of our past, present and future.”
‘Kumeyaay Visual Storytelling Project’
When: Public opening reception, 7-8 p.m. Friday, June 13; runs through Sunday, Aug. 31
Where: La Jolla Historical Society’s Wisteria Cottage gallery, 780 Prospect St.
Hours: Noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays
Cost: Free
Information: lajollahistory.org ♦
