Historical Social and Political Context Timeline
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Historical, political and social context of Indigenous people in New Mexico. “The past is real and present, held in our memories and in the shape of the world. It is the ground of our being, its actuality, its particular substance. The future? The future doesn’t exist. We must create the future by our decisions, our actions, and inactions. Together with the place we live, we are co-creators of the world, bringing it into existence moment by moment.” - Dr. Viola Cordova Dr. Cordova was the 1st American Indian woman to receive a PhD in Philosophy In any partnership and/or work with Indigenous communities, it is important to understand the historical, political and social context of that community. Understanding the past and how that has shaped the present will be critical in understanding both the challenges and opportunities in addressing the structural systemic inequities faced by Indigenous communities. To appreciate the depth and context of history, and the magnitude of colonialism in New Mexico, it is necessary to understand the land use, policies and perspectives of Indigenous populations and communities of color which have occupied the region for thousands of years. Being the earliest occupants of New Mexico, Native Americans assert that their cultural and religious are linked to ecological health and human wellness. According to the Navajo creation story, we [humans] are all made of stars. The elements that formed the building blocks of life are in everyone and everything. Navajos believe all life requires ecologically functioning ecosystems with adequate clean air and water; a balanced existence. Perspectives of Indigenous populations and communities of color regarding the health of communities and the environment are important to understanding present issues and future planning efforts. The land, to most Indigenous peoples of this continent, is not a commodity or inert material; it is “alive” and imbued with spirit. Landforms, the sun and air are considered revered holy deities to which their imbalance if directly tied to concepts of interconnectedness and the health of human beings. Holistic concepts of interconnectedness form the cultural world view of Native Americans and this land ethic continues to be passed on to subsequent generations through symbols, art, song, dance, story, imbedded in language and religion. Every place is associated with spirits and legends that are remembered, revered, and preserved through language and rituals. Every place is associated with spirits and legends that are remembered, preserved, and passed in through language and rituals. For thousands of years New Mexico was a trade hub between present day United States, Canada, and central Mexico. Political views, knowledge, and stories were communicated orally. Within our recent history, policies and decisions were made that compromised human health and impacted the environment. An industrialized capitalistic world compounded by population growth and new technological advancements shifted the socio-economic system and altered land use and political structures. This toolkit is aimed at people who want to get into policy advocacy work, or who already are and want to become a better ally/partner to native communities. The HIA process is a tool that can aid Indigenous communities in the fight against discrimination, desecration of Indian lands, violation of treaty rights, protection of health and wellness. In any partnership and/or work with Indigenous communities, it is important to understand the historical, political and social context of that community. Understanding the past and how that has shaped the present will be critical in understanding both the challenges and opportunities in addressing the structural systemic inequities faced by Indigenous communities. Additionally, when seeking out these resources, we strongly recommend resources led by Indigenous authors, who are providing their critical perspective and understanding of a history that is often not told by those who were most impacted. Unfortunately, most of the history of Indigenous communities and Nations is often ignored and/or misrepresented in our educational system and in the media. The result is false and misleading narratives about Native people that perpetuate bias, discrimination and the invisibility of Indigenous people. If you want to learn more about how to change this narrative, visit the Reclaiming Native Truth project. This project has developed guides for allies and Native-led organizations on how to change the narrative in policy and advocacy work: https://rnt.firstnations.org/ We have compiled a list of both national and New Mexico resources to help provide you with some initial reading. National A brief history through an Indigenous lens created by Native Americans in