Tohono O’odham vice chairman talks to Los Angeles District
By Daniel J. Calderón
 The Honorable Mr. Isidro Lopez, vice chairman of the Tohono O’odham nation, speaks with members of the Los Angeles District during his presentation Nov. 27. Lopez spoke with employees as part of the district’s American Indian Heritage Month celebration.
The theme for the district's celebration was “Honoring Warriors: Past and Present.” Valisa Nez, American Indian special emphasis program manager for the district, prepared a selection of American Indian music and a slide show presentation showcasing American Indians who had served with the U.S. Army. American Indians like Charles Chibitty – who was the last of the Comanche “Code Talkers” during World War II – and Pfc. Lori Ann Piestewa – an American Indian from the Hopi community in Yuba City, Ariz., and the first female Soldier killed in action in Operation Iraqi Freedom – were featured in the slides.
“Sir, we are honored to have you in our presence here today,” Col Thomas H. Magness IV, district commander for the L.A. District, told Lopez. In his introductory remarks, Magness spoke about Lopez’s service in the U.S. Navy. Lopez was deployed for both Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. When he left the Navy, he continued to serve the Tohono O’odham nation first as a member of the legislative council up to his current position. He took time during his presentation to speak about the need for his nation to honors its veterans. “I feel that, as a nation, we don’t honor our veterans as well as they should be honored,” he said. “Our veterans’ affairs [office] sits and waits for veterans to come to them. We don’t go out to them and help them register and get in to our system. Veterans are warriors.” He then spoke of the tests Tohono O’odham warriors traditionally had to pass in order to earn the title of Warrior. They had to be able to shoot an arrow straight. They needed to be able to run fast, be strong and have the heart of a warrior. Only then were tribe members able to take the test to be initiated as warriors. When they returned home from war, the warriors underwent a purification ceremony in order to cleanse themselves of the ill effects of battle. Such ceremonies have been forgotten and Lopez would like to bring them back for Tohono O’odham warriors who return from the battles being fought today.
 Col. Thomas H. Magness IV, district commander of the USACE Los Angeles District presents the Honorable Mr. Isidro Lopez, vice chairman of the Tohono O’odham nation, with a command coin Nov. 27. Magness presented Lopez the coin after Lopez spoke to assembled members of the district as part of the district’s American Indian Heritage Month celebration. In addition to speaking about American Indian warriors throughout the history of the United States and the Tohono O’odham nation, both Magness and Lopez spoke about the cooperation between the two nations on projects like the border fence on the international border between the U.S. and Mexico.
“We have shared values,” Magness said. “We share a common need for security along our border [with Mexico]. They have agreed in writing, in principle and in value to the fence.” “We have approximately 75 miles of international border,” Lopez said. “We have a resolution in our council saying we want that fence. A lot of people mistakenly believe, however, that the fence is the same as the wall. Right now, there is a three-string barbed-wire fence along the border. Drug runners cut that fence and can just come in to our land, drop off their load and then go back. We are working on collaboration with the U.S. federal government to help build the fence.” Lopez said there were issues needing to be resolved. Issues included understanding from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in recognizing tribal identification cards. It also included the need for border officers to understand the need for members of the Tohono O’odham nation to travel back and forth across the border for religious and tribal obligations. Lopez said current tribal enrollment is around 28,000 members, with 14,000 living on reservation lands. He said there are approximately 300 tribal members living in Los Angeles.
The Tohono O’odham (which means “People of the Desert”) nation is located in the heart of the Sonoran desert, approximately 60 miles west of Tucson, Ariz. The nation covers area on both the U.S. and Mexican side of the international border and is the second-largest American Indian reservation in the United States. Over the past 15 years, a cultural renaissance has taken place among the nation. The revitalization includes a renewed interest in traditional basket weaving, the native language – there are 13 dialects of the Tohono O’odham language – and traditional games among the many initiatives. Tribal elder Danny Lopez and the nonprofit organization Tohono O’odham community action, whose website can be found at www.tocaonline.org, have contributed to the movement. |
