Catavina

Rupestrian
Paintings

HOW TO GET THERE

Take the Transpeninsular highway between Ensenada and La Paz. 372 kms. south of Ensenada is the oasis and rest area of Cataviña, B.C. The cave paintings are only 400 meters from the left-hand side of the highway, 1.5 kms. before Hotel La Pinta in Cataviña. From this rest area, head east 22 kms. from the highway sites the Jesuit Mission of Santa María de los Angeles Cabujacaamang and the Santa María Oasis.

ORIGIN

The Yumano and Cochimí indians, two linguistic families related to each other, are present in Baja California. The Cochimí culture, which was disappeared at the begining of the 19th Century, lived in the southern region of northern Baja California. Tribes resided in adjacent areas of the central desert, all the way down to the of Loreto, B.C.S. The other Indian family, the Yumanos, formed a society of 15,000 people with the European conquerors after their arrival in Baja California. Currently, there are a few hundred men, women and children that have a different culture from their ancestral relatives. This is because they keep their traditions, joined with the present standars of the Mexican society in Baja California. The wind, the water, the heat and the cold are gradually destroying even the most protected cave paintings. The ones that seems to be fresh, less damaged are perhaps more recent than the ones that are more deteriorated. However, we can not base our investigation about the age of this paintings in this facts. Based on recent studies, the majority of the rupestrial paintings that are located in Baja California were done 1,000 years ago. The Mision of Santa María de los Angeles Cabujacaamang was founded by the Jesuits in 1766, next to the Santa María Oasis, taking advantage of the fertility of the area.

DESCRIPTION

The remains of the rupestrial paintings are mainly located in naturaly protected areas, caves and rocky fronts. When we talk about rupestrial manifestation, in general we refer to the paint or pictography and to the engraving or petrography that are put directly over the surface of a rock, including little holes and small hollows made on the surface of the rock. These are probably related to ceremonial activities by human groups. The aplication of paint on the rocks is mainly found in natural cavities and caves that are formed by the piles of rocks, like granite, in one especific area. The colors that are presented with main incise are red, in many varieties, plus black and white. We know that some of this pigments have a mineral origin, that was pulverized, then sifted and mixed with some type of vegetable-based glue like pine-tree resin or the sap of the nopal (prickly pear), or an other kind of cactus that would permit its application on the rock with the fingers or some kind of brush. New paragraple the designs in the rupestrial paintings of Cataviña, in the central desert, are geometrics and the anthropomorphus are diagrammatic. The paintings size are no larger than 40 to 50 cms. The overpositioning of motives indicate that certain places were populated throughout time by many generations.

ACTIVITIES

Because it is a desertic, rocky and mountainous zone, the are is for ecotourism and viewing these beautiful rupestrial paintings. Another atracttion in the area is the Santa Maria Oasis where you will find the ruins of the last Jesuit Mission, Santa María de los Angeles Cabujacaamag. You can also admire the great concentration of the Blue Palm Tree on endemic species in the state of Baja California, and "La Poza de Escuadra" a natural reservoir placed between gigantic rocks of granite. Besides of admiring this natural spots and historical places, you can like, mountain bike, and camp. Star observation here is an unforgettable experience.