Philanthropy and Candid: https://nativephilanthropy.candid.org/timeline/ https://nativephilanthropy.candid.org/native-101/ https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/what-is-settlercolonialism Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz: Settler-Colonialism and Genocide Policies in North America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZxZv5LCHtQ Dr. Donald Warne: Impact of Unresolved Trauma on American Indian Health Equity at the University of Washington School of Public Health https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS7WKxDtkwY National Indian Health Board’s Working with Tribal Nations - a free, interactive e-course intended to build the capacity of state and federal government officials and other non-Native stakeholders to work collaboratively and effectively with American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and Tribal systems. The training provides background on Indigenous people's contact with Europeans, how the colonial experience has impacted the health and well-being of Tribal populations and best practices for successful engagement with Tribal governments. New Mexico New Mexico has approximately 228,400 Native American citizens, which represent nearly 10.9% of the state’s entire population. There are 23 tribes located in New Mexico – nineteen Pueblos, three Apache tribes (the Fort Sill Apache Tribe, the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the Mescalero Apache Tribe), and the Navajo Nation, and a considerable urban Indian population. The nineteen Pueblos are comprised of the Pueblos of Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, Nambe, Ohkay Owingeh, Picuris, Pojoaque, Sandia, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, Taos, Tesuque, Zuni and Zia. Each Tribe is a sovereign nation with its own government, lifeways, traditions, and culture; and each tribe has a unique relationship with the federal and state governments. We would recommend, where possible, to visit each of the tribal websites to learn more here. Below are a few key resources to get you started. Indian Pueblo Cultural Center - Indigenous Wisdom Curriculum Project - The project provides teachers with educational plans for K–12 students in New Mexico (download curriculum here) to learn about Pueblo culture and history. The curriculum serves as a counter-narrative to the presentation of the history of New Mexico in schools today. All Pueblo Council of Governors - Is composed of the 20 Governors of the sovereign Pueblo nations of New Mexico and Texas with a mission to: To advocate, foster, protect and encourage the social, cultural, and traditional well-being of our Pueblo Nations. Through our inherent and sovereign rights, we will promote language, health, economic and educational advancement of all Pueblo people. See their history and timeline of events: https://www.apcg.org/journey/ Navajo History - site from Navajo Nation’s Tourism Department. The Navajo Treaty of 1868: Why Was the Navajo Journey Home so Remarkable? Digital lesson from the Smithsonian. National Museum of the American Indian. Mescalero Apache Tribe website. See their Tribal History. Dunbar-Ortiz , Roxanne; Ortiz, Simon. Roots of Resistance: A History of Land Tenure in New Mexico. Sep 14, 2007 Etulain, Richard W. New Mexican Lives: Profiles and Historical Stories. Feb 1, 2002 LaDuke, Winona; Cruz, Sean Aaron. The Militarization of Indian Country (Makwa Enewed). Mar 1, 2013. Denetdale, Jennifer Nez. Reclaiming Diné History: The Legacies of Navajo Chief Manuelito and Juanita. Jun 1, 2007. Price, V.B.; Farrell, Nell. The Orphaned Land: New Mexico's Environment Since the Manhattan Project. Oct 23, 2011 Bruchac, Joseph. Navajo Long Walk: Tragic Story Of A Proud Peoples Forced March From Homeland. Apr 1, 2002. Bosque Redondo Memorial Site (Navajo Long Walk): https://www.bosqueredondomemorial.com/ Sando, joe; Agoyo, Herman. Po'pay: Leader of the First American Revolution. Sando. Joe. Pueblo Profiles: Cultural Identity Through Centuries of Change. June , 1998. Sando. Joe. Pueblo Nations: Eight Centuries of Pueblo Indian History. April, 1992. Simmons, Marc. New Mexico: An Interpretive History. Torrez, Robert, Melzer Richard. A History of New Mexico Since Statehood. Fonseca-Chavez, Vanessa; Romero, Levi. Querencia: Reflections on the New Mexico Homeland (Querencias Series). Gonzales, Moises; Lamadrid, Enrique. Nación Genízara: Ethnogenesis, Place, and Identity in New Mexico (Querencias Series). Marta Weigle (Editor), Levine Frances (Editor), Frances Levine (Editor). Telling New Mexico: A New History: A New History Paperback – February 16, 2009 Brooks, James. F.Captives and Cousins: Slavery, Kinship, and Community in the Southwest Borderlands. Cajete, Gregory. Indigenous Community: Rekindling the Teachings of the Seventh Fire. (2015- 09-01) Cajete, Gregory. Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence.