Amy Juan: “Our Struggles as Native American Peoples Are Connected”
By Amy Juan, member of the Tohono Oʼodham Nation.
I am from the village of Comobabi in the Schuk Toak District of the Tohono O'odham Nation in southern Arizona. Historically, we have been told that our Tribes, the Apaches and the Tohono Oʼodham, were enemies, but I see that as a false narrative. Our ancestors have always been in these areas for millennia, and so are our ancestors' remains.
Until a few years ago, I watched the fight to save Oak Flat from afar. But then, Dr. Wendsler Nosie, leader of the Apache Stronghold, invited me to Oak Flat. A one-on-one talk with him and my first-hand experience with this holy land opened my eyes and heart.
Since then, I've been working to connect our Tribes and continue to learn how we are all connected to Oak Flat and how Resolution Copper's proposed mine would impact not only the surrounding area but way beyond.
I have been coming up north and visited the places that are being threatened by this foreign mining company, including the area where mining tailings are supposed to be, which is a valley watershed between Oak Flat and Tucson and the Tohono Oʼodham Nation territory.
Our water is one of our most precious resources, especially here in Arizona, where we face an unprecedented drought. This mining project represents a great danger to different watersheds and to everybody, not just the Apache people.
Understanding the severity of the impact of this mine on our communities and the environment, I have been committed to being an activist and a supporter of protecting Oak Flat by educating others about what is at stake and bringing awareness about this sacred and ecologically fragile land.
Before America became America and Mexico became Mexico in name, our villages and our people existed there.
Our struggles as Native American Peoples are connected. Our freedom to be who we are and our freedom to protect these places that have so much significance to us are at risk.
At an early age, I became an activist to fight for the rights of my people. The Tohono Oʼodham Nation covers an area of 2.8 million acres, which is about the size of Connecticut. Our people share 75 miles international border with Mexico. Since I was a little girl, I have been experiencing the militarization of our land by the U.S. Border Patrol with a lot of surveillance technology, agents, and checkpoints. We're fighting for our freedom to continue to cross borders, migrate, grow our families, and create a shared history of our people.
We must be united to fight to protect our lands, our culture, our songs, and our story for our children and future generations.
I hated the word struggle because I didn't want to live in struggle. But as I got older, I understood that the struggle doesn't have to be dark, but we can fight with the light and love. The struggle is relentless, and we can be relentless as well.
During Native American Heritage Month, I invite you to learn about who the indigenous people are in your community, our history, and our narrative. Don't let school get in the way of your education.
How can you honor the Tribes during November and beyond? I encourage you to learn about the struggles in your communities, from protecting Oak Flat and Bear Ears to fighting against militarization on our southern border. You might not think that these affect you, but if you dig down, you will learn it does impact us all.