Kumeyaay Urge Biden: Halt Border Wall Construction, Repair Damage

Photos by John Clark-Dvorak
Article by Brenda Norrell
Censored News

Kumeyaay gathered on Sunday on both sides of the border to hold a ceremony, and bring attention to the environmental and cultural damage done by the border wall construction.

Their communities have been cut through by the border wall, in what is known as San Diego County, California, and Baja California, Mexico.

Responding to a National Call for Action, Kumeyaay elder Stan Rodriguez, Santa Ysabel Kumeyaay, described the destruction to sacred places by the border wall construction, and how the southern border has cut through their communities.

The message to President Biden was, "Halt border wall construction and repair the damage."

"Keep your word."

Rodriguez said Kumeyaay ancestral territory spans from the Pacific Ocean to the desert.

"We have been here since time immemorial, for thousands and thousands of years."

Kumeyaay have ancient villages where they once lived that are now under the Pacific Ocean, from the last ice age, and have fish traps that are in the desert, where there was once a large lake, he said.

"The Kumeyaay people are no stranger to climate change, and we are no stranger to pandemics," Rodriguez said.

Kumeyaay are now being denied access to their sacred places, and denied their right to practice their religion, guaranteed under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, because of the border wall, he said.

All along the southern border, the Carrizo, Yoeme, Tohono O'odham, Cocopah, Kickapoo are struggling with encroachment and desecration of their sacred sites, he said.

Without consulting the Kumeyaay, the border wall construction desecrated a sacred cremation area and a sacred hot springs used for healing, he said.

"We are not owners of this land, we are part of it."

Rodriguez said Kumeyaay from both sides of the border gathered today for the prayer circle and sacred traditional songs.

"We are not going to let that border stop us from being who we are."

In related news, border wall contractors continued building the border wall this week, after President Biden's order to halt construction, as documented in videos at numerous sites in Arizona and Texas.

Read full article of Kumeyaay border action at Censored News.
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2021/01/kumeyaay-no-border-wall-on-native-land.html

Listen to all Stan Rodriguez' words. The video is now on YouTube. Video by John Clark-Dvorak.
https://youtu.be/ANAGJUotb2M