Welcome

More than 200 Native American groups were populating what is now central and southern Texas and northeastern Mexico when the Spanish invaders first arrived. Some historians erroneously report that these bands "disappeared". The Indigenous Cultures Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the research and preservation of the culture, arts, traditions, ceremonies, and languages of this population, collectively known as Coahuiltecans.

The Institute presents educational programs on the identity and ancestral legacy of these Native Americans who have millions of descendants― currently labeled Mexican American, Latino, or Hispanic―still living in Texas and the U.S. Many of these descendants continue to practice their indigenous ceremonies, pray in their Native languages, and hold true to the values of their ancestors.

The Institute also strives to maintain our covenant with sacred sites. We partner with local community organizations and support groups outside of our area that are dedicated to preserving the natural environment of sites that indigenous people consider sacred. The San Marcos, Texas, Sacred Springs area is such a site, and we are committed to its protection and preservation. The Institute is a member of the Sacred Springs Alliance.

We believe that an informed, educated, and thriving indigenous presence in our area is part of the larger, global effort working towards human rights and balance with our Mother Earth. We are all related.

Our Programs

Our programs include Ancestral Legacy Project, Nakum Press, Coahuiltecan Language Program, Library and Archives, the Nakum online journal, Performances and Events, Sacred Sites Programs, Speakers and Lectures, the Xinachtli Project, and Youth Programs.

The Institute also produces an annual Sacred Springs Powwow – revived from the first one established in 1995 by the Tomblin Family.

Photo: Dr. Mario Garza leads blessing at shores of Spring Lake, October 6, 2012, at Sacred Springs Powwow. For more photos of Sacred Springs Powwow CLICK HERE.