Gail Werner, a Southern California Native American Artist, talks about the cultural significance of her work commissioned by Murals of La Jolla. She descends from three tribes: Cupeño, Luiseño, and Kumeyaay. And she pays tribute to her relatives, particularly her grandmother, Catherine Mojado, and her great-grandmother, Salvadora Valenzuela, a noted basket maker. The title of the mural is in the Cupeño language: Mukikmalim, Su'ulim, Chem-tema-ki'ay (Birds, Stars, Our Lands). The Cupeño people were forced from their ancestral land of Kupa, located in north San Diego County, in 1903. The plants and birds in the mural are all found on these ancestral lands. The three birds, the Cactus Wren, the Says Phoebe, and the Black-Throated Sparrow, also refer to the tribe’s traditional songs, called Bird Songs. The design behind the central bird and the crosses in the sky, the stars, are based on Native basketry designs.

The mural was installed at 7836 Herschel Avenue in La Jolla, California in Summer of 2023 and is expected to remain in place for two years. More information can be found at https://www.muralsoflajolla.com/

The mural is located in Mat Kulaaxuuy (La Jolla), the un-ceded ancient homeland of the Kumeyaay nation. We honor and respect the past, present, and emergent generations of the Kumeyaay people.

Special thanks to Diana Duro and Kupa Song and Dance Group, featuring Head Singer David Duro.

Video by Mark Laurila