The four indigenous tribes which are native to the County of San Diego in Southern California include the Cahilla, Cupeno, Luiseno, and the Kumeyaay tribes. The Kumeyaay consist of two related groups, the Ipai and Tipai.The two coastal groups’ traditional homelands were approximately separated by the San Diego River: the northern Ipai (extending from Escondido to Lake Henshaw) and the southern Tipai (including the Laguna Mountains, Ensenada, and Tecate).
At the time of European contact, the Kumeyaay people had several autonomous bands with 30 patrilineal clans. Under the Spanish Mission system, bands living near Mission San Diego de Alcalá were called Diegueños.
Today, the 13 US bands of the Kumeyaay tribe, which are federally recognized tribes, include:
- Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation (a.k.a. Campo Band of the Kumeyaay Nation)
- Capitan Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California(a.k.a.Capitan Grande Indian Reservation) :
- Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation (a.k.a. Barona Band of Mission Indians)
- Viejas (Baron Long) Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Viejas Reservation (Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians)
- Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians (formerly the Cuyapaipe Community of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Cuyapaipe Reservation)
- Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Inaja and Cosmit Reservation (a.k.a. Inaja Cosmit Indian Reservation)
- Jamul Indian Village of California
- La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the La Posta Indian Reservation (a.k.a. La Posta Indian Reservation)
- Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Manzanita Reservation (a.k.a. Manzanita Indian Reservation)
- Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Mesa Grande Reservation
- San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California (a.k.a. San Pasqual Band of Indians)
- Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel(a.k.a. Santa Ysabel Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Santa Ysabel Reservation) (a.k.a. Santa Ysabel Band of Diegueño Indians)
- Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
There are also five bands of Kumeyaay people in Mexico.
They live in five communities in Baja California, including:
- Juntas de Neji
- La Huerta
- San Antonio Necua
- Santa Catarina
- San José de la Zorra