Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

March 4, 2017

Traditional O'odham in Mexico Protest Border Wall, Photos by Ofelia Rivas, O'odham

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Screen capture from Unity Dance video by Alejandro Aguilar Zeleny.
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Photo by Alejandro Aguilar Zeleny.

Photo by Alejandro Aguilar Zeleny
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Photo by Ofelia Rivas

International media watching traditional dancing at today's event. Photo by Ofelia Rivas

Alejandro of Sonora read poetry during the gathering. Photo by Ofelia Rivas
Photos copyright Ofelia Rivas, O'odham, March 25, 2017 
Wo'osan (San Miguel Gate) on Tohono O'odham land
Traditional O'odham in Sonora, Mexico, Protest Trump's Border Wall on O'odham Land


Border Wall on this Sacred Land would be a 'Scar on the Soul of O'odham' -- Alicia

Article by Brenda Norrell
Photos by Ofelia Riva
Videos and photos by Alejando Aguilar Zeleny
Censored News
Dutch translation by Alice Holemans at NAIS

WO'OSAN, Sonora, Mexico -- The Tohono O'odham tribal government, U.S. Border Patrol and other federal agents halted supporters and reporters on their way down to the border for the protest of the border wall today, issuing written threats of arrests, but the event continued with traditional dances, poetry and speakers.
Ofelia Rivas, O'odham, told Censored News today, "Despite telephone, cell phone and media block, and political resolutions and hypocritical tribal government threats of arrests, people came to support grassroots efforts to take direct action to oppose the border wall."
"It was a very positive event," Ofelia said.
CNN Mexico, which came in from the south, was among the international media that covered the event.
Click arrows to watch videos below.


Traditional O'odham Protested Trump's Border Wall on Saturday, at Wo'osan, on O'odham land in Sonora, Mexico, at the border. Listen to this beautiful O'odham song. "Because the desert is sacred, a dance of unity, in front of a border that wants dehumanizing," says Alejandro. Thank you Alejandro for sharing video.


Video above: Traditional O'odham in Mexico protested Trump's border wall at the gathering in Wo'osan, in Sonora, Mexico, on O'odham land at the border. Alicia said that building a border wall on this sacred land, would be a scar on the soul of O'odham. Thank you Alejandro for sharing videos.

Below: Alicia shares her words in O'odham.
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Meanwhile, on the U.S. side of the border on Saturday, the Tohono O'odham government's police, U.S. Border Patrol agents, and other federal agents, issued written warnings which threatened arrest of supporters and reporters, and vehicle impoundments. Supporters and reporters were halted in Sells, Arizona, and south of Sells, by tribal police and federal agents. 

Read more at Censored News and view the threat notice issued:
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2017/03/oodham-in-mexico-protest-trumps-border.html

The Border Wall Protest was Hosted by the Consejo Supremo de O'odham en Mexico, the Traditional O'odham Authority in Mexico

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