Indigenous cultures center proposed in Hays County

On Monday, October 11 — the first federally recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day — the Indigenous Cultures Institute announced its plans for a Indigenous Cultures Center in Hays County.

The announcement took place at a press conference and prayer rally on the steps of the county courthouse in San Marcos. The rally and press conference followed a series of events in the county focused around the recognition of Indigenous peoples. Representatives from ICI and supporting students from Texas State University provided information and sought community input for the center, also including rituals of prayer and song from local tribal culture.

“Before we do anything, we need the community to tell us what they want in an Indigenous Cultures Center,” said Dr. Mario Garza, the institute’s board of elders chair. “It’s our way that the people speak first, and then the elders take action.”

ICI aims to place 10 acres into public protection for continued stewardship, free from looming development. These open spaces would include a public facility for Indigenous art exhibits, performances and educational activities for Indigenous and non-Native community members and visitors. Community gardens, medicinal herbal plantings, and an amphitheater for large events are also being considered.

“It can sometimes be hard for us, as Indigenous people, to keep track of our family heritage,” said Gina Alba-Rogers, chair of the Council for the Indigenous and Tejano Community in Hays County. “We use paintings and storytelling to pass down our stories to the younger generations, but it’s often seen as folklore. It’s not folklore. We need a place where these stories, and our culture, can be preserved and recognized.”

Because so many of these stories have been lost, it’s often difficult for Indigenous people to know they are, in fact, indigenous, Alba-Rogers said.

“The census reports often reflect that if you’re Hispanic, you’re a subcategory of ‘white.’ Alba-Rogers explained. “But the truth is, most Hispanic people whose families have been living in this area for decades upon decades are, in fact, Indigenous. A lot of what is often considered ‘Mexican’ is, in fact, Indigenous.”

Consequently, the institute plans to serve the Hispanic and Latinx communities in the area as well.

“We want to work extensively in the Hispanic neighborhoods, where we hope to build the Center, as near as possible,” says Garza. “We want to be an anchor for these families, many of whom have Indigenous ancestors going back 14,000 years.”

The San Marcos City Council has already passed a resolution to explore the possibility of providing city property for the Center. According to the ICI, the institute applied for Parks and Open Spaces bond funding to build the facility and create land protection last month. It is waiting for a final decision from the Hays County Commissioners Court.

Community members are encouraged to voice their ideas about an Indigenous Cultures Center at the institute’s website: indigenouscultures.org/center. For more information, contact the institute at [email protected].