Texas State, Indigenous Cultures Institute agree to explore Cultural Center possibilities

Inside TXST

Jayme Blaschke | March 7, 2023

Texas State University and the Indigenous Cultures Institute (ICI) have signed a letter of interest to explore the feasibility of locating an Indigenous Cultures Center (ICC) on university property.

ICI is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by the Miakan-Garza Band of the Coahuiltecan people, a tribe recognized by the Texas legislature. ICI is dedicated to actively preserving the culture of the indigenous Coahuiltecans people.

“For over sixteen years we’ve worked alongside Texas State University to provide indigenous knowledge for the students’ classes, reclaim our ancestors for reburial, support The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, consult on signage for our Sacred Springs walkways and many other projects,” said Mario Garza, Ph.D., ICI board of elders chair. “We are honored to work towards establishing an Indigenous Cultures Center on the university’s campus that will become a model of community inclusion, authentic representation of native people, and exemplary environmental stewardship.”

The ICC would be a multi-use, multi-generational facility featuring active and passive recreational spaces as well as river or creek access through a system of multi-use greenway trails. The center would incorporate youth outdoor facilities, a nature center, community gardens, native plants and wildlife on adjacent, protected parkland and educational programs on indigenous cultures. Ultimately, it would serve as a cultural and educational hub, anchoring a series of shared greenways and protected waterways of the San Marcos River as an example of water and land conservation and stewardship.  

The ICI mission dovetails with existing Texas State interests. The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment oversees the stewardship of Spring Lake, the headwaters of the San Marcos River. Archaeological evidence indicates the lake may be the oldest continuously inhabited site in North America, with indigenous peoples occupying the area for at least 13,500 years. Garza is also a Meadows Fellow and is currently collaborating with The Meadows Center in creating an exhibit of Coahuiltecan inhabitants of the Spring Lake area.

The Center for Archaeological Studies (CAS) is a research center within the Department of Anthropology at Texas State. It operates as a cultural resources management firm and as an archaeological repository, is certified by the state of Texas. CAS has worked with the Miakan-Garza in repatriation issues and holds replicas of ancient artifacts that may be displayed at the ICC.

The Hays County Commissioners Court has been in discussions with ICI regarding funding for the ICC through the recent parks and open spaces bond approved by county residents. The San Marcos city council is also a participant in the ambitious project, having approved a resolution to work alongside the Indigenous Cultures Institute to identify and acquire land within San Marcos for this project.

For more information, visit https://indigenouscultures.org/.