Border Fence to Divide Three Native American Nations

Border Fence to Divide Three Native American Nations

By Rodrigo Paras; translated from Spanish by Elena Shore
October 6, 2006, New American Media

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=c17899ed7975f1ada871e1da0c8b52f2

(this article originally appeared in Rumbo
http://www.rumbonet.com/rumbo/portada.asp )


Criticism by Native Americans who Live along the Border

Three Native American nations and 23 tribes live in the
borderlands between the United States and Mexico. The
construction of the border separation fence approved by
Congress will divide in two the ancient history of these
peoples.

"The land is the place God put us from time immemorial. I
can't imagine that now it will be difficult to visit my
family," because of the construction of the fence, said Louis
Gussac, chief of the Koumeyaay nation located on both sides of
the California border.

These sentences are repeated time and time again on the
reservations' international limits.

The tribes' situation has been difficult since 2001 as a
result of an increase in the Border Patrol, the presence of
National Guard troops in the last four months and narco-
traffic activities in some areas along the border.

O'odham, Cocopah and Kickapoo are the three Native American
nations that will see their culture and land divided by a
fence that is at least five feet tall and, according to
Congress, is expected to be completed in May 2008.

"Although the project is meant to stop the undocumented, it
affects our life," said Gussac.

Texas Has its own History Too

The Kickapoo nation resides in the Eagle Pass area. These
Native Americans see the fence that will be built there as a
tragic sign.

Congress approved a span of the fence that will go from five
miles northwest of Del Rio to five miles southeast of Eagle
Pass.

"The territory of this reservation will be permanently divided
by the hand of man," said anthropologist and Kickapoo expert
Rebeca Brush.

Throughout history, the Kickapoo have had to change their
traditions. In the 17th century, they lived in the Great Lakes
region. A century later they were displaced to Kansas and
Texas.

"It's one thing to change where you live, but it's something
else to have a fence separate the members of a nation," Brush
explained.

"It's truly a tragedy. The construction of the fence doesn't
make any sense," says Jose Aranda, a member of the Kickapoo
in Eagle Pass.

"This isn't the way to solve a problem that's more complicated
and needs a more intelligent solution," explained Jaime
Loiaono, the priest of a church in Eagle Pass.

"Fifty percent of the high school students on the reservation
are Black Rocks. What's going to happen to them?" the priest
asked.

The mayor of the city, Chad Foster, has expressed strong
criticism of the fence. "It's a cure that is worse than the
disease," he said before Congress approved the bill.

The Kickapoo, despite living in the United States for
centuries, were not recognized as a nation until 1983.

Two decades later, various miles of fence will divide the land
where they live, and the steel beams will be nailed like a
threat to the preservation of their unity, family and customs.


